Developmental signaling center

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/developmental-signaling-center

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the cellular origin?Discrete groups of cells within the developing embryo
2. What is the key secreted molecules?Morphogens, including members of the Wnt, Hedgehog, FGF, and Notch pathways
3. How do developmental signaling centers create patterns in embryos?These centers release morphogens that spread out to form a gradient. Cells sense how much morphogen they receive and turn on different genes, which decides their fate.
4. What is an example of a developmental signaling center in the brain?In the developing brain, the isthmic organizer is a signaling center that releases a molecule called FGF8. FGF8 helps form the boundary between the midbrain and hindbrain.

Positional Information: Signals that inform cells about their location within a developing tissue or embryo.
Morphogen Gradient: A spatial distribution of a signaling molecule with a concentration that varies predictably with distance.
Congenital Abnormalities: Birth defects present at birth, often resulting from errors in embryonic development.