Building Brains 5 - Vertebrates Flashcards
Describe what happens between fertilization and formation of the blastocyst in the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
- Cells proliferate
- Cells compact
Name the two structures present in the blastocyst stage of the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
- Trophoectoderm
- Inner cell mass
In the blastocyst of the early vertebrate embryo, what structure/s are formed by the trophoectoderm? (1)
Extraembryonic tissue, eg. placenta
Name the two layers which form from the inner cell mass of the early vertebrate embryo.
What does each layer form? (2)
- Epiblast (forms adult cells)
- Hypoblast (forms extraembryonic tissue, eg. yolk sac)
Complete the sentence regarding the development of the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
The two layers of the inner cell mass, the epiblast and hypoblast, detach from the trophoectoderm to develop as a disk. This structure is now called the ………………………… The entire embryo is now called a ………………………
- Blastodisc
- Gastrula
Name the process by which the three germ layers are formed in the early vertebrate embryo. (1)
Gastrulation
Describe the order in which gastrulation occurs in the early vertebrate embryo. (1)
From posterior to anterior
Describe the structure, location, and role of the primitive streak in the early vertebrate embryo. (3)
Groove
in the dorsal embryonic midline
which is the site of gastrulation.
Describe the process of gastrulation in the early vertebrate embryo. (4)
Cells from the surface of the epiblast migrate towards primitive streak
then move down and out
first integrating into the hypoblast layer to form the endoderm
then sitting between the endoderm and ectoderm to form the mesoderm.
True or false? (1)
In the early vertebrate embryo, the primitive streak establishes the anterior-posterior axis.
True - however this may not apply to humans
In the early vertebrate embryo, the primitive streak establishes the anterior-posterior axis.
Name two other ways that the axis may be determined in the embryo. (2)
- Gravity
- Point of sperm entry into egg
Describe the ‘movement’ of the primitive streak throughout development in the early vertebrate embryo. (3)
- The primitive streak extends towards the head
- Then regresses posteriorly after reaching full extension
- Then disappears
- As the primitive streak regresses it leaves the notochord in its wake
Describe the migration of the cells during gastrulation, which end up forming the notochord in the early vertebrate embryo. (1)
The notochord is formed by the cells which have passed through the node
at the anterior end of the primitive streak.
They are the last cells to migrate.
Name the process which forms the neural tube in the early vertebrate embryo. (1)
Neurulation
Describe where neurulation begins in the embryo and how it progresses. (1)
Begins anteriorly and progresses posteriorly.
True or false? (1)
When looking at the embryonic nervous system at a single point in time, the posterior part will always be more developed than the anterior part.
False - the cranial nervous system develops before the caudal nervous system, so the anterior part will be more developed
Describe the stages of neurulation in the early vertebrate embryo. (4)
- Neural plate thickens
- Neural plate bends in dorsal midline
- Two ends of neural plate join at neural plate borders to form a tube
- As tube closes the neural crest disconnects from epidermis
Where does the notochord sit in relation to the neural tube in the early vertebrate embryo? (1)
Directly underneath it (ventrally)
The notochord is classed as part of which germ layer in the early vertebrate embryo? (1)
Mesoderm
True or false? (1)
In the early vertebrate embryo, the whole of the eye is developed from the neuroectoderm.
False - the retina develops from the forebrain part of the neuroectoderm, but the lens develops from the surface ectoderm.
Describe briefly and simply how the eye is formed in the early vertebrate embryo. (4)
- Optic vesicle (neuroectoderm) makes contact with ectoderm
- Ectoderm invaginates to form lens placode
- Placode keeps invaginating to form cup-like structure (lens vesicle)
- Optic cup (neuroectoderm) and lens vesicle (ectoderm) develop into eye
Describe briefly and simply how the ear is formed in the early vertebrate embryo. (4)
- Invagination of ectoderm to form otic placode
- Formation of otic cup,
- then otic vesicle.
- Collection of cells breaks away from otic epithelium to form acoustic-vestibular ganglion
Describe what is meant by ‘the organiser’ when referring to early vertebrate embryos. (2)
The part of the embryo which can induce nearby cells
to become parts of the nervous system and other dorsal fates.
True or false? (1)
The organiser in an early vertebrate embryo is only able to cause neural induction - further determination and differentiation require further signalling.
True
True or false? (1)
In the early vertebrate embryo, the organiser is always located at the cranial end of the primitive streak.
False - in amphibians it is not
Name the organiser in an early chick embryo. (1)
Hensen’s node
Name the organiser in an early mammal embryo. (1)
Node
Name the organiser in the early amphibian embryo. (1)
Blastopore (dorsal) lip
True or false? (1)
The organiser (Hensen’s Node, etc) is the first part of the embryo to have its fate determined.
True
Describe the structure, location, and movement of the node/Hensen’s node during development of the early vertebrate embryo. (3)
- Enlarged group of cells
- Anterior end of primitive streak
- Location of the node moves anteriorly then posteriorly as the primitive streak extends and retracts
Describe the cells which form the notochord, and how the node/Hensen’s node is involved in producing the notochord. (2)
The cells which migrate last during gastrulation form the notochord.
These cells migrate through the node.
Name two structures in the early vertebrate embryo which possess neural inducing activity. (2)
- Notochord
- (Hensen’s) Node
As well as signals produced by (Hensen’s) node in the early vertebrate embryo, describe the other requirement for neural induction. (1)
Ectoderm must have intrinsic competence (the ability to respond to signals).
Give the three criteria required for a molecule to be a signalling molecule and play a role in embryonic development. (3)
- Necessary
- Sufficient
- Expressed at correct time
Describe simply how the notochord and node are able to induce neural competence in the early vertebrate embryo.
Name the molecules involved. (4)
Release of:
- Follistatin
- Noggin
- Chordin
How do the molecules released by the notochord and node in the early vertebrate embryo help to induce neural fate? (1)
They are BMP antagonists
What is the role of bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) in determining fate in the early vertebrate embryo? (1)
Promotes epidermal state, inhibits neural state
Describe the signalling pathway by which BMPs influence cell fate in the early vertebrate embryo. (4)
- BMP binds to cell surface receptor
- Triggers SMAD phosphorylation
- SMAD activated
- SMAD inhibits neural genes and activates epidermal genes
What types of molecules are BMPs in the early vertebrate embryo? (1)
Extracellular signalling molecules
What types of molecules are chordin, follistatin, and noggin in the early vertebrate embryo? (1)
Extracellular signalling molecules
What type of molecule is SMAD in the early vertebrate embryo? (1)
Transcription factor
Describe how FGF inhibits the BMP signalling pathway in the early vertebrate embryo. (3)
- FGF binds to cell surface receptor
- phosphorylation of smad
- at a different site to that which is phosphorylated by BMP
Apart from BMPs and BMP antagonists, name another molecule which is required to confer neural competence in the early vertebrate embryo. (1)
FGF (fibroblast growth factor)
Give two roles of FGF in neural induction in the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
- Sox3 expression
- Inhibits BMP pathway
How is FGF produced in the early vertebrate embryo?
When in development does this occur? (2)
Expressed by (Hensen’s) node
later in development.
Name two Sox molecules which are important for neural induction in the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
Sox2
Sox3
What types of molecules are the Sox proteins? (1)
Transcription factors
Describe the expression of sox3 throughout development of the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
First expressed throughout ectoderm
before being restricted to neural ectoderm as tissue matures.
(also expressed in endoderm)
Describe the expression of sox2 throughout development of the early vertebrate embryo. (1)
Only expressed in neural ectoderm
When the nervous system starts to develop in the early vertebrate embryo, describe the expected distribution of sox2 in the AP axis. (1)
Expressed in anterior regions but not posterior regions
(anterior regions develop first)
Describe the order in which FGF and BMP are expressed during neural induction in the early vertebrate embryo. (2)
FGF expressed first to induce neural competence.
Then BMPs (and inhibitors) expressed to form neural or epidermal ectoderm.
Describe the gene/s expressed in the ectoderm of the early vertebrate embryo once it has been exposed to FGF. (1)
Sox3