Developmental Biology Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the developmental biology lecture, focusing on terms relevant to the processes and stages of development.

Developmental Biology

Field of biology that evolved from embryology to study the processes that transform a single cell into a multicellular organism.

Embryology

The study of embryos and their development, traditionally focused on structural changes.

Gametogenesis

The process of generating specialized reproductive cells (gametes) such as sperm and ova.

Fertilization

The union of sperm and ovum leading to the formation of a zygote.

Cleavage

The series of rapid cell divisions that occur following fertilization, leading to the formation of the blastula.

Gastrulation

The phase in embryonic development that establishes the three primary germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

Neurulation

The process of forming the neural tube, which will develop into the central nervous system.

Body Axis Formation

Establishment of the organism's body axes (anterior-posterior, dorsal-ventral, left-right) during development.

Ontogenic Development

The development of an individual organism from the fertilization of an oocyte.

Phylogenetic Development

The evolutionary development of a species over time.

Mosaic Development

A mode of development where the fate of embryonic cells is determined by the cytoplasmic determinants already present in the zygote.

Regulative Development

A mode of development where embryonic cell fate can change due to interactions with neighboring cells.

Significance of Embryology

Understanding normal and abnormal development leads to advancements in prenatal diagnosis, infertility treatment, and stem cell research.

Hox Genes

A group of genes that control the body plan of an embryo along the anterior-posterior axis.

Potency

The ability of a cell to differentiate into various cell types.

Differentiation

The process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that is crucial during the development process.

Neural Crest Cells

Cells that develop from the embryonic ectoderm and migrate to form various structures including peripheral nerves.

Blastula

An early stage in embryonic development characterized by a hollow ball of cells.

Pluripotent Cells

Cells that can differentiate into nearly any cell type, but not into an entire organism.

Totipotent Cells

Cells that have the potential to develop into any type of cell including both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues.

Critical Periods

Specific times during development when certain processes must occur for normal development to happen.

Cell-Cycle Inhibitors

Proteins that regulate the cell cycle, ensuring cells only divide when appropriate.

Morphogenesis

The biological process that causes an organism to develop its shape.

Stem Cells

Undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop into any cell type in the body.

Cleavage Patterns

The ways in which a zygote divides during early embryonic development, influenced by the type of yolk in the egg.

Embryonic Induction

The process where certain cells influence the development of nearby cells.

Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs)

Proteins located on the cell surface that mediate cell-cell adhesion.

Fate Mapping

A technique used to trace the developmental origin of various structures in the embryo.

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition

A process where epithelial cells lose their characteristics and gain migratory and invasive properties.