Università Roma Tre

DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
From a single cell to a multicellular organism: differentiation and morphogenesis. Models in developmental biology. Sexual reproduction. Gametogenesis. Structural differences between egg and sperm cell. Fertilization: recognition and interaction of gametes. Sperm activation. Gamete fusion. Egg activation. Prevention of polispermy. Partenogenesis. Overview on the different developmental stages: cleavage, gastrulation, organogenesis. Egg types and respective cleavage patterns. Protostomes e deuterostomes. First stages of development of drosophila melanogaster, caenorhabditis elegans, paracentrotus lividus. Development of tunicates and cephalochordates. Development of the amphyoxus: radial cleavage, cellular mechanisms of gastrulation. Early organogenesis: neurulation. Amphibian development. Radial cleavage: macromeres e micromeres. Gastrulation: role of the gray crescent. First stages of organogenesis: primary and secondary neurulation. Fish development: discoidal segmentation. Gastrulation and first stages of organogenesis. Development in birds. Discoidal cleavage: epiblast and hypoblast. Gastrulation: primitive streak and hensen’s node. Neurulation and fate of neural crests. Formation of encephalic vescicles. Mesoderm and fate of its regions. Somatopleure and splanchnopleure. The coelom. Extraembryonic membranes: amnion, chorion, allantois and vitelline envelope. Mammalian development. Rotational cleavage. The blastocyst: trophoblast and inner cell mass. Epiblast and amniogenesis. Gastrulation: the primitive streak and node.placental types and their evolution. Neurulation and early differentiation of the neural tube. Examples of organogenetic processes. Development of the urogenital tract. Limb development in tetrapods. Regeneration. Embryonic and adult stem cells: general properties and features. Plant development: principal ontogenetic stages and regeneration of missing parts.

COMPARATIVE ANATOMY
Origin of vertebrates. Agnatha and origin of gnathostomata. Diversity and evolutionary success of aquatic vertebrates by both anatomic and reproductive viewpoints. Tetrapoda origin and the colonization of terrestrial habitats. Advent of the amniotic egg and definitive colonization of terrestrial habitats by reptiles. Birds and adaptation to flight. Mammal diversity: natural plasticity and evolutive processes. Comparative anatomy of vertebrate organic systems. Origin, organization and function of systems used for predation, respiration, and blood and lymph circulation. Food strategies in vertebrates. Respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems in vertebrates. Uro-genital system evolution in vertebrates. Renal system organization. Modes and types of excretion. Sex differentiation and determination. Reproductive strategies in vertebrates.

Gilbert: "Developmental Biology", 9th Edition, Sinauer Associates
T. Zavanella: "Anatomia dei Vertebrati", Antonio Delfino editore.