 | Developmental Biology is the study ofthe molecular and cellular events that lead to the generation of amulticellular organism from a fertilized egg. Although much isknown about the morphological changes that take place duringdevelopment, there is a lesser understanding of the mechanisms by whichthese changes occur. Because of this lack of knowledge, andbecause of the interest in understanding how something as complex as ahuman being can develop from a single cell, Developmental Biology isone of the most active areas of biological research today. In essence, Developmental Biology is a study of cell differentiation; to its extreme extent, development of an entire organism from a single cell involves severalstages of differentiation and cell interaction. The course willinvestigate the cellular and molecular processes involved in generatingan embryo, in creating various tissues and organs, and the effect ofexternal stimuli on development. photo:chick embryo, Biology 351L, Spring 2003 |