ABSTRACT
An understanding of cell division is central to the study of development. Many genetic defects and birth defects are due to abnormalities in cell division and most people studying human development are interested in these defects. Cell division is one of the three fundamental processes in development, along with cell differentiation (also called cytodifferentiation) and morphogenesis (discussed in Chapter 8). If cell division is abnormal, especially during certain critical periods of development, so, too, will be the development it accompanies.
