History of Developmental Biology

Embryology vs. Developmental Biology

Embryology: Descriptive study of
embryonic development includes all
multicellular organisms (plants,
animals, fungi).

Developmental Biology: Includes the

study of post-embryonic changes
such as growth/maturation,
metamorphosis, regeneration, aging.

Developmental Biology
is descriptive but also
incisive: what are the
mechanisms?

History: Epigenesis vs. Preformation

Preformation: Everything in the embryo is pre-formed and simply
grows during development.
Epigenesis: New structures arise progressively during development.
A preformed embryo
(homunculus) within
sperm (1694)

Malpighis drawings of
chick embryos (1673)

History: Cell Biology and Genetics

19th century:
More descriptive embryology
Evolution: ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny
Cell Theory
Genetics + Development
Germ cells vs. somatic cells (Weissmann)

5th century BC:

Aristotle favored epigenesis

17th century:
Marcello Malpighi
Chick embryology description(s) should
have confirmed Aristotles ideas
Preformation regained popularity

History: Cell Biology and Genetics

History: Cell Biology and Genetics

19th century:
More descriptive embryology
Evolution: ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny
Cell Theory
Genetics + Development
Germ cells vs. somatic cells (Weissmann)

19th century:
More descriptive embryology
Evolution: ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny
Cell Theory
Genetics + Development
Germ cells vs. somatic cells (Weissmann)

Genes
Proteins
Cell Activities
Developmental Processes

History: Nuclear Determination vs. Regulation

History: Genotype vs. Phenotype, Induction

20th century:
Johannsen genotype = phenotype
(gene X environment interaction)

The mosaic model (Weismann): nuclear determinants are asymmetrically

distributed in zygote these determine fate of embryonic cells.
The regulation hypothesis suggests that embryonic development can adjust
to the loss of cells.

Mangold and Spemann - Induction: One cell (or tissue)

influences the development of another cell (or tissue).

Drieschs experiment (1880s) on

sea urchin embryos supported
the regulation hypothesis

Rouxs experiment (1880s) on

frog embryos supported the
mosaic model

Model Organisms

Model Organisms

Throughout history, and today:

Model organisms

Throughout history, and today:

Model organisms

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, Drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

MOUSE (Mus musculus)

CHICK (Gallus domesticus)

Advantages: Genetic manipulation, history of use, mammal, fast generation time.

Disadvantages: In utero development, costly.

Advantages: In ovo development, history of use, amniote.

Disadvantages: Genetic manipulation not (yet?) possible; large ns difficult.

Model Organisms

Model Organisms

Throughout history, and today:

Model organisms

Throughout history, and today:

Model organisms

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

AFRICAN CLAWED FROG

(Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis)

Advantages: In ovo (rapid) development, large embryos, history of use, inexpensive.

Disadvantages: X. laevis is tetraploid.

ZEBRAFISH (Danio rerio)

Advantages: In ovo (rapid) development, genetic manipulation, history of use, inexpensive.

Disadvantages: ???? (o.k., so Im biased )

Model Organisms

Model Organisms

Throughout history, and today:

Model organisms

Throughout history, and today:

Model organisms

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

FRUIT FLY (Drosophila melanogaster)

Advantages: In ovo (rapid) development, genetic manipulation, history of use, inexpensive.

Disadvantages: Invertebrate

Model Organisms
Throughout history, and today:
Model organisms

ROUNDWORM (caenorhabditis elegans)

Advantages: In ovo development, genetic manipulation, history of use, inexpensive.

Disadvantages: Invertebrate

Modern Developmental Biology

Developmental genetics

Mouse, chick, Xenopus, zebrafish, drosophila, c. elegans, arabidopsis

MOUSE-EAR CRESS (arabidopsis thaliana)

Applications

Advantages: Rapid generation time, genetic manipulation, history of use, inexpensive.

Disadvantages: As a plant model, not many.

Diseases and disorders of development/teratology

Tissue repair and replacement/stem cells
Aging and cancer
Agriculture and food science
Evolutionary biology

An introduction to the Developmental Biology literature

An introduction to the Developmental Biology literature

Journals (original research articles = primary literature):

Developmental Biology
Developmental Dynamics
Developmental Neurobiology
BMC Developmental Biology
Development, Genes and Evolution
Differentiation
Genes and Development
International Journal of Developmental Biology
Development
Developmental Cell
Mechanisms of Development
Science
Nature
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
Cell
Neuron

Most research articles involve the use of model organisms to probe the function of
genes/proteins for a specific developmental process.

Retinal Homeobox 1 is Required for Retinal Neurogenesis

and Photoreceptor Differentiation in Embryonic Zebrafish

Most make use of gain-of-function (GOF) or loss-of-function (LOF) approaches, using

genetic, molecular, or pharmacological tools to manipulate the target gene/protein.
LOF approach = antisense (morpholino) oligonucleotides targeting rx1 and rx2

Others will utilize cell/tissue transplantation techniques to probe developmental

potential of those cells/tissues

Search via PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez

An introduction to the Developmental Biology literature

Most of the data are collected as images showing histology of the developing structure
of interest, and/or gene expression (in situ hybridization to localize mRNA, or
immunocytochemistry to localize corresponding protein) within that structure.

There is a LOT of jargon.