This course discusses animal development with focus on initiation and construction of an organism and the underlying molecular and genetic basis. Topics covered include an overview of developmental biology, the molecular mechanisms of development, cell commitment and early embryonic development, and the vertebrate development process. A final section is devoted to a discussion of the aging process, including the evolutionary, biochemical, genetic and cellular mechanisms of aging, as well as age-related diseases.

CILO-1: Use the basic concepts of developmental biology in designing and interpreting biological experiments. CILO-2: Describe the molecular basis of development, fertilization, cellular differentiation, gastrulation, organogenesis, limb formation, and stem cell technology. CILO-3: Recognize current state of research into the physiology and mechanisms of aging. CILO-4: Describe contemporary therapeutic treatments and interventions for diseases associated with aging.