M2.

Developmental and Reproductive Biology

Developmental Biology - Mechanics by which the reproductive organs develop,
differentiate, age and incur disease.
 Concerned with analyzing the progressive (gradual)
acquisition of specialized structure and function by
organisms and their various components Embryology
 Study of the process by which organisms grow and  A subfield of developmental biology
develop  The study of organisms between one-cell stage (zygote)
 An interrogation of embryology with cytology and and the end of the embryonic stage.
genetics
Other definitions of Embryology
Reproductive Biology
A. The study of embryos (literally)
 The study of the
 Embryo – denotes juvenile stage of an
- Biochemistry
animal/organism while it is still contained in the
- Physiology
egg or in the maternal body
- Endocrinology
- Cell biology  Juvenile – upon hatching or upon birth, ceases to
- Genetics be an embryo (that is if we strictly follow the
- Molecular biology meaning of embryology)
 A wide range of biological process involved in
reproduction

 These processes include:

- Gametogenesis
- Germ stem cell biology
- Fertilization
- Embryo development B. The study of the development of animals
- Implantation  Development: has 2 meanings
- Pregnancy (in the sphere of biology)
- Sexual differentiation
 M2. Developmental and Reproductive Biology
1. Denotes the process that are involved in the
transformation of the fertilized egg or some
2 types of sex cells
other rudiment derived from a parent
organism into a new adult individual 1. Spermatozoa (male cells)
- this is ONTOGENETIC DEVELOPMENT 2. Eggs or ova (female cells)

2. Refers to the gradual historical transformation □ Sperm + ova = zygote

of the forms of life starting from simple forms (sexual reproduction)
to more complex ones □ Parts of parent’s body containing somatic cells =
-this is PHYLOGENETIC DEVELOPMENT offspring
or EVOLUNTARY DEVELOPMENT or (asexual reproduction)
EVOLUTION
2 forms of ontogenetic development
C. The study of the ontogenetic 1. Embryogenesis – denotes development from the egg
development of organism 2. Blastogenesis – denotes development of new individual
 Limitation: deals only with multicellular animals through asexual reproduction
(Metazoa)
 In metazoa – the typical and most widespread form
of ontogenetic development is the type occurring in Phases of Ontogenetic Development
sexual reproduction
 In sexual reproduction – new individuals are 1. Gametogenesis
produced by generative cells or gametes or sex a) spermatogenesis
cells. b) oogenesis
2. Fertilization
3. Cleavage
Difference between sex cells & somatic cells 4. Gastrulation
Sex cells Somatic cells 5. Organogenesis
1. undergo meiosis 1. Undergo mitosis 6. Growth and Histogical Differentiation
2. haploid (n) 2. Diploid (2n)
 M2. Developmental and Reproductive Biology
7. Process occurring after larval and adult stages have been
achieved
(metamorphosis, regeneration)

Scope of Developmental Biology

 Modern developmental biology studies:
1. The genetic control of cell growth
2. Differentiation
3. Morphogenesis (the process that gives rise to
tissues, organs and anatomy)

Present focus on embryology and

developmental biology
 The two deal with the various steps necessary for the
correct and complete formation of the body of a living
organism.