2024 Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Department of Life Science and Technology Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
Molecular Developmental Biology and Evolution
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Shoen Kume / Atsushi Kawakami / Mikiko Tanaka / Masaki Kajikawa / Masato Nikaido
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue / 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A406
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The aim of this class is to understand the advanced subjects of developmental and regenerative biology and evolutionary biology. Students will understand the processes and regulatory mechanisms of animal development and organ formation, and further learn the relationship with applied technologies such as genetic engineering and stem cells. Moreover, students will also learn and understand the evolutionary processes of animal morphologies and genome information. Lectures will cover from basic to advanced levels.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the processes and mechanisms of organs derived from the mesoderm.
2) Understand the evolution of developmental processes.
3) Understand the processes and mechanisms of several organs derived from the mesoderm.
4) Understand the molecular background of animal development and principles of genetic engineering.
5) Understand the stem cells and its application to tissue regeneration.
6) Understand the mechanisms of genome evolution.
7) Understand the tissue homeostasis and regeneration.
Keywords
Development, Organ formation, Evolution, Mesoderm, Endoderm, Genetic engineering, Stem cells, Tissue homeostasis, Regeneration
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Active participation of individual students is necessary When required, students will be given a small test or report as an index of purpose achievement. These will be used for academic assessment. Lectures are basically given in English, but Japanese and other languages will be used depending on the student's level of understanding and necessity. Lectures will be delivered online through Zoom.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Organ formationⅠ： Development of mesoderm-derived organs 1 - heart, vessels and blood cells （Tanaka, Mikiko） | Understand the development of mesoderm-derived organs. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 2 | Organ formationⅡ： Development of mesoderm-derived organs 2 - somites and limbs（Tanaka, Mikiko） | Understand the development of mesoderm-derived organs.Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 3 | Organ formation III：Development of ectoderm-derived organs 3 - ectodermal derivatives （Tanaka, Mikiko） | Understand the development of mesoderm-derived organs. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 4 | Evolution and development （Tanaka, Mikiko） | Understand the evolution of developmental processes. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 5 | Organogenesis V: endodermal tissues （Kume, Shoen） | Understand the developmental processes of endoderm-derived organs.Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 6 | Organogenesis VI: Pancreas differentiation （Kume, Shoen） | Understand the developmental and stem cell biology. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 7 | Stem Cells and Regeneration: tissue stem cells （Kume, Shoen） | Understand the developmental mechanisms and the principle of genetic engineering. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 8 | Stem Cells and Regeneration: ES/iPS cells（Kume, Shoen） | Understand the stem cells and tissue regeneration. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 9 | Evolution of Whales and Dolphins (Nikaido) | Understand the evolution of whales and dolphins at the morphological and molecular level. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 10 | Evolution of Coelacanth (Nikaido) | Understand the evolution of coelacanth at the morphological and molecular level. Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 11 | Evolutionary History III: Evolution of Cichlids (Neotropical fish) (Nikaido) | Understand the evolution of cichlids at the morphological and molecular level. |
| Class 12 | Order and disorder (Atsushi Kawakami) | Understand the basic concept and examples of tissue homeostasis.Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 13 | Information for building the order (Atsushi Kawakami) | Understand the molecular background of tissue homeostasis.Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 14 | Chaos and self-organization (Atsushi Kawakami) | Understand the cellular basis of tissue homeostasis.Specific instructions will be given in each class. |
| Class 15 | none | none |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Course materials will be provided during class or through OCW-I as the need arises.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Academic assessment will be done by the scores of small test and/or the performance in the class if necessary. When we lecturers think it is necessary, the term-end examination will be conducted.
Related courses
- LST.A344 ： Animal Physiology
- LST.A335 ： Molecular Genetics
- LST.A346 ： Basic Neuroscience
- LST.A362 ： Evolution and Developmental Biology
Prerequisites
Genetics, Evolution and Developmental biology, Animal phisiology, Molecular physiology.