Developmental Biology - Biology 4361 Fall 2005 Laboratory Patrick Schoff (primary instructor) 253A Swenson Science Building 720-4368 (NRRI) [email protected] Jeff Ruhlmann (GTA) 238 Swenson Science Building 831-3861 [email protected] Developmental Biology Laboratory will cover many aspects of embryology and important aspects of post-embryonic development. We will work with several animal model systems. Lab work will consist of a combination of observational studies and experiments, in which we will apply scientific approaches that have been commonly used to study questions in developmental biology. By the end of the term Developmental Biology students will have a good understanding of the basic processes that underlie the development of a variety of organisms and the mechanisms that regulate these processes. You should be able to plan and execute experiments with living organisms, and to present the outcome of the experiments in a clear and concise way in scientific reports. Student responsibilities. As an advanced undergraduate student, I expect you to exercise caution, good judgment and consideration for others while working in the lab. You are responsible for leaving your work area clean and for rinsing out your own glassware and dissecting equipment. You are responsible for maintaining and returning your microscopes and dissecting equipment in good working condition. Shared equipment (microscopes, dissecting kits) should always be left in perfect condition, so that the next person can use it without having to clean it or to fix it. If you have questions about how to use a piece of equipment, do not hesitate to ask the instructor. Absolutely no eating or drinking in the lab. Since many experiments in developmental biology involve growing and observing animals, the schedule that we establish at the beginning of the course may be modified later to accommodate timing of developmental events within a given species. The scheduled lab periods will be used to start all experiments, but you can expect to occasionally return to the lab to check on progress, record observations, or complete experiments during non-lab periods. Working with living organisms. We use several types of animals as model species to study various aspects of development. The decision to use of animals for study is madeonly after careful consideration of the value of the scientific information gained, and all animals are cared for following the strictest standards established by the University of Minnesota. All animals will be treated with respect and afforded the dignity due to living organisms. Any breach of behavior in this regard could be considered grounds for dismissal from the class. Developing organisms are far more sensitive to environmental factors than are adults. This sensitivity to temperature, humidity, light, and common materials may take you by surprise on occasion, and it should cause you to be continually vigilant and thoughtful as you perform your lab work. You should always work with the understanding that living material is sensitive to chemical contamination, temperature fluctuations, osmotic pressure changes, pH, and a variety of other environmental factors. Use ‘common sense’ and watch carefully for potential problems. Here are a few important rules: 1. Soap and other potentially toxic chemicals should be kept away from glassware used for study organisms. To eliminate contamination, rinse glassware very thoroughly with water; final rinses should always be made with deionized water. 2. Use appropriate water sources when dealing with living organisms. Tap water contains chlorine and a variable content of non-volatile chlorine byproducts. In some instances, aged tap water or filtered spring water is suitable. Appropriate water will always be available; it is your responsibility to use it. 3. All solutions should be made with deionized water. 4. Avoid temperature shock. Each organism has a temperature optimum and both cold and heat can have adverse effects, even if the temperature fluctuation is rather small. The lab manual and handouts will provide information about suitable conditions for your organisms. Microscope lamps can produce excessive heat that can damage your organisms; avoid extended exposure of organisms and use fiberoptic illuminators whenever possible. 5. Desiccation is always a concern; be vigilant to keep living specimens hydrated. 6. All experimental animals should be treated with respect. Plan experiments well and take care so that wasting animals is avoided. Lab notebooks. Each Developmental Biology student is required to maintain a laboratory notebook. This notebook will be your working record of all activities in the lab, and will be kept according to sound scientific practices. The notebook is used to keep your notes and calculations as you prepare experiments, to record observations as the experiments are performed, and to note additional data and conclusions. You will use your notebook to write your formal lab reports, so the better and more complete it is, the easier your writing task will be. Although there is no uniform method for keeping an effective lab notebook and it is not meant for publication, several general rules should be followed: 1. Every entry should be dated, with the time of day included. 2. There is no standard format for lab notebooks; however, it should be well organized and all data, drawings, and graphics pertaining to a single experiment should bekept together. This means that empty pages should be reserved for drawings/conclusions when necessary. 3. Use pencil for all notes and drawings, as ink can be smudged with water or other common solvents. It is generally considered good policy not to erase entries for corrections, but to cross them out instead. 4. Lab notebooks should not be recopied. 5. Drawings should be made directly in the notebook; photos or other media can be taped into the notebook. 6. Labels are important! Remember: these notes will be used to inform your formal lab reports, so use proper scientific language, avoid abbreviations and don’t use jargon. Microscopes equipped with digital cameras are set up in the lab for taking pictures of specimen during experiments. Bring a flash drive to the lab so you can store these pictures and use them for your lab report. Photos can also be emailed from the lab to your account. Lab books will be turned in periodically during the semester