15. Organogenesis Flashcards
(29 cards)
What is organogenesis?
Complex building of specific organs and structures
Why are organs necessary?
For independent survival
From which layers do organs develop during organogenesis?
The three germ layers established during gastrulation
What organs does the ectoderm contribute to?
- Nervous system
- Epidermis
What organs does the mesoderm contribute to?
- Skeletal system
- Muscles
- Heart
- Blood vessels
What organs does the endoderm contribute to?
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Digestive tract
- Lungs
What are the key requirements for organogenesis?
- Intrinsic genetic programs
- Cell phenotype decisions and differentiation
- Extrinsic regulatory factors
- Coordinated timing of developmental events
What are extrinsic regulatory factors in organogenesis?
- Cell-cell interactions
- Morphogens and secreted cues
- Physical/biomechanical forces
- Matrix interactions
What does Waddington’s epigenetic landscape model describe?
Cells follow paths of differentiation
What signals are involved in differentiation?
- Positive enforcing signals
- Repressive signals/brakes
What is cellular plasticity?
Cells can ‘skip across branches’ and be reprogrammed
What types of interactions are vital for signaling in organogenesis?
- Cell-cell interactions
- Matrix interactions
What influences cell receptivity to signals?
- Receptor expression
- Active signaling pathways
- Cellular ‘mood’/state
Name some model organisms used for studying organogenesis.
- Chick
- Xenopus (frog)
- Zebrafish
- Drosophila (fruit fly)
- Mouse
What is the Cre-loxP system used for?
- Tissue-specific gene deletion
- Inducible gene manipulation
- Lineage tracing
What are GFP reporters used for?
Signaling pathways
List some advanced microscopy techniques.
- Confocal microscopy
- Light sheet microscopy
- Multi-photon microscopy
What are the criteria for proof in developmental biology?
- Expression
- Activity
- Perturbation
What is one of the first systems to form during heart development?
Vascular system
Describe the tube formation stage in heart development.
Cardiac crescent folds at ventral midline to form a simple tube
What happens during cardiac looping?
C-shape followed by S-shape, driven by Wnt signaling
What is the importance of connexin 40/43 in heart development?
Important for ventricular formation
What role do mechanical forces play in heart development?
- Essential for morphogenesis
- Size increase
- Increasing complexity
What are future directions in organogenesis research?
- Translating findings to human development
- Developing human organoid systems
- Addressing congenital disorders
