Course Syllabus: Developmental Neurobiology

Part I: Foundations

Chapter 1. Introduction to Developmental Neurobiology

• Topics: History, key principles, model organisms (chick, mouse, zebrafish, Drosophila, human organoids).
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Understand why nervous system development is unique.
    
    

  • Identify strengths/limitations of model organisms.
    
    

• Suggested Readings:
  
  

  • Purves et al., Development of the Nervous System (Ch. 1)
    
    

  • Gilbert, Developmental Biology

Lecture Outline

A. Historical Background

• Early observations (18th–19th century)
  
  

  • Pioneers: Christian Pander & Karl Ernst von Baer → germ layer theory.
    
    

  • Wilhelm Roux & Hans Driesch → experimental embryology (cell ablation, isolation).
    
    

  • Spemann & Mangold (1924) → organizer experiment (neural induction).
    
    

• 20th century
  
  

  • Cajal → neuron doctrine, early neuroanatomy.
    
    

  • Rita Levi-Montalcini → discovery of NGF (neurotrophic hypothesis).
    
    

• Modern era
  
  

  • Molecular biology, genetics, and imaging transform the field.
    
    

B. Key Concepts

• Cellular diversity of the nervous system
  
  

  • Neurons, glia, stem cells, progenitors.
    
    

• Core developmental processes
  
  

  • Induction, proliferation, differentiation, migration, axon guidance, synaptogenesis, circuit refinement, programmed cell death.
    
    

• Emergent properties
  
  

  • Complexity of neural circuits, critical periods, plasticity.
    
    

C. Why Study Development of the Nervous System?

• Basic science: Understanding how complexity arises from a single cell.
  
  

• Medicine: Basis of neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, microcephaly, epilepsy, intellectual disability).
  
  

• Regeneration & therapy: Using stem cells and organoids to repair damage or model disease.
  
  

• Evolution: Insights into human brain expansion compared to other species.
  
  

D. Model Organisms in Developmental Neurobiology

• Invertebrates
  
  

  • Drosophila melanogaster: genetic screens, axon guidance, neuroblast lineages.
    
    

  • C. elegans: complete connectome, programmed cell death, asymmetric division.
    
    

• Vertebrates
  
  

  • Xenopus: classic embryology, neural induction.
    
    

  • Zebrafish: transparent embryos, live imaging, CRISPR.
    
    

  • Chick: in ovo electroporation, accessible embryo.
    
    

  • Mouse: genetics, knockouts, mammalian relevance.
    
    

  • Human: iPSCs, brain organoids, MRI of fetal development.
    
    

E. Approaches & Techniques

• Classical embryology (transplantation, lineage tracing).
  
  

• Molecular tools (CRISPR, RNA-seq, single-cell profiling).
  
  

• Imaging (confocal, 2-photon, light-sheet, live-cell imaging).
  
  

• Electrophysiology & functional assays.
  
  

• Organoid technology & human stem cell models.

Chapter 2. Early Embryonic Development

• Topics: Fertilization, cleavage, gastrulation, germ layer induction, neural plate formation.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Describe how ectoderm is induced to form neural tissue.
    
    

  • Explain Spemann organizer, BMP inhibition, and default model of neural induction.
    
    

• Readings:
  
  

  • Sanes et al., Development of the Nervous System
    
    

Chapter 3. Patterning of the Nervous System

• Topics: Axis formation (A–P, D–V), morphogen gradients (Shh, Wnt, RA, FGF, BMP).
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Understand how morphogens specify brain/spinal cord regions.
    
    

  • Discuss roles of Hox genes in hindbrain segmentation.
    
    

• Readings:
  
  

  • Jessell, Nat Rev Neurosci (2000).
    
    

Part II: Neural Progenitors and Neurogenesis

Chapter 4. Neural Tube Formation and Regionalization

• Topics: Primary/secondary neurulation, neural crest, prosomere and rhombomere patterning.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Explain neural tube closure and neural crest migration.
    
    

  • Map forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain compartments.
    
    

Chapter 5. Proliferation and Fate Determination

• Topics: Neural stem cells, progenitor pools, cell cycle, symmetric vs asymmetric division.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Explain mechanisms of stem cell self-renewal.
    
    

  • Understand Notch, Delta, and cell polarity roles.
    
    

Chapter 6. Neurogenesis and Gliogenesis

• Topics: Birth of neurons vs glia, transcriptional switches (bHLH, Sox, Hes), gliogenic signaling.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Describe the timing of neurogenesis vs gliogenesis.
    
    

  • Understand role of transcription factors in lineage decisions.
    
    

Part III: Cellular Differentiation

Chapter 7. Neuronal Migration

• Topics: Radial migration, tangential migration, cortical lamination, interneuron migration.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Describe inside-out layering of cortex.
    
    

  • Compare radial glial vs tangential migration routes.
    
    

Chapter 8. Axon Guidance and Growth

• Topics: Growth cones, guidance cues (netrins, slits, ephrins, semaphorins), midline crossing.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Understand how axons navigate to targets.
    
    

  • Explain commissural vs longitudinal pathway selection.
    
    

Chapter 9. Synaptogenesis

• Topics: Synaptic adhesion molecules (neuroligins, neurexins), excitatory vs inhibitory synapses.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Understand how synapses form and stabilize.
    
    

  • Describe molecular mechanisms regulating synaptic specificity.
    
    

Chapter 10. Neuronal Survival and Programmed Cell Death

• Topics: Neurotrophins (NGF, BDNF, NT-3), apoptosis, pruning.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Explain neurotrophic hypothesis.
    
    

  • Describe mechanisms of activity-dependent neuronal survival.
    
    

Part IV: Circuit Formation and Refinement

Chapter 11. Neural Circuit Development

• Topics: Activity-dependent plasticity, Hebbian mechanisms, ocular dominance columns.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Understand role of neural activity in circuit refinement.
    
    

  • Discuss critical periods in visual system.
    
    

Chapter 12. Myelination and Maturation

• Topics: Oligodendrocyte and Schwann cell development, myelin regulation.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Explain how myelination promotes functional maturation.
    
    

  • Understand timing differences across CNS regions.
    
    

Part V: Special Topics

Chapter 13. Molecular and Epigenetic Regulation

• Topics: miRNAs, chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, noncoding RNAs.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Explain how epigenetics shapes neuronal differentiation.
    
    

  • Describe role of noncoding RNAs in brain development.
    
    

Chapter 14. Comparative Neurodevelopment

• Topics: Evolution of vertebrate brains, avian pallium vs mammalian neocortex.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Compare conserved vs species-specific developmental mechanisms.
    
    

  • Discuss human-specific features of brain development.
    
    

Chapter 15. Disorders of Brain Development

• Topics: Genetic syndromes (PHGDH, LIS1, MECP2), autism, epilepsy, microcephaly.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Understand how mutations disrupt neurodevelopment.
    
    

  • Relate developmental errors to clinical phenotypes.
    
    

Chapter 16. Regeneration and Stem Cell Therapy

• Topics: Adult neurogenesis (hippocampus, SVZ), stem cell transplantation, organoids.
  
  

• Learning Objectives:
  
  

  • Evaluate regenerative potential of the CNS.
    
    

  • Discuss current stem cell therapies for injury/disease.
    
    

📚 Final Note: Each chapter can be delivered as 1–2 lectures depending on depth. For a full semester (12–14 weeks), this syllabus provides ~24–30 lectures.