516-302 Developmental Biology

This subject is a joint anatomy and cell biology and zoology subject.

516-201, or Zoology 654-203, or Biochemistry 521-211 and 521-212.

BBiomedSc students: 521-213 and 536-250. Zoology 654-304 and 654-313 and Anatomy 516-306 are recommended.

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.

Students will also gain the generic skills listed below:

• critical analysis of data;

• ability to solve complex problems;

• oral and written communication skills, including public speaking and summary reports of complex data;

• teamwork skills in the analysis and interpretation of data;

• working as a team to perform new experimental tasks; and

• time management skills.

Ongoing assessment on theory and practical work during the semester comprising a maximum of two 30-minute multiple choice quizzes (10%); two practical reports to be completed during the practical sessions (10%); one practical report of 1000 words due during the semester (10%); a 2-hour written examination during the examination period (70%).

• S Gilbert, Developmental Biology. 7th edn, Sinauer Associates Inc., 2003.