Monday 15 September 2014

From worm muscle to spinal discs: An evolutionary surprise

Date:
September 12, 2014

Source:
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)

Summary:
Thoughts of the family tree may not be uppermost in the mind of a person suffering from a slipped disc, but those spinal discs provide a window into our evolutionary past. They are remnants of the first vertebrate skeleton, whose origins now appear to be older than had been assumed. Scientists have found that, unexpectedly, this skeleton most likely evolved from a muscle.


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