Development Intro Flashcards
In many cases, organism eggs are _________
symmetric
When a human baby first develops, there is no ____ ___ because all cells duplicate into the same thing
fate map
What is an emergent property?
Properties that do not exist on individual units, but if those units interact, they give new functionality. Ex brain cell
Cells have the ability to become any type of cell, but which type of cell the become depends on the _______ they recieve
signal
The environment the embryo is growing in can affect what they grow into. For example in humans, temperature can determine ______
gender
For a human embryo, before it becomes a ________, you can split the cells and you’ll get a number of babies equal to how many groups of cells you made
blastocyst
What causes the asymmetry that can lead to different cell fates?
- Tissue polarity
- Sometimes asymmetry is not created within the cell itself but in the blastula stage. Meaning from a reaction diffusion interaction that creates higher chemical concentration on one side from the other
________ are very sensitive to environmental factors in relation to development
Amphibians
We have genes with similar functions to those genes found on __________
fruitflys
microscopic staining, grafting, molecular manipulation are used for what?
introduce signals that you know interfere with the development process
What are 5 things developmental biologists study?
- How a single cell becomes a multicellular organism
- Emergent properties that do not exist in single cells
- Signalling process in pattern formation
- Environmental and genetic impact on development
- Factors for developmental disorders
What is a fate map?
A model trying to tell which cells in the early embryo form into what parts of the adult
What is pattern formation?
A process where cells have different fates in space and time depending on their internal state and position within the embryo
What can pattern formation help ensure?
That tissues and organs develop in the right place and orientation
To function properly, multicellular organisms must have precise _______ organisation and _________ of different tissues and organs
spatial, coordination
Pattern formation and _____________ affect the overall appearance and internal structure of an organism
morphogenesis
What are some examples of different appearances in animals due to pattern formation?
Cat splotches
Fish shapes
Giraffe patches
Emergent properties arise when individual parts ________ together and display more complex behaviours together
interact
How do ant colonies display emergent properties?
They have no centralised decision making process, yet the colony acts as a complete system based on the individual interaction of the ants.
The rules that in individual ant follows creates a complex colony with emergent properties
Although individual neurons are incapable of thought, ________ between neurons allow the brain to think
interactions
Explain how emergent properties form in each of the level of organisation for a heart:
- Heart cell
- Tissue
- Organ
- System
Cell: Cell cannot pump blood, but they form tissue
Tissue: Can contract in unison
Organ: Can contract to pump blood
System: Can distribute blood throughout the body
Organism organisation and patterning requires cell ___________
communication
What kinds of signals can cells produce and detect?
Electric Currents
Chemicals
Mechanical force
What are ligands used for?
Communication between cells
What is cell-cell communication essential for?
Pattern formation and emergence
How do we do research in developmental biology?
- Identify genes and the developmental process
- Manipulate those genes to study the changes
What kinds of question does developmental biology ask?
How does an embryo form limbs?
How does the kidney develop?
How do leaves get their different shapes?
What have we found out about embryo formation?
- Developmental defects can be caused by many genetic and environmental factors
- Scientists improve health by comparing normal and abnormal processes
What have scientists researched in regards to cell division and cell fate?
- The rate and extent of cell division
- How daughter cell fate is determined
Why is cancer considered a deviation from normal development?
Cells should no longer divide and multiply after organogenesis, but this is not the case for cancer cells
How can farmers benefit from developmental biology?
Plant development can be manipulated to improve growth, yield, and resistance to climate change and pests
What is an example of an environmental influence in development? Why is it important we know these things?
Temperature dependent sex in some organisms.
It’s important for conservation biology, especially with climate change
What are some qualities a good model organism should have?
- Easily accessible eggs
- Fast life cycle
- Small
- Able to be genetically manipulated
_____________ _________ of anatomy and sub cellular structures show the cellular features in organisms.
microscopic observations
Scientists looked at frog and mouse embryos for this
What techniques can be used during embryo development to determine functions of different regions during embryogenesis?
Grafting
Transplantation
Other physical manipulations
Scientists looked at frog embryos for this
How can researchers determine where and when genes are active and how they affect the developmental processes?
Molecular manipulations
Scientists looked at fruit flies for this
