This lecture by the instructor covers the general principles and animal systems related to cell and developmental biology, emphasizing the ties between them. The lecture also discusses the interactive tree of life, the weekly topics, and the typical weekly cycle of the course. It delves into topics such as fertilization, zygote formation, cell polarity, and genome activation. The instructor also introduces recurrent special features and group puzzles to enhance understanding. The lecture concludes with discussions on the beauty and complexity of development, the course evaluation, and a course appetizer song.