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Chapter 19
biology • intermediate 12th

Chapter 19: Growth and Development

Complete notes for Chapter 19 Growth and Development. Covers plant growth patterns, chick embryology, differentiation, aging, regeneration, and abnormal development.

Introduction to Growth and Development

Development: It is a programmed series of stages from a simple to complex form.

Growth: It is an irreversible increase in size.

Stages in Plant Development

  1. Cell division
  2. Elongation
  3. Differentiation of cells into tissues
  4. Formation of organs

Growth Patterns

The growth pattern in plants is called open growth. Open growth means the growth throughout of the life which involves adding of new organs like branches, leaves, roots etc. In lower plants the whole body can grow but in higher plants the entire body cannot show growth.

Plant Meristems

The groups of cells (called growing points) which are capable of division are called meristem. The higher plants have meristematic cells at stem and root for growth.

Types of Meristems

  1. Apical Meristem: These are the growth zones found at the tips of roots and shoots and are concerned with extension of plant body. As they increase the number of cells at tips of roots and stem so they play an important role in primary growth.
  2. Intercalary Meristem: These group of cells are present at bases of internodes. These are parts of apical meristem which are separated from apex by permanent tissues. As they are temporary so they are responsible for production of leaves and flowers.
  3. Lateral Meristem: These are the cylinders of dividing cells which are responsible for increase in diameter of stem and root. They are found in dicots and gymnosperms. Vascular and cork cambium are examples. Lateral meristem is of two types:
    • Determinate: Grows to certain size and then stop e.g. leaves, flowers and fruits.
    • Indeterminate: Grow continually replenish themselves remaining youthful e.g. vegetative root and stem.

Types and Phases of Growth

Types of Growth

  1. Primary Growth: This growth takes place by the adding of apical meristem.
  2. Secondary Growth: Secondary growth involves the formation of secondary tissue which is added by vascular cambium. Secondary growth increases the thickness of plants.

Phases of Growth

  1. Cell Division: In this phase the number of cells increase by mitosis. The division takes place at the tip of root and shoot forming small cells. These cells have spherical nuclei centered in cytoplasm. Vacuoles are absent.
  2. Elongation: This zone is present a little distance from apex of root and shoot. If it takes water and increase the volume of cells up to 150 fold. During this phase plasticity of cell wall increases and wall pressure is reduced. New cytoplasm is formed.
  3. Maturation: The cells get matured means attain their maximum size. Some of the cells do not elongate as that of pita and cortex while other cells elongates like that of fibers and tracheids.
  4. Differentiation: During this growth phase the walls of cells become thick, tissues become pitted, xylem vessels become thick, and new structural features develop.

Factors Controlling Growth

External Factors

  1. Temperature: Growth rate is increased with the rise of temperature. Optimum temperature is 25-30°C. Very high temperature (35-40°C) stops growth and plant may die.
  2. Light: Intensity of light increases cell division. Red light increases cell elongation while blue light increases cell division but retards cell enlargement. Duration of light affects flowering (photoperiodism).
  3. Oxygen: Necessary for respiration and metabolic activities.
  4. Carbon Dioxide: Important for photosynthesis. High concentration can slow down growth.

Internal Factors

  1. Hormones: Auxins (IAA) causes elongation of cells, gibberellins, etc.
  2. Water: Essential for elongation of cells.
  3. Nutrition: Decreased nutrition slows down growth.
  4. Vitamins: Synthesized in presence of light. Deficiency stops growth.

Growth Correlation (Apical Dominance)

The reciprocal relationship between growth and development is called correlation.

Apical Dominance

The apical bud when grows suppresses the growth of lower axillary bud. It was proved by an experiment that auxin of the terminal bud is responsible for inhibiting the growth of lateral buds.

Experiment

Thimann and Skoog in 1934 concluded that auxin are responsible for apical dominance as they diffuse from lateral bud and cause inhibition to the growth of lateral shoots (inhibitory effect). The removal of apex releases the lateral buds from apical dominance (compensatory effect).

Hormonal Interaction: Basically auxin controls the apical dominance but cytokinin also plays a role. If cytokinin is applied on the inhibited bud, it allows lateral buds to be released from apical dominance.

Importance: Apical dominance is important for taproot development and inhibition of sprouting of lateral buds in potato tubers.

Embryology Concepts

Embryology: The study of the growth and differentiation experienced by an organism during its development from single fertilized egg to highly complex living being.

Stages of Development

  1. Gamete Formation: Male produces sperms and female produces eggs.
  2. Fertilization: Egg and sperm fuse to form zygote.
  3. Cleavage: Zygote undergoes repeated division and blastomeres are formed.
  4. Gastrulation: Germinal layers are formed.
  5. Organogenesis: Organs of the body are formed.
  6. Growth: Organs increase in size and complete individual is formed.

Development of Chick: Fertilization to Cleavage

Fertilization

Fertilization is internal. The zygote produced is protected in a shell secreted by shell glands. The egg contains yolk.

Incubation

Chick needs suitable temperature (36-38°C) for development. It takes 21 days.

Cleavage (Discoidal)

In chick there is a discoidal cleavage where cell division is confined to small disc of protoplasm lying on the surface of yolk at animal pole. The first two cleavage planes are vertical while third is horizontal. The cells formed are called blastomeres. Cleavage results in formation of rounded closely packed mass of blastomeres called morula.

Blastoderm

Morula consists of disc shaped mass of cells called blastoderm. It has two types of cells: smaller central cells and flattened peripheral cells.

Blastula

Morula changes to blastula. It consists of blastomeres and a cavity called blastocoele. The discoidal cap of cells above blastocoele is blastoderm.

Zone of Junction

The marginal area of blastoderm in which cells remain undetached from yolk and closely adherent to it.

Development of Chick: Gastrulation

The movement and rearrangement of cells in the embryo is called gastrulation.

Blastoderm Differentiation

  • Epiblast: Upper layer of cells (presumptive ectoderm and mesoderm).
  • Hypoblast: Lower layer of cells (presumptive endoderm).

Area Pellucida and Opaca

  • Area Pellucida: Central area where cells are separated from yolk, appearing translucent.
  • Area Opaca: Marginal area where cells are unseparated from yolk, transmits light.

Primitive Streak

Mesodermal cells migrate medially and caudally to form a mid-line thickening called primitive streak. It grows lengthwise changing blastoderm from circular to pear shaped. The anterior end is Primitive Node (Hensen's Node) containing notochordal cells. Primitive streak represents dorsal and lateral lips of blastopore.

Formation of Germ Layers and Notochord

  • Mesoderm: Cells migrate between epiblast and hypoblast.
  • Notochord: Cells push in from Hensen's node to form rod like notochord.
  • Gastrocoele: Cavity between yolk and endoderm (primitive gut).
  • Somites: Dorsal mesoderm organizes into somites. Lateral plate mesoderm splits into somatic and splanchnic mesoderm with coelom between them.

Neurulation in Chick

  1. Neural Plate: Presumptive neural ectoderm over notochord thickens to form neural plate (seen at 18 hours).
  2. Neurula: Longitudinal folding establishes neural groove and neural folds (21-22 hours).
  3. Neural Tube: Anterior end of groove is widest (future brain). Neural folds meet in mid dorsal line and fuse to form neural tube (spinal cord).
  4. Neurocoel: The cavity enclosed within the neural tube/CNS.

Mechanisms of Development (Experiments)

Hans Driesch Experiment (1892)

Separated sea urchin egg at two-cell stage. Both cells developed into normal larvae. Concluded that both cells contain all genetic information.

Spemann's Experiments

  1. Symmetrical Division: Separated salamander zygote into two equal halves containing nucleus. Both developed into complete embryos. From 16-cell embryo, even single separated cell formed complete embryo.
  2. Asymmetrical Division: Observed that halves without Gray Crescent (pigment free area) cannot develop further. Concluded that gray crescent cytoplasm contains essential information for development.

Role of Cytoplasm

Cytoplasm has different morphogenetic determinants responsible for differentiation. Example: Ascidian egg has clear cytoplasm (epidermis), yellow (muscles), gray vegetal (gut), and gray equatorial (notochord/neural tube).

Role of Nucleus (Acetabularia Experiment)

Hammerling experimented on Acetabularia (algae). A. mediterranea has regular cap, A. crenulata has irregular cap. He grafted stalk of one to base (containing nucleus) of other. The regenerated cap always matched the species of the base (nucleus), proving nucleus determines characteristics.

Embryonic Induction

The capacity of some cells to evoke a specific development response in others is called embryonic induction.

Spemann and Mangold Experiment (1924)

Transplanted a piece of dorsal lip of blastopore from one salamander gastrula to ventral position of another. The grafted tissue induced formation of a second embryo (neural tube and nervous system). The dorsal lip cells were called Primary Organizer and the phenomenon Primary Induction.

Aging and Gerontology

Aging: The negative physiological changes in our body.

Symptoms of Aging

  1. Pigmented areas on skin
  2. Dryness and wrinkling of skin
  3. Loss of agility
  4. Increased weight (fat deposition)
  5. Poor eyesight (presbyopia)
  6. Decreased immunity
  7. Degeneration of organs/tissues (e.g. Arthritis)
  8. Arteriosclerosis

Causes

  • Limited Mitosis: Cells may have finite number of divisions.
  • Spontaneous Mutations: DNA damage over time.
  • Changes in Intracellular Substances: Cross-linkage in collagen, loss of elasticity.

Gerontology: The study of aging.

Regeneration

The ability to regain or recover the lost or injured part of the body is called regeneration.

Examples

  • Sponges: High regeneration power. Can form complete sponge from small fragments.
  • Lobsters: Can regenerate claw.
  • Starfish: Arms can regenerate into new starfish.
  • Earthworm: Head can regenerate.
  • Amphibians: Can regenerate limbs and tail (especially larvae/salamanders).
  • Lizards: Can regenerate tail (autotomy).
  • Man: Healing of fracture and repair of skin wounds.

Mechanism in Planaria

Planaria has unspecialized cells called neoblasts. When amputated, neoblasts migrate to site and differentiate into special cells.

Abnormal Development (Teratology)

Study of abnormal developments is called teratology.

Factors causing Abnormalities

  1. Inherited (Genetic): Defective genes on autosomes or sex chromosomes (e.g. Haemophilia).
  2. Chromosomal Abnormalities (Syndromes):
    • Klinefelter's syndrome (XXY)
    • Turner's syndrome (XO)
    • Down's syndrome (Trisomy 21)
  3. Environmental Factors (Teratogens):
    • Ionizing radiations
    • Nutritional deficiencies
    • Toxins and drugs
  4. Metabolic Defects: Structural deviations (e.g. Microcephaly - small skull, Cleft palate, Harelip).
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