Maj/Zoo-307: DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY (3+1 = 4 CREDITS)
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES
1. Lectures 45-48
2. Practicals 10-15
3. Assignments/ Presentations one per student
4. Discussions/ Tutorials one per week
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The course will provide detailed knowledge about the principal features of
development, cellular basis of morphogenesis, mechanisms of cellular differentiation
and concepts of induction in development. It will provide understanding of the
mechanisms of organogenesis, factors controlling growth and oncogenesis. The
zygote proceeds through enormous phenomena of development up to their emergence
resembling to the parents. The concepts of all these developmental mechanisms will
be communicated to the students in this course.
COURSE CONTENTS
THEORY
1. Introduction: Principal features of development, origin of sexual reproduction,
developmental patterns; Spermatogenesis; Oogenesis.
[Link]: Recognition of sperm and egg, fusion of gametes, activation of egg
metabolism, rearrangement of egg cytoplasm.
3. Cleavage: Patterns of embryonic cleavage, mechanism of cleavage.
4. Gastrulation: Fate maps, gastrulation in sea urchin, amphibians, birds and
mammals.
5. Early Vertebrate Development: Neurulation, ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm
(Emphasis on the germ layers only)
6. Cellular Basis of Morphogenesis: Differential cell affinity, cell adhesion
molecules.
7. Mechanism of Cellular Differentiation: RNA processing, translational regulation
of developmental process, cell-fate by progressive determinants, autonomous cell
specification by cytoplasmic determinants, establishment of body axes and
mechanism of teratogenesis; Secondary Induction.
8. Organogenesis: A brief account; Origin and Migration of Germ Cells in
Vertebrates (One representative organ from each germ layer).
9. Factors controlling Growth and Oncogenesis.
10. Hormones as Mediators of Development; Regeneration in Vertebrates.
BOOKS RECOMMENDED
1. Developmental Biology. Gilbert, S. F., 2000. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.
2. An Introduction to [Link], B. I., 1985. [Link] and Co.
3. Development [Link], J. W. 1982. McMillan and Co.
4. Introduction to Embryonic Development. Oppenheimer, S.S., 1984. Allen and
Bacon.
5. Modern Embryology. Bodemer, C. W., 1968. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
6. Mechanism of Development. Ham,R. [Link] Veomett, M. J., 1980. C.V. Mosby Co.
7. Development. Berril, N. J. and Karp, G., 1978. McGraw Hill.
PRACTICALS
1. Study of gametesstructure in some representative cases, i.e., fowl and mammal.
2. Study of cleavage and subsequent development from prepared slides and/or whole
mounts in various animals i.e., frog, chick etc.
3. Study of fertilization, early development of frog through models/slides.
4. Preparation and study of serial sections of mice or chick embryos.
5. Application of microsurgical techniques on chick embryos in vitro.
6. Preparation and staining of histological slides.
