Università Roma Tre

THE MAIN GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY AND COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF THE VETEBRATE SUBPHYLUM, BY THE EVOLUTIONARY VIEWPOINT. THE ANATOMICAL ORGANIZATION IS INTERPRETED IN THE ADAPTIVE AND EVOLULUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE. PRINCIPAL AIMS OF THE COURSE ARE THE FOLLOWING: (1) LEARNING AND APPLYING THE COMPARATIVE METHODS; (2) KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE DIVERSE SYSTEMS IN AN EVOLUTIONARY AND FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE; 3) ACHIEVEMENT OF THE ABILITY TO OBSERVE, DESCRIBE AND REVEAL BIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA. THE STUDENT WILL ACQUIRE BASIC KNOWLEDGE ON ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT, FROM GAMETOGENESIS TO ORGAN FORMATION. FUNDAMENTAL MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESSES, SUCH AS CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND MORPHOGENESIS WILL BE APPROACHED. THE STUDENT WILL ACQUIRE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL COMPETENCE TO RECOGNIZE EMBRYONIC STRUCTURES OF VERTEBRATES AT THE MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC LEVELS.