Objectives: Developmental processes of vertebrate embryology. A comparative study of gametogenesis, fertilization, cleavage, gastrulation, organogenesis, and embryonic adaptations. One section of this course is offered in the spring semester of even-numbered years.

Prerequisites: General Zoology (Biol 212) OR permission of the instructor.

Credit Value: 3

Contact Time: Two 50 minute lectures and one three hour laboratory per week. Students are expected to attend every lecture; failure to attend regularly inevitably impacts negatively on a student's grade. Attendance in lab is required. Come to every laboratory prepared, and don't leave until you've finished the work (or lab ends). Labs will be both experimental and demonstrative, and include dissection and microscopy.

Outcomes:Upon successful completion of the course a student should be able to:

• describe the processes of animal gametogenesis
• discuss the key embryological phenomena of fertilization, cleavage, gastrulation, neurulation and the establishment of axes of polarity
• describe the key events in vertebrate organogenesis
• collect, culture and manipulate animal embryos
• demonstrate an ability to read the primary literature in embryology
• conduct an experiment in embryology and compose a scientific report of its outcomes
• demonstrate mastery of embryo serial sections using light microscopy

Assessment:

• Term tests: These tests will normally cover material presented in lecture, along with assigned readings from the text. Make-up tests will be given under only the most extenuating circumstances, and if arranged within 24 h of the scheduled exam.
• Laboratory Quiz: That day's reading/preparation will be the topic of each quiz.
• Written assignments: Brief written assignments will be discussed in detail in class. Students will be required to become familiar with reading and searching the scientific literature.
• Laboratory Examinations
• Final Examination: Comprehensive

Lecture Schedule:

• Sex and sexual reproduction
• Genome constancy and its implications
• Male reproduction and spermatogenesis
• Female reproduction and oogenesis
• Fertilization and cleavage
• Polarization and blastulation
• Gastrulation
• Extraembryonic membranes
• Ectodermal organ rudiments
• Mesodermal and endodermal organ rudiments
• Ooplasmic determinants of cell fate
• Induction and cell fate
• Developmental biology and evolution

Laboratory Schedule:

• Sectioning, slide inventory, frog development
• Frog development
• Hen reproductive system, early chick development (18-24 h w.m.)
• 33 h chick development
• Laboratory Practical I
• Living chick embryo
• 48 h chick embryo, begin 72 chick embryo
• 72 h chick embryo
• Laboratory Practical II
• Early Echinoderm embryology
• 10 mm pig embryo
• Open laboratory
• Laboratory final