MCDB138:
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Fall 2009
http://www.lsic.ucla.edu
INSTRUCTOR
Karen Lyons
klyons@mednet.ucla.edu
310- 825-5480
410C Biomedical Sciences Research Building (BSRB)/Luck Orthopaedic Research
Building
GOAL OF COURSE
We will describe aspects of development common to many multicellular organisms, and,
where possible, explain this in terms of genetic, cellular, and molecular mechanisms.
Many developmental processes are triggered by two phenomena: changes in gene
expression and cell-cell interactions. We will discuss many examples of these during the
quarter, how they lead to particular developmental outcomes, and how alterations in
normal patterns of gene expression and cell-cell interaction lead to developmental
defects and disease. We hope that you will find developmental biology exciting and
relevant, and that you will come away from this course with an appreciation of the
unifying molecular genetic principles that underlie the generation of complex form in all
animals.
CLASS HOURS/LOCATIONS
Lecture: Tu Th 9:30am – 10:45am 1425 PAB
Discussion Sections: 5225 MS, 2288 FRANZ
READING
The text is Principles of Development, 3rd edition, by Lewis Wolpert, available in the
UCLA Student Store. You may use the 2nd edition, but you’ll need to adjust the reading
assignments. In addition, lecture notes, as well as figures, are available on the course
website.
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Kristine Estrada
kris.estrada@gmail.com
Peggy Vorwald
pvorwald@mednet.ucla.edu
Laurraine Gereige l.gereige@gmail.com
DR LYONS’ OFFICE HOURS
Dr. Lyons: M 2-3PM
Th 11-12PM
401 BSRB
Extra office hours prior to midterms and final will be announced in class.
PREREQUISITES
Life Sciences 1,2,3, and 4. You can refer to your texts for these classes to refresh your
memory.
DISCUSSION SECTIONS
You are required to attend one of the weekly one-hour discussion sections; you should
attend the same section every week. If you cannot make it to your assigned section, you
can arrange to attend a different one as long as you clear this with your TA so that you
will receive credit for attending.
You will be assigned six original research papers to read (available on the course web
site). You will turn in a short report on the research paper. During the section, you will
discuss the research paper, and you will be able to review material from the lectures
and the text. In weeks where no paper has been assigned, there may be an open-book
quiz at the beginning of the section.
EXAMS AND GRADING
The final grade for the course will be calculated as follows:
Midterm Exams (2) Oct 20 and Nov 12 (in class)
Discussion participation
Discussion assignments
Final Exam
Dec 8 (8AM-11AM)
300 pts (150 pts each)
90 pts
210 pts
400 pts
=1000 pts
The exams will consist of short answers and essay questions and will cover the lecture
material and the papers you will read for the discussion section. The final will cover the
entire course, but will be weighted toward the material covered after the midterms. The
textbook is to be read as supporting material for the lecture and discussion section
topics. The lowest grade of the quizzes or reports will be dropped.
REGRADES AND MAKEUPS
Per university regulations, grade assignments are final, except for mistakes in adding up
points or in grading exams, and cannot be appealed. We will be happy to go over your
exam with you, explain the grading method, and if applicable, discuss how you can do
better on the next exam. Grades will be available through URSA.
Make-up exams will only be given in the case of an unavoidable emergency (almost
always a severe medical problem). To be fair to your classmates, only if you contact Dr.
Lyons before the exam will it be decided whether your situation merits a make-up
exam; failure to make contact before the exam will result in loss of the right to take a
make-up. For students who are unable to attend the regularly scheduled exam due to
interviews or professional commitments, we will offer you the opportunity to take the
exam prior to the regularly scheduled time. You must inform Dr. Lyons at least 2
weeks prior to the scheduled exam so that an alternative exam can be designed for
you, a room can be found for you to take it in, and people can be found to administer it
to you.
Lecture Schedule and Reading (Wolpert, 3rd Edition)
Lecture Date
Topic
1
Sept 24 Introduction: Principles, Models and
Th
Genetic Approaches
2
Sept 29 Oogenesis and spermatogenesis
Tu
Oct 1
Fertilization
Th
3
4
Oct 6
Tu
Differential Gene Expression
5
Oct 8
Th
Oct 13
Tu
Oct 15
Th
Ooplasmic (cytoplasmic) determinants
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Oct 20
Tu
Oct 22
Th
Oct 27
Tu
Oct 29
Th
Maternal control of pattern formation in the
early Drosophila embryo
Zygotic control of pattern formation in the
Drosophila embryo: segmentation genes
The cellular basis of morphogenesis
Reading
Ch 1, 89-104,
327-30, 332-34
Box 3D (112-13)
421-31
Box 3A (93)
431-36, 257-67,
92-93, 96, 98,
104-5, 133
17-19, 297-309
Box 5A (189)
Box 3E (130)
Box 4B (158-9)
25-26, 37-43
191-201
31-57
57-77
257-85
MIDTERM 1 (in class)
The molecular basis of gastrulation in
Vertebrates
Determining cell fate along the anteriorposterior axis: homeotic genes in
Drosophila and vertebrates (V. Hartenstein)
Nov 3
Neural development: I Neurulation and
Tu
induction
Nov 5
Gastrulation/Mesoderm formation in birds and
Th
mammals
Nov 10 Neural development: II. Subdivision of the
Tu
brain and spinal cord
Nov 12 MIDTERM 2 (in class)
Th
Nov 17 Directed cell migration. Axonal pathfinding
Tu
and neural crest cells
Nov 19 Ectoderm: sensory placodes and ectodermal
Th
appendages
Nov 24 Development of epithelia: Endoderm
Tu
89-103, 108-19,
125-43
78-84, 155-64
166-75, 283-85,
387-93
149-155, 164-166
175-80, 286-88,
392-401
177, 322-24,
401-414
318-319
374-75
17
18
Nov 26
Th
Dec 1
Tu
Dec 3
Th
Dec 8
Th
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Limb development
339-58
Kidney development and Sex determination
375-77, 437-46
FINAL EXAM
8AM-11AM