516-302 Developmental Biology

Biochemistry 521-211 plus 521-212. Zoology 654-203 is recommended.

BBiomedSc students: 521-213 and 536-250.

Prerequisites may be waived by the Head of Department.

Upon completion of this subject students should:

• comprehend the molecular, biochemical and cellular events that regulate the development of specialised cells, tissues and organs during embryonic development, particularly cell signalling pathways that regulate embryonic induction, tissue interactions and pattern formation, and expression of regulatory genes; and

• understand the experimental strategies and techniques that are used to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms of development.

The following topics are considered: mechanisms of cell determination and commitment; embryonic organiser; mesoderm induction; establishment of the vertebrate body plan; positional specification; tissue patterning; cell migration; epithelial-mesenchymal interactions; sex determination; developmental potency; growth control; cell and tissue transplantation; nuclear transplantation; cell ablation; cell lineage tracing; organogenesis in vitro; transgenesis; gene knockout; and developmental mutations.

A 2-hour end-of-semester written examination, practical reports, and critical reviews of published journal articles.

• L Wolpert, R Beddington, J Brockes, T Jessell, P Lawrence and E Meyerowitz, Principles of Development. Oxford University Press, 1998.