Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:
• Appreciate the fundamental questions in developmental biology.
• Develop a foundational understanding of the key concepts in developmental biology.
• Develop a broader understanding of how a cell functions as part of a larger system.
• Identify the developmental origins of major animal organ systems.
• Describe signaling pathways required for morphogenesis.
• Understand why we use model organisms to explore developmental processes and how we use this
information to provide insight into human disease conditions.
• Develop your scientific writing and oral communication skills.
Course Content (Syllabus)
Have you ever wondered how an embryo develops from a simple fertilized egg to a complex multicellular organism? This course explores this question by examining the basic patterns of embryonic development and studying the mechanisms that control these processes at the cellular and molecular levels. The development of the three germ layers and human developmental disorders will be discussed. Due to advances in imaging and gene editing techniques, developmental biology is one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding areas in biology today. This has an important and broader impact on other areas of biology, from medicine, molecular and cellular biology to evolutionary biology and paleontology. An understanding of the basis of developmental biology is also critical to forming enlightened opinions regarding growing ethical issues in your society such as stem cell research and genetic engineering.
The course syllabus is based on "Developmental Biology" by Gilbert and Baressi, 11th edition, ISBN 978-960-524-561-0, Evdoxus ID# 86196221, https://service.eudoxus.gr/search/#a/id:86196221/0
• DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION: MECHANISMS OF CELL DIFFERENTIATION
• CELL-TO-CELL COMMUNICATION: MECHANISMS OF MORPHOGENESIS
• EARLY DEVELOPMENT: CLEAVAGE, GASTRULATION, AND AXIS FORMATION IN AMPHIBIANS, FISH, BIRDS, AND MAMMALS
• ECTODERM: MECHANISMS OF DIFFERENTIATION AND ITS DERIVATIVES
• MESODERM: MECHANISMS OF DIFFERENTIATION AND ITS DERIVATIVES
• ENDODERM: MECHANISMS OF DIFFERENTIATION AND ITS DERIVATIVES
• STEM CELLS