3 ECTS credits
90 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1015665BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.
Lectures:
Chap.1. Overview of vertebrate development
Description of early development (cleavage, gastrulation, neurulation) of the mouse, frog and chicken.
Chap. 2. Experimental embryology
Theories and experiments that uncovered the first signals that pattern the early embryo.
Regulative versus Mosaic development
Cytoplasmic determinants
Induction
Molecular mechanisms - Genes and molecules involved during induction processes in the gastrula (e.g. Goosecoid and Frzb-1)
How the French flag illustrates pattern formation in development.
Chap. 3. Organogenesis
Somite patterning and muscle formation - Pattern formation in the mouse body axis, the Hox genes.
Limb formation in the mouse and chick.
Chap. 4. Drosophila development - From the egg to the larva: the story uncovered by developmental genetics in the fruitfly
Summary of the Development
Maternal genes - Zygotic Dorso-Ventral genes - Zygotic Antero-Posterior genes - Homeotic genes
Practicals:
Dissection of chicken eggs at different stages from the beginning of somite formation to the start of organogenesis.
Analysis of serial coupes of mouse and chick embryos.
Note that participation to the practicals is mandatory. In case of unjustified absence, we will subtract 3 points from the final score for the practicals (graded on 20).
Good textbooks (available at the central library) are:
"Principles of Development", L. Wolpert et al.
“Developmental Biology”, S.Gilbert.
Summary notes and a file containing the complete course under the form of a website (with multimedia material) is given/shared to the students during the first lecture.
This course unit has the following intended learning outcomes. At the end of the course unit, the student should be able to:
* know and understand the various developmental operations discussed in the lectures,
* have a good grasp of a variety of techniques used to study the development of animal organisms
* transfer the acquired knowledge
from one studied system to another one by making links between the different parts of the course unit as well as with other course units,
* perform autonomously manipulation of the provided material during the practicals.
After finishing this course unit, the student should have an overview of developmental steps in several model organisms and will have the conceptual tools needed to understand the different principles that guide developmental processes.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Oral exam.
The exam is with notes and file (in computer room) during the preparation part but with blank paper and pens for the presentation/discussion part.
2 questions (determined by lottery) will be asked, one very broad and the other on a more specific topic.
The student will dispose of 45 minutes to prepare with personal notes, the hand-out notes and the course unit on file (computers will be available during the preparation).
The exam consists of 5 minutes uninterrupted presentation by the student for each question followed by 5 min discussion.
In total, the exam can last up to 30 minutes.
The practical note is based on the scored drawings realized during the practical session and on the evaluation of the teaching assistant.
Note that participation to the practicals is mandatory. In case of unjustified absence, we will subtract 3 points from the final score for the practicals (graded on 20).
The exam note will count for 80% of the final note and the practical note for 20% of the final grade.
However, a minimum of 50% MUST be reached for each part. If not, the lowest note will be the final note.
Partial marks: if the student obtains at least half of the score for one part (theory or practical), the note is transferred to the second session (and eventually to the next academic year).
Students may not relinquish partial marks.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Biology: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Bioengineering Sciences: Profile Cell and Gene Biotechnology (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Science in Biology: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Science in Biology: Standaard (53 SP) (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Science in Biology: Standaard (ad hoc) (only offered in Dutch)