Developmental Biology Terms

noun the branch of biology and medicine concerned with the study of embryos and their development

• Embryology is the branch of biology that deals with the formation and development of embryos.
• Studying embryology can help us understand how living organisms develop from a single cell.
• I never thought I would find embryology so fascinating, but now I can't get enough of it!
• In a way, understanding embryology is like unlocking the secrets of life itself.

adjective relating to or in the state of an embryo; undeveloped or nascent

• Embryonic stem cells have the potential to develop into any type of cell in the body.
• The research is still in its embryonic stage, so we don't have all the answers yet.
• That idea is still embryonic, we need to flesh it out more before presenting it.
• The project is in its embryonic phase, just starting to take shape.

noun a structure formed in the early development of mammals, consisting of a hollow sphere of cells

• The blastocyst is a structure formed in the early development of embryos.
• I learned about blastocysts in my biology class.
• That blastocyst thing is pretty cool, huh?
• The blastocyst of our project is starting to take shape.

noun the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself

• The study of epigenetics has provided new insights into how gene expression can be influenced by environmental factors.
• I read an interesting article about epigenetics and how it can impact our health.
• Epigenetics is like the hidden control panel for our genes.
• Understanding epigenetics is like uncovering the secret language of our DNA.

noun a chemical substance that attracts individual cells and causes them to aggregate, as in the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

• The acrasin is a signaling molecule that triggers the aggregation of individual cells into a multicellular structure in certain types of slime molds.
• Did you know that acrasin is like a chemical signal that tells cells to come together?
• Yo, check out this cool acrasin thing - it's like a cell party starter!
• The acrasin acts like a conductor, orchestrating the movement of individual cells to come together and form a unified structure.