embryogenes

Embryogenes is an infrequently used term that is generally treated as a synonym or variant spelling of embryogenesis, the developmental process by which an embryo forms and grows into a mature organism. The term derives from Greek roots embryo and genesis. In contemporary biology, embryogenesis covers the series of cellular and molecular events that transform a single fertilized cell into a multi-cellular organism and, in plants, also explicates embryogenesis within seeds and in tissue culture as somatic embryogenesis.

In animals, embryogenesis begins with fertilization, producing a zygote that undergoes cleavage to form a blastula, followed by gastrulation to establish germ layers, and continues with organogenesis and growth. Gene regulatory networks and signaling pathways, such as Wnt, BMP, and Notch, coordinate cell specification and tissue formation. In plants, embryogenesis refers to zygotic embryo development within seeds, and to somatic embryogenesis in culture. Plant embryos progress through globular, heart-shaped, and torpedo stages, guided by auxin distribution and specific transcription factors such as LEC1, LEC2, FUS3, and BBM. Understanding embryogenesis has practical applications in reproductive biology, developmental genetics, and plant biotechnology, including clonal propagation and genetic transformation.