Embryonic Patterning: Bicoid Morphogen

This lecture by the instructor covers the process of embryonic patterning, focusing on the role of the Bicoid morphogen in Drosophila. It discusses the maternal-to-zygotic transition, forward genetic screens, larval cuticle reflection of embryo patterning, and the localization of Bicoid mRNA during oogenesis. The lecture delves into how Bicoid instructs cell fates, the modeling of the Bicoid gradient, and the interactions of Bicoid with other critical patterning genes. It also explores the concept of morphogens, the dual regulation of Hunchback and Caudal, and the extracellular morphogens Wg and Hh. The session concludes with a discussion on cytoplasmic asymmetries, cell-cell interactions, and key points in patterning the early embryo.