Lab Report – Embryology
In science, reporting what has been done in a laboratory setting is incredibly important for communicating, replicating, and validating findings. However, writing scientific reports can be a little overwhelming. There is a set of agreed-upon components that the scientific community requires when reporting scientific research. Answer the following questions to describe what occurred during the lab you conducted in Labster. Be sure to use complete sentences and descriptions that fully represent what you experienced. Writing a lab report is less about being correct or incorrect, than it is accurately reporting what happened and why. So, do not worry about reporting data that might seem counterintuitive or unexpected. Focus on clearly communicating what you did and what you observed.
Enter your responses on a new line.
Title
What was the title of the lab you completed?
Embryology Lab
Topic
What was the subject you were trying to understand better in the lab?
I was trying to understand embryonic development in chickens and mice by dissecting embryos and using next-generation sequencing techniques for analysis.
Background Information
What information from the textbook and classroom is relevant for the subject you were learning about in the lab? Identify the concepts and explain how they are related to the lab topic.
The background information from the textbook and classroom relevant to the lab topic includes the concept of embryology, which is the study of the development of an organism from a single-celled zygote to a multicellular organism. Embryonic development stages in model organisms, such as chickens, mice, and yeast, were explained. The lab aimed to visualize and analyze specific stages of embryonic development in chick embryos according to the Hamburger-Hamilton series and perform next-generation sequencing on mouse embryos.
These concepts were all related to the understanding of embryology. The lab utilized the knowledge of embryonic development, employed model organisms to observe and analyze various stages, and used advanced techniques to explore the genetic aspects of embryogenesis in mice.
During the lab, what information from the Theory section provided additional background information about the subject? (To review the theory section, launch the Lab and click the “Theory” tab on the top of the data pad). Identify the concepts and explain how they are related to the lab topic.
The Theory section provided additional background information about the lab, explaining the significance of model organisms like chickens and mice in studying embryology. It also described the process of next-generation sequencing, a powerful technique for analyzing gene expression levels and understanding genetic information which relates to the lab topic.
Most scientific observation involves examining phenomena or processes. What phenomenon or process were you observing in the lab? What were you able to change and explore? What did the simulation not allow to change?
In the lab, the phenomenon observed was the process of embryonic development in chickens and mice. The lab allowed for the visualization and analysis of different stages of embryonic development in chick embryos and the use of next-generation sequencing to explore gene expression in mouse embryos. However, the simulation did not permit changes to the actual biological processes of embryonic development.
Method
Describing what you did during a lab supports other scientists in replicating your work. It is through this consistent replication that scientists can see repeating patterns and develop ideas that help move science forward. When you discuss your observations, in a later section, you will have to describe, in detail, what you did. You may also have to describe what choices you made, why you made them, and any concerns about things that occurred that were unexpected. To have enough information to do this, you need to keep detailed notes. What does not seem important in the moment may end up being something that explains your findings later. A benefit of conducting virtual labs when learning science is that many potential errors are controlled for you. The virtual lab environment often will alert you if something is not going the way it should. This does not occur in non-virtual settings. For this reason, the virtual lab setting can be very helpful to learners. However, we still have to practice documenting so that those skills can be practiced for lab experiences when technology is not there as a coach.
In the previous section, you described the phenomenon or process that you studied in the lab. Now, take some time to fully describe the steps you took during the lab. Do not include the process of you logging into the lab in your description. For this virtual lab, a short, high-level summary will suffice.
During the lab, I observed and analyzed embryonic development in chickens and mice. In the chicken embryo section, I windowed the eggs to observe the living embryo and performed visual inspections and dissections to identify the stages of development according to the Hamburger-Hamilton series. In the mouse embryo section, I used next-generation sequencing to analyze gene expression levels during embryonic development.
Describe some of the observations you made. What did you write down or keep track of? What did each of your senses observe during the lab process? What did you see (e.g., changes in colors, movement, shapes, sizes, patterns)? What, if anything, did you measure? What did you hear (e.g., sounds from reactions, collisions, error messages)? What did your lab character touch? Did you notice anything that seemed unexpected? Did you notice anything that you did not expect to observe?
I kept track of the Hamburger-Hamilton stages of development to properly identify the developmental stage of each embryo. I was able to observe the living chicken embryos after windowing the eggs. I paid attention to changes in colors, shapes, and sizes of the embryos as they progressed through different developmental stages.
I carefully dissected the embryos to identify specific structures such as limb buds, beak formation, and the development of wings and feet. I recorded the presence and appearance of these structures at different stages. I also measured the size of certain structures, such as limb buds and the beak, to compare their development at different stages.
I observed the gene expression levels during mouse embryonic development using next-generation sequencing data. I then analyzed the patterns and changes in gene expression at various stages of development. Consequently, there were no sounds associated with this part of the lab, as it involved data analysis and not physical actions. Furthermore, I noticed that some chicken embryos were at slightly different developmental stages than expected, possibly due to variations in the incubation process or time.
Which parts of the lab required you to think more than others and required more time? Which parts were simple and completed easily?
The part of the lab that required more time and thinking was the analysis of next-generation sequencing data, as it involved understanding gene expression patterns and interpreting the results. The windowing and observation of chicken embryos were relatively simpler and more visually apparent.
Observations
Many lessons learned from scientific research come from the reporting and analysis of data and observations. This part of scientific reporting requires detailed descriptions of technical information and observations as well as a high-level synthesis of information. High-level synthesis requires proficiency in foundational content in the related scientific field and a complementary proficiency in a field of quantitative and/or qualitative analysis. For this report, let’s focus on big-picture patterns.
What did you notice about the phenomenon or process you explored?
During the lab, I noticed that chick embryos at different stages exhibited distinct features that aligned with the Hamburger-Hamilton stages. Consistently, the mouse embryo’s next-generation sequencing data revealed different gene expression patterns at different stages of development.
Describe any information about the phenomenon or process that you learned.
I learned that embryonic development is a complex and well-regulated process, and it can be studied in model organisms like chickens and mice to understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in development.
Discussion
The discussion section is used to explain why things might have happened the way that they did in your research. Here, scientists describe any potential anomalies or mistakes and why they think they may have occurred.
During your lab, what happened that might have impacted the accuracy of your observations? Did the simulation alert you that an error was occurring? If so, how did you resolve it?
I encountered some errors in next-generation sequencing data interpretation, which could have impacted the accuracy of the observations. However, the simulation helped identify and resolve the errors.
The discussion section also is used to summarize big ideas from the lab. What were the important learnings about the phenomenon or process from the lab?
The important learning from the lab was the correlation between the visual features of chick embryos and their corresponding Hamburger-Hamilton stages. The next-generation sequencing data also provided insights into gene expression patterns during mouse embryonic development.
Conclusion
The conclusion section of a lab report describes how the learnings from the lab research fit into prior scientific knowledge. This is done by comparing new information to previously known information that was identified in the section of your report that discusses background information.
Review the background information section of your report from above and describe how the results of your lab compare to the information that you discussed before.
Once scientists have identified how new knowledge fits into old knowledge, they discuss the implications of the new information for moving forward. In this class, the purpose of the study is to learn some foundational science ideas represented by the course learning outcomes. Review the course learning outcome aligned to this lab in the assignment directions in Blackboard. How is the information from this lab related to the course learning outcome? What knowledge has the lab supported you with related to this course learning outcome?
The results of the lab align with the background information provided, showing that chick embryos exhibit distinct features at different developmental stages according to the Hamburger-Hamilton series. The next-generation sequencing data in mouse embryos revealed the dynamic nature of gene expression during embryonic development.
The lab supports learning about the dynamic nature of gene expression during different developmental stages, aligning with the learning outcome of understanding the principles of embryonic development and genetic regulation.
Following scientific research, scientists usually produce new questions that result from what they learned. These new questions often end up leading to future research. What additional scientific things did you wonder about after completing and writing about your lab experience?
What are the key gene regulatory networks and molecular pathways involved in the development of the limb structures in chickens and mice embryos?
How do specific genetic mechanisms and molecular signals contribute to the differentiation and formation of neural tissues during embryonic development in chickens and mice?
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Question 
The final step for this assessment is to complete the lab report. As you work through the lab, compile the pieces of your report.
Lab Report – Embryology
To make the experience more interesting, complete the Hypothesis section prior to diving into the lab.
When you are satisfied with your work in the lab, please complete and submit your lab report.