Sixth edition. 2007 M.H. Johnson and B.J. Everitt, Published by
Blackwell Publishing
There have been some spectacular advances in our understanding
of the reproductive processes since the last edition.
This progress has been due, in part, to the application to
reproductive studies of the expanding range and sensitivity
of the techniques of molecular biology, especially
genomics, epigenetics and proteomics, as well as a much
clearer understanding of the importance of systems biology
in the integration of complex functions whether at cell,
tissue, organism or social levels.
Four major heath issues place reproduction at the centre
of scientifi c, clinical, political and ethical discourse. Continuing
clinical developments in the fi eld of assisted conception
have expanded opportunities for the alleviation
or circumvention of subfertility, genetic disability and,
through stem cells, degenerative disease, but have also
opened up new controversies. The threat posed by the
human immunodefi ciency virus continues to place reproduction
and sexual behaviour high on the agenda of
medical research, and is being accompanied by a rise in
genitourinary infections in much of the world, with implications
for future fecundity. The explosion of obesity and
the realization that both child and adult health and wellbeing
are affected enduringly by life in utero have focused
work on pregnancy and the neonatal period of care. Finally,
we are at last beginning to understand more fully how
genetic expression interacts with environmental factors to
infl uence complex behavioural phenotypes that include
psychiatric disease and antisocial behaviour.
Two socio-legal changes have also been important infl uences
on the science and medicine of reproduction. First,
Preface to the Sixth Edition
the changing roles of women and thus of men in developed
societies has infl uenced thinking, research, social attitudes
and legislation about sex and gender. A similar acknowledgement
of the variety of sexual behaviour has also
infl uenced attitudes to the types of research considered
acceptable or important.
All chapters have been restructured, some of them substantially,
to take these new developments into account. In
places, more detailed information on deeper or applied
aspects of some topics has been introduced in Boxes. In
addition, requests for more specifi c references have hopefully
been met better by longer reading lists divided into
general and specifi c references. As before, many helpful
comments, corrections and letters of advice have been
received from readers, students and teachers all over the
world. As always, in this sixth edition, I have tried to
provide for students of reproduction a compact and comprehensive
text that carves through the micro-detail of the
subject to bring out its theoretical cores, but illustrates it
with experiment, information and context.
It is sad that this sixth edition is also the fi rst that has
been prepared by myself alone. Barry Everitt, a long time
friend and colleague, has been unable to co-author this
volume due to changes of interest and the many work pressures
in his life. I would like to thank him for the stimulation
and friendship he has provided over the 27 years since
the fi rst edition of this book.
There have been some spectacular advances in our understanding
of the reproductive processes since the last edition.
This progress has been due, in part, to the application to
reproductive studies of the expanding range and sensitivity
of the techniques of molecular biology, especially
genomics, epigenetics and proteomics, as well as a much
clearer understanding of the importance of systems biology
in the integration of complex functions whether at cell,
tissue, organism or social levels.
Four major heath issues place reproduction at the centre
of scientifi c, clinical, political and ethical discourse. Continuing
clinical developments in the fi eld of assisted conception
have expanded opportunities for the alleviation
or circumvention of subfertility, genetic disability and,
through stem cells, degenerative disease, but have also
opened up new controversies. The threat posed by the
human immunodefi ciency virus continues to place reproduction
and sexual behaviour high on the agenda of
medical research, and is being accompanied by a rise in
genitourinary infections in much of the world, with implications
for future fecundity. The explosion of obesity and
the realization that both child and adult health and wellbeing
are affected enduringly by life in utero have focused
work on pregnancy and the neonatal period of care. Finally,
we are at last beginning to understand more fully how
genetic expression interacts with environmental factors to
infl uence complex behavioural phenotypes that include
psychiatric disease and antisocial behaviour.
Two socio-legal changes have also been important infl uences
on the science and medicine of reproduction. First,
Preface to the Sixth Edition
the changing roles of women and thus of men in developed
societies has infl uenced thinking, research, social attitudes
and legislation about sex and gender. A similar acknowledgement
of the variety of sexual behaviour has also
infl uenced attitudes to the types of research considered
acceptable or important.
All chapters have been restructured, some of them substantially,
to take these new developments into account. In
places, more detailed information on deeper or applied
aspects of some topics has been introduced in Boxes. In
addition, requests for more specifi c references have hopefully
been met better by longer reading lists divided into
general and specifi c references. As before, many helpful
comments, corrections and letters of advice have been
received from readers, students and teachers all over the
world. As always, in this sixth edition, I have tried to
provide for students of reproduction a compact and comprehensive
text that carves through the micro-detail of the
subject to bring out its theoretical cores, but illustrates it
with experiment, information and context.
It is sad that this sixth edition is also the fi rst that has
been prepared by myself alone. Barry Everitt, a long time
friend and colleague, has been unable to co-author this
volume due to changes of interest and the many work pressures
in his life. I would like to thank him for the stimulation
and friendship he has provided over the 27 years since
the fi rst edition of this book.