Embryology is an old but
fascinating subject. From
the morphological
observation of chick embryo
development to the unravel
of the molecular control of
embryonic development in a
variety of organisms, we
have gone a long way.
However, the more we learn
the less we know. It is a
miracle to see how a single
cell develop into a fully
functional adult. This
course is design to build
the ground for students with
interest in embryology. We
will discuss the basic
principles and molecular
controls of embryonic
development. In particular,
we will emphasize the
progression from immature
gametes, fertilization,
cleavage to gastrulation
(i.e. the formation of gut).
The cell fate and embryonic
axis formation will also be
included. The popular
experimental models used by
current developmental
biologist will be examined
in detail.