ontogenetika

Ontogenetika, or ontogenetics, is the study of ontogeny—the development of an individual organism from fertilization to mature form—emphasizing the genetic and molecular mechanisms that coordinate growth and differentiation. It sits at the intersection of developmental biology, genetics, epigenetics, and evolutionary biology, distinguishing developmental processes from evolutionary history but using comparative approaches to understand conserved and divergent mechanisms.

Key questions address how gene regulatory networks control the timing and spatial patterning of development, how cells acquire identities, form tissues and organs, and how environmental factors influence developmental trajectories. Research often focuses on embryogenesis, organogenesis, tissue regeneration, and aging, and on how perturbations of genes or signaling pathways lead to birth defects and diseases.

Model systems include Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, zebrafish, mice, and chicken. Techniques encompass comparative genomics, transcriptomics, lineage tracing, live imaging, and genome editing (for example CRISPR/Cas9). In vitro approaches such as stem cell differentiation and organoid cultures also contribute.

Ontogenetika intersects with and informs related fields such as evo-devo, regenerative medicine, and developmental toxicology. Its goals include understanding how genetic networks produce robust developmental programs, how variation in these programs underlies phenotypic diversity, and how disruptions can lead to disease, with implications for medicine and evolutionary biology.