Ramapo College of New Jersey 5

Fight or flight response

A physiological reaction to perceived harmful events, attacks, or threats, characterized by increased heart rate, release of adrenaline, and heightened awareness.

Deuterostomes

A clade of animals that includes echinoderms and chordates, characterized by their embryonic development where the anus forms before the mouth.

Echinoderms

A phylum of marine animals such as starfish and sea urchins, characterized by spiny skin and radial symmetry.

Metamorphosis

A biological process where an organism undergoes significant physical changes after birth or hatching, often involving a transition from a larval stage to an adult form.

Yolk

A nutritive material found in eggs, providing food for the developing embryo.

Polyspermy

A condition in fertilization where an egg is fertilized by more than one sperm, leading to an abnormal number of chromosomes.

Calcium wave

The increase in calcium ion concentration that occurs across the egg membrane during fertilization, which acts as a second messenger to activate developmental processes.

Blastula

An early stage of embryonic development that consists of a hollow ball of cells surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.

Gastrulation

The process during embryonic development that results in the formation of three germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

Archenteron

The primitive gut formed during gastrulation in the embryo.

Mesoderm

The middle layer of cells in an embryo that develops into muscle, bone, and connective tissues.

Ectoderm

The outermost layer of cells in an embryo, which develops into the skin and nervous system.

Endoderm

The innermost layer of cells in an embryo that develops into the lining of the gut and internal organs.