Zebrafish development and genetics: introducing undergraduates to developmental biology and genetics in a large introductory laboratory class.

ABSTRACT: We have taken advantage of the strengths of the zebrafish model system to introduce developmental biology and genetics to undergraduates in their second semester of the Introductory Biology course at Emory. We designed a 6-week laboratory module based on research being undertaken by faculty in the department, and incorporated experiments that used current research methods including bioinformatics. Students undertook a range of experiments including direct observation of live wild-type zebrafish at different stages of embryogenesis, whole-mount in situ hybridization of mutant and wild-type embryos, vital dye staining of mutant and wild-type embryos, and pharmacological treatments to perturb normal development. These laboratories engaged the students by providing a hands-on, research-centere

SUBMITTER: D'Costa A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2774836 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature