L1 Intro to DevSteR Flashcards
What is developmental biology?
It is the study of the process by which animals and plants grow and develop. It also involves the study of tissue homeostasis in adulthood
Where are stem cells studied in and where are they found?
Stem cells are studied in vitro to aid in regenerative medicine. They are found in the embryo and also in adults
What is the aim of regenerative biology?
The study of regenerative biology aims to elucidate (clarify) the innate ability of organisms to replace tissues or oragns after they have been removed or damaged
Why do we use model organisms (in vivo models) to study DevSteR? (7)
- Allow the study of complex interactions within the whole organisms
- Genetics (have many well-characterised genomes, making it easier to study)
- Surgical accessibility
- Low cost
- Ethics - restricted for vertebrates (generally less ethically problematic)
- Provides genome sequencing
- Shared methods and knowledge worldwide
What is DevSteR?
Developmental biology, stem cells and regenerative biology
What are cell fate maps in general?
They are like roadmaps for developing embryos. They show which parts of an early embryo will eventually develop into specific tissues and organs in the adult organism
Why do we use cell fate maps?
Early on in the embryo, cells all look the same but they may already be fated to give rise to a certain structure or cell type which cell fate maps can use to identify
Describe lineage tracing
Lineage tracing is a technique used in developmental biology to study cell fate and diferentiation. It involves tracking the descendants of a single cell or a group of cells over time to determine their ultimate fates
Explain how lineage tracing works (3)
1) Labelling cells: Scientists use various techniques to mark specific cells of regions in the early embryo. This involve dyes, genetic markers, or other methods
2) Tracking development: They then observe how these labeled cells and their descendants move, divide, and differentiate as the embryo develops
3) Mapping the outcomes: By tracing these labelled cells, researchers can determine which embryonic regions give ise to specific adult tissues and organs, creating a “map” of developmental fates
What is cell fate commitment and plasticity?
- Cell fate commitment - The process where a cell becomes progressively restricted in its developmental potential, eventually becoming committed to a specific cell type
- Cell fate plasticity - Refers to the ability of a cell to change its fate, either spontatneously or in response to external signals
Describe what experimental embryology
A process where scientists actively manipulate the developing embryo to figure out how it works using surgery or cell isolation
What do we mean by cell signalling?
When signalling cells secrete signals (ligands) to which they do not pass through the cell membrane therefore specific receptors are needed to be present on the cell membrane to transduce the signal into the cell
What are the ways that signalling can lead to? (6)
- Patterning cells: a signal can cause identical cells to adopt different fates as they develop
- Cause cells to proliferate
- Cause cells to live or die
- Allow or block cells from responsing to other signals (e.g. permissive signals)
- Attract ir repulse cells during migration (e.g. chemoattractants)
- Regulate cell metabolism (e.g. insulin)
What does gene experssion analysis do?
Expressions analysis tells us about what is happening within a cell or regionally within a tissue
Give me 2 exampes of gene expression analysis
- RNA in sita hybridisation stains cells blue/purple if they express the RNA for a particular gene
- Antibody staining is a technique that uses antibodies to detect where specific proteins are expressed
What is genetic and ectopic expression analysis?
Genetic - involves studying the expressions of a gene in its normal location and under normal coniditions.
Ectopic - involves studying the expression of a gene in an abnormal location or under abnormal conditions
