Biology 340 – Comparative Embryology

Dr. Stuart S. Sumida

Winter 2009

Tuesday & Thursday 12:00-2:50; BI-204

 

ENROLLMENT:  STUDENTS MUST BE ENROLLED IN THE COURSE TO PARTICIPATE IN LECTURES AND CLASS EXERCISES.  ENROLLMENT IN BIOLOGY 340 CONSTITUTES LEGAL ACCEPTANCE OF ALL THE GUIDELINES LISTED BELOW.  PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY.

 

Required Texts: 

 

Gilbert, Scott F.  2006.  Developmental Biology, Eight Edition.  Sinauer Associates Incorporated, Philadephia, PA. (“G”)

 

Schoenwolf, Gary C.  2001.  Laboratory Studies of Vertebrate and Invertebrate Embryos, Eighth Edition.  Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.  (“S”)

 

Students are expected to have read all assigned material prior to the beginning of the designated lecture section.

 

Grading Procedures:

There will be two midterms of 150 and 200 points each.  The final examination will be worth 250 points. A series of short quizzes on laboratory activities will be worth 100 points.  700 total points are possible.  No extra cedit points are available.

            Examinations that are missed due to unavoidable problems (e.g. military service, illness, or a death in the family) will normally be made up as an oral examination administered by the instructor.  Family trips and vacations are NOT considered proper excuses for missing an exam.

 

Grading Criteria:

The course is not graded on a curve.  Letter grades are not assigned for individual exams or quizzes; rather they are based on the cumulative points.  Grades will be set according to the criteria listed below. There is no extra credit work available.

 

Grade

Percentage of Total Points

 

 

A

90-100

B-

72-74

D

50-54

A-

87-89

C+

70-71

F

Below 50

B+

84-86

C

60-70

 

 

B

75-83

C-

55-59

 

 

 


CLASS SCHEDULE and READING ASSIGNMENTS

Although the course schedule designates Tuesdays as lecture periods and Thursdays as laboratory periods, please note that these activities can be variable.  Refer to the schedule below for topics, activities, and reading assignments.  Sessions designated with an asterisk (*) indicate laboratory material quiz days.

 

Week

Date

Topic/Activity

Reading Assignment

1

1/13

Class Logistics; Introduction; Course Scope

 

 

1/15

Phylogenetic Perspective and the Evolution of Development – “Evo-Devo

G - Chapters 1-2

2

1/20

Overview of Plant Development

G - Chapter 20

 

1/22

Protostome Development – Insects as the Example

G - Chapter 9

3

1/27

Basic Deuterostome Development – Echinodermata

G - Chapter 8, pp. 211-228

 

1/29

Introduction to Chordate Embryology – “Amphioxus”

G - pp. 237-242

4

2/3

Midterm Examination 1; 150 points

 

 

2/5

Lab Exercise: Sea Urchin Embryology

S – Chapter 1

5

2/10

Lab Quiz 1; 20 points Tetrapod Embryology - Amphibians

G – Chapter 10

 

2/12

Lab Exercise: Frog Embryology - I

S – Chapter 2

6

2/17

Lab Exercise: Frog Embryology - II

S – Chapter 2

 

2/19

Lab Quiz 2; 30 points; Basal Amniote Embryology – Reptiles and Birds

G – pp. 336-347; Chapters 13,14 (bird parts)

7

2/24

Lab Exercise: Basal Amniote Embryology (Reptiles/birds) I

S – Chapter 3;

 

2/26

Midterm Examination 2; 200 points

 

8

3/3

Lab Exercise: Basal Amniote Embryology (Reptiles/birds) II

S – Chapter 3

 

3/5

Mammalian Embryology

G – pp. 348-366; Chapters 13,14 (mammal parts)

9

3/10

Lab Exercise: Mammalian Embryology

S – Chapter 5

 

3/12

Later Embryology of Vertebrates – mesodermal derivatives

G – Chapters 14-15

10

3/17

Lab Final Quiz; 50 points; Later Embryology of Vertebrates – development of the skull

 

 

3/19

Evo-Devo revisited – the example of the the vertebrate limb

G – Chapter 16

Final

3/24

Tuesday.  Final Examination; 12:00; 250 points.

 

 

 

Services to Students with Disabilities

If you are in need of an accommodation for a disability in order to participate in this class, please let me know ASAP and also contact Services to Students with Disabilities at UH-183, (909)537-5238.

 

Policy on Attendance and Recording of Lectures: 

All lectures are the copyrighted property of the instructor.  Audio recordings of lectures may be made for individual use only.  They may not be sold, reproduced, or redistributed in any way.  Although tape recorders may be used as a study aid, they may not be used in lieu of attendance.  Attendance is not monitored, but it is expected of all students.  Students who miss a class session must acquire the course notes from a fellow classmate.  The instructor’s lecture materials will not be distributed to individuals in the class.

 


Laboratory Equipment: 

White lab coats are not required for laboratory exercises.  As no chemical or tissue exposure is experienced, eye protection is not required for entrance to the laboratory.  Student microscopes and microscope slides are provided.  Preserved slides of both plants and animals are examined in the Biology 340 course.  All students must participate in the laboratory or forfeit the laboratory points.  Objections to the use of preserved animal materials will not excuse students from laboratory requirements.

 

Office Hours: 

Dr. Sumida’s office hours will be held in room BI-314 on Tuesdays directly after class from 3:00 to 4:30, and Thursdays immediately before class from 11:00 to 12:00.  Additional hours will be added once the instructor’s and students’ schedules are evaluated.  Additional hours are normally scheduled near midterm and final examinations. Students may send questions to Dr. Sumida via e-mail at:  ssumida@csusb.edu

E-mailed questions for CSUSB courses are normally answered within 48 hours.  Answers may be to multiple students if more than one student asks a similar question via e-mail.  To facilitate speed of response, please make some kind of reference to Biology 340 in the subject line.

 

Web Resources:

Please note, web resources for this course are on Dr. Sumida’s wepage, and not on Blackboard.  The class syllabus, updates on grades, and summaries of lecture activities are available as PowerPoint, PDF, and MP4 files will be available on the course website:

 

http://www.stuartsumida.com/BIOL323/340Gateway.htm

 

Please note, all files are currenty available, but these files could be changed and updated as new information becomes available for any particular topic.  Please check for updates periodically. These files are meant as a study aid only and without the accompanying lecture information do not represent a complete overview of the course.  They are intellectual property of the instructor, Dr. Stuart Sumida, and are for student use in Biology 340 only and may not be otherwise distributed or reproduced.

 

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