The last few years has seen a dramatic increase in our general understanding of how animal development is regulated. Only five years ago, a general meeting considering a wide range of vertebrate and invertebrate systems was appropriate. However, for those of us focus on understanding vertebrate development, there is now a real need for a dedicated meeting considering vertebrate models. The conference aims to bring together a wide variety of scientists working on some of the best understood models of vertebrate development including the fish, frog, chick and mouse. However, in recognition of the fact that much of our conceptual framework has come from considering how developmental processes are controlled in invertebrates, we propose to headline each session with a relevant talk from a leader in the field who is pioneering similar problems in Drosophila or . elegans. The critical input of these workers should make for a particularly stimulating meeting. Further, we propose to hold this meeting concurrent with a Keystone meeting on Extracellular Matrix Signaling, sharing joint sessions of mutual interest to both groups. This is a natural fit given the importance of extracellular signaling to vertebrate development. Particular subject matter to be discussed include the mechanisms by which cell movements and cell interactions lead to establishment of the embryonic axes; patterning appendages, such as the limb; cell signaling in the regulation of development; cell adhesion; control of organogenesis and morphogenesis: target finding, target recognition and target interaction in the CNS; cell fate specification; and emerging technologies which will highlight the role of a variety of novel approaches to address gene function in the vertebrate embryo.
