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Explore the fascinating world of developmental biology in this 57-minute Christmas lecture from The Royal Institution, where Professor Lewis Wolpert introduces how cells in eggs fold and form embryos. Discover the fundamental question of how a single fertilized egg develops into complex animals through cellular division, movement, and communication. Learn about the sea urchin embryo as a model system, examining how an egg divides to create a hollow sphere of 1,000 cells before undergoing gastrulation - the crucial rearrangement process where cells are pulled inward to form structures like the gut. Understand the mechanisms behind embryonic development, including cellular micro-muscles that change cell shapes, variations in cell adhesion, and how brain development occurs through sheet folding similar to origami. Investigate cell migration patterns and navigation systems, including chemotaxis and cellular exploration processes that guide cells to specific destinations. Examine the evolutionary connections between developmental programs, such as how reptilian jaw bones evolved into parts of the human middle ear. Delve into the historical debate between preformation theory (the "homunculus" concept) and modern understanding of developmental biology, while exploring why embryos pass through stages resembling other species and how complex forms emerge from simple cellular programs.
