What is the process called by which a single fertilized egg develops into a multicellular organism with specialized tissues and organs?
Embryogenesis
What role does the notochord play in early vertebrate development?
It induces the formation of the neural tube by signaling to the overlying ectod...
What is the process called by which a single fertilized egg develops into a multicellular organism with
specialized tissues and organs?
Embryogenesis
What role does the notochord play in early vertebrate development?
It induces the formation of the neural tube by signaling to the overlying ectoderm.
How does gastrulation contribute to the development of the three germ layers?
Gastrulation reorganizes the blastula into a three-layered structure, forming the ectoderm, mesoderm,
and endoderm.
What are the key molecular signals involved in the formation of the dorsal-ventral axis in vertebrates?
Signals like BMP (Bone Morphogenetic Proteins) and their antagonists (e.g., Noggin, Chordin) are
essential for establishing the dorsal-ventral axis.
How do Hox genes contribute to the patterning of body segments in an embryo?
Hox genes encode transcription factors that regulate the identity and development of specific body
segments along the anterior-posterior axis.
What is the significance of the organizer region in amphibian embryos?
The organizer region, such as Spemann's organizer, directs the development of surrounding cells and
helps establish the body plan, including the dorsal axis.
What are somites, and how do they contribute to vertebrate development?
Somites are segmented blocks of mesoderm that give rise to structures such as vertebrae, ribs, and
associated muscles.
How does lateral inhibition contribute to the formation of specialized cells in a developing tissue?
Lateral inhibition ensures that neighboring cells adopt different fates by using signaling pathways like
Notch-Delta to suppress similar differentiation.
What is the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during cell migration in embryonic development?
The ECM provides structural support and biochemical signals that guide migrating cells to their target
locations.
How does the process of neurulation lead to the formation of the central nervous system?
Neurulation involves the folding of the neural plate into the neural tube, which later differentiates into
the brain and spinal cord.
What is the function of morphogens in establishing positional information in a developing embryo?
Morphogens are signaling molecules that form concentration gradients, instructing cells to adopt specific
fates based on their position within the gradient.
,What is the significance of apoptosis during limb development?
Apoptosis removes cells in specific regions, such as the interdigital areas, to sculpt the final shape of the
limb.
How does the process of induction influence the fate of embryonic cells?
Induction occurs when one group of cells influences the development of another through signaling
molecules or direct contact.
What mechanisms underlie the asymmetry of the left-right axis in vertebrates?
Nodal signaling and cilia-driven fluid flow at the node help establish left-right asymmetry during
development.
What is the role of epiboly during zebrafish development?
Epiboly is the spreading and thinning of the blastoderm over the yolk to enclose it completely.
How do germline cells become specified during development?
Germline cells are specified by cytoplasmic determinants or signaling pathways that segregate them
from somatic lineages.
What is the role of Wnt signaling in embryonic development?
Wnt signaling regulates processes such as axis formation, cell proliferation, and differentiation during
embryogenesis.
What is the process of somitogenesis, and how is it regulated?
Somitogenesis is the periodic formation of somites from the presomitic mesoderm, regulated by the
segmentation clock and gradients of FGF and Wnt signaling.
How does the neural crest contribute to the development of diverse structures in vertebrates?
Neural crest cells migrate to various parts of the embryo, differentiating into structures such as
peripheral nerves, melanocytes, and craniofacial cartilage.
What is the role of planar cell polarity (PCP) in tissue organization?
PCP ensures the coordinated orientation of cells within the plane of a tissue, crucial for processes like
convergent extension and ciliogenesis.
What is developmental Biology?
the biological discipline aimed at understanding how a single-celled zygote (fertilized egg) becomes a
new multicellular organism
Developmental biology is concerned with...
how genotype is manifested as phenotype
What does the question of differentiation ask in Developmental Biology?
How does a single celled zygote give rise a multicellular organism?
What does the question of Morphogensis ask in developmental biology?
, How do cells form their correct shapes and organize into tissues, organs, organisms...
What does the question of Growth ask in Developmental Biology?
How do cells "know" when to stop dividing?
What does the question of Environmental Integration ask in Developmental Biology?
How does an organism's environment affect its development?
What does the question of Evolution ask in Developmental Biology?
How does changes in developmental patterns over time give rise to new body forms/species?
There is no what during cleavage?
growth
What is cell fate?
The characteristics of cell type (or types) that an early embryonic cell will normally give rise to
What is a fate map?
the summation of the cell fates for many of the cells of an embryo at a particular stage of development
What are the three methods of fate mapping?
1. Transplantations 2. Ablations (of the cells) 3. Labels and Dyes (laser activated florescent dye)
What did Hans Driesch do?
used sea urchins to study development, discovered that cells under pressure during cleavage develop
the same as normal cells (regulative development)
What did William Roux do?
used mosaic development by deadening one cell
What is differentiation?
involves overt changes in cellular biochemistry and function
What is specification?
the ability of cells to adopt their normal fate when isolated from the embryo (it is labile so it can be
reversed)
What is determination?
the ability of a cell to develop according to its original fate when placed into another region in the
embryo (it is stable and can not be reversed)
What is autonomous specification?
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