Developmental Genetics

Three Stages of Development

• division

• morphogenesis

• differentiation

What leads to changes?

• Differential gene expression.

• Caused by...

Sequential Regulation

• Gene Expression is sequentially regulated

• Cells become determined before they differentiate

Plant and animal devo

• Plants have totipotent stem cells (meristems) throughout life

• Animals have totipotent stem cells for short part of life

• Animal cells move in development

Of course we have videos

• Human Development

• Different types of potential cells

• Embryonic stem cell lines

• Nuclear transfer: cloning

Cloning

• Reproductive cloning

• Many problems

• Defects

• Too many methyl groups

Stem Cells

• Adult stem cells• Bone marrow• Brain • Skin• Hair • Eyes

• Dental pulp

• Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent

• Therapeutic cloning

• New induced pluripotent stem cells from adult cells.

Pattern Formation in Animals

• Establishes major axes:

• Anterior posterior

• Right and left sides

• Video

Homeotic Genes• Homeotic genes

contain homeobox sequences (180 nucleotides long) regulate body part formation

• Homeobox codes for homeodomain (60 aa long)

• Homeodomains are almost identical in animal kingdom

• A video…of course