BIOL 311: Embryology

Course Description

Embryology is a 4-hour lecture course. This course addresses the cellular and molecular events during all stages of prenatal development beginning from the germ cells and ending in the fully formed organism. Students will learn about the basic processes that underlie the formation of the embryo on genetic, cellular and morphological levels. Diverse topics will be covered ranging from how chromosomes behave during cell replication to the evolutionary homology and structure of the wing and the arm in a bird, a human and a bat. Additionally, students will be exposed to a wide variety of embryonic systems including well-established and intensively studied models, both genetic (e.g., C. elegans, Drosophila, zebrafish, mouse) and experimental (e.g. chick, sea urchins, frogs). With each topic, discussion of pathological conditions/ birth defects that may arise in association with that developmental process will familiarize students with the medical applications of the topics covered. (F).