Intro -- Preface -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- 1: The Origin of Eukaryotic Cells and Multicellular Organisms -- First Steps of Life on Earth -- Multicellular Life: From Colonies to Organisms -- The Ediacaran Period -- The Cambrian Explosion -- References -- 2: Multicellular Organism Propagation -- Sexual Reproduction and Genetic Variability -- Growth, Development, and Maintenance of Animal's Body -- References -- 3: Grow Fast and Well or Die -- Egg Fertilization and Growth -- The Life Cycle of the African Frog -- The Life Cycle of the Fruit Fly -- The Life Cycle of the Mouse -- References -- 4: Why Do Animals Grow, Age, and Then Die? -- Tissue and Organ Homeostasis -- References -- 5: How Do Tissues Regenerate After an Injury? -- Physiological Versus Pathological Regeneration -- Regeneration in Animals Different from Mammals -- References -- 6: Epilogue: The Future of Humankind Could Depend on Unicellular Life -- Glossary -- Index. |