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Animal Development exam Flashcards

Animal Development exam
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  • Fertilization
    The fusion of sperm and egg to form a zygote.
  • What is the acrosomal reaction?
    A reaction where enzymes from the sperm's acrosome break down the egg's protective coat.
  • Cleavage
    Rapid mitotic divisions of the zygote resulting in smaller cells.
  • What is a morula?
    An early stage embryo consisting of a solid ball of cells.
  • Blastocyst
    A hollow ball of cells in mammals that implants in the uterus.
  • What are the three germ layers formed during gastrulation?
    Ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.
  • Gastrulation
    The process that forms the three germ layers in the embryo.
  • What does the ectoderm give rise to?
    Nerves, skin, brain, eyes, and inner ear.
  • Mesoderm
    The germ layer that gives rise to organs, blood, bone, and muscles.
  • What is the endoderm responsible for forming?
    Epithelial linings of the digestive tract, liver, pancreas, and lungs.
  • Organogenesis
    The process of organ and tissue development from the germ layers.
  • What is neurulation?
    The formation of nervous tissue from primary germ layers.
  • Notochord
    A primitive backbone that induces the formation of the neural tube.
  • What is the neural tube?
    A hollow structure that forms the brain and spinal cord.
  • Cell determination
    The irreversible commitment of a cell to a specific developmental path.
  • What is the role of cytoplasmic determinants?
    Regulatory molecules that influence cell differentiation based on their distribution.
  • Induction
    The process where differentiated cells influence the fate of nearby cells.
  • What is the cortical reaction?
    A reaction that prevents polyspermy by depolarizing the egg membrane.
  • Blastomeres
    Cells created during cleavage.
  • What is the blastocoel?
    The fluid-filled cavity inside the blastocyst.
  • Trophoblast
    Cells that surround the blastocoel and give rise to the chorion and placenta.
  • What is the inner cell mass?
    Cells inside the blastocyst that give rise to the organism.
  • Implantation
    The process of the blastocyst embedding into the uterus.
  • What hormone is secreted by the implanted blastocyst?
    Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
  • Somites
    Pairs of mesodermal tissue that determine the development of specific structures.
  • What is the role of the neural plate?
    It folds to form the neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal cord.
  • Differentiation
    The process by which cells become specialized in structure and function.
  • What is the significance of the neural folds?
    They give rise to the central nervous system.
  • Cortical reaction
    A reaction that releases calcium to prevent additional sperm from entering the egg.