A Practical Guide to Developmental Biology

This lab manual is designed to give students experience with a wide variety of model systems currently in use by developmental biologists. Experiments range from classic slide or whole animal observations to more modern immunohistochemistry and manipulation of gene expression. All of these experiments can be completed on a relatively small budget. This lab manual is designed for upper level undergraduates or graduate students, to introduce them to the field of developmental biology. After spending two weeks learning how to handle and manipulate a variety of embryonic organisms, students will begin a series of experiments that more or less keep pace with the sequence of most developmental biology textbooks (axial patterning, plant cell totipotency, fertilization, early plant development, morphogenesis, cell adhesion, embryogenesis, gametogenesis, regeneration and metamorphosis. The manual is heavily illustrated and gives students a solid grounding in classic developmental biology as well as modern techniques in immunohistochemistry and homeobox gene expression. Appendices of recipes, needed chemicals, and sources for animals are included.