Jawless fish genes tell us about human brain evolution
A new study published in Nature reveals how the genes of the jawless, eel-like parasitic fish the lamprey offer important clues about the evolution of the human brain.
One of the authors of the paper, Marianne Bronner, a professor of biology at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, explains that: “Lamprey are one of the most primitive vertebrates alive on Earth today, and by closely studying their genes and developmental characteristics, researchers can learn more about the evolutionary origins of modern vertebrates – like jawed fishes, frogs, and even humans.”1
- “Jawless fish genes tell us about human brain evolution”. Medical News Today, 18 September 2014. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282703.php. [↩]