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'''Developmental biology''' is the field of [[biology]] involving the study of the development of complex [[organisms]] from a single [[cell]], the fertilized [[egg|ovum]] (called a [[zygote]]), to maturity.  While developmental biology may be used to refer to the study of [[plant]] and [[fungus|fungi]] development, the most active area of research, by far, is the study of [[animal]] development.

'''Developmental biology''' is the field of [[biology]] involving the study of the development of complex [[organisms]] from a single [[cell]], the fertilized [[egg|ovum]] (called a [[zygote]]), to maturity.  While developmental biology may be used to refer to the study of [[plant]] and [[fungus|fungi]] development, the most active area of research, by far, is the study of [[animal]] development.

Like most disciplines of biology, modern developmental biology is highly inter-disciplinary.  It incorporates aspects of [[molecular biology]], [[anatomy]], [[physiology]], [[stem cells|stem cell biology]]], and [[cell biology]] to further scientific understanding of developmental mechanisms.  Out of this, developmental biologists now can study the processes bridging the gap between [[gene|genes]] and [[phenotype]].<ref>Gilbert (2006). Developmental Biology.</ref>

Like most disciplines of biology, modern developmental biology is highly inter-disciplinary.  It incorporates aspects of [[molecular biology]], [[anatomy]], [[physiology]], [[stem cells|stem cell biology]], and [[cell biology]] to further scientific understanding of developmental mechanisms.  Out of this, developmental biologists now can study the processes bridging the gap between [[gene|genes]] and [[phenotype]].<ref>Gilbert (2006). Developmental Biology.</ref>

==History==

==History==

Armed with the recently-invented microscope, investigators such as Marcello Malpighi, who published his description of chick embryonic development in 1672, and Kaspar Friedrich Wolff, who undertook the first studies on [[organogenesis|organ development]] in the 1760s, were finally able to start the still-ongoing process of unraveling the intricacies of organismal development.

Armed with the recently-invented microscope, investigators such as Marcello Malpighi, who published his description of chick embryonic development in 1672, and Kaspar Friedrich Wolff, who undertook the first studies on [[organogenesis|organ development]] in the 1760s, were finally able to start the still-ongoing process of unraveling the intricacies of organismal development.

With the advent of [[genetics]] in the early 20th century and, later, modern [[molecular biology|molecular techniques]], scientists began to investigate even deeper.  The field turned toward examining the molecular mechanisms underlying the morphological processes which the microscope had revealed<ref>Gilbert (2006). Developmental Biology.</ref>.  This work combined with advances in molecular biology, [[population genetics]], and the [[modern synthesis|modern evolutionary synthesis]] to create the field (and research paradigm) of [[evolutionary developmental biology|Evo-devo]] (commonly called "evo-devo")<ref>http://web.biosci.utexas.edu/genetics/Literature/articles/Development/Development,%20%20HOX%20Evolution.pdf</ref>.

With the advent of [[genetics]] in the early 20th century and, later, modern [[molecular biology|molecular techniques]], scientists began to investigate even deeper.  The field turned toward examining the molecular mechanisms underlying the morphological processes which the microscope had revealed<ref>Gilbert (2006). Developmental Biology.</ref>.  This work combined with advances in molecular biology, [[population genetics]], and the [[modern synthesis|modern evolutionary synthesis]] to create the field (and research paradigm) of [[Evo-devo|evolutionary developmental biology]] (commonly called "evo-devo")<ref>http://web.biosci.utexas.edu/genetics/Literature/articles/Development/Development,%20%20HOX%20Evolution.pdf</ref>.

==Overview==

==Overview==