Development & Ageing - Early Foetal Development Flashcards
What is fertilisation age?
Way of measuring foetal development, presumed to be the age from the start of fertilisation. We add one day to ovulation date as an assumption
What is a limitation of fertilisation age?
We don’t know when the precise age is unless we use IVF
What is gestational age?
Age beginning from the start of the last menstrual period
What is the difference in time between gestational age and fertilisation age?
Gestational age is 14 days longer than conceptional age
How can we accurately calculate gestation age?
Early obstetric ultrasound and reference to embryo size reference charts
What is Carnegie Staging?
From day 0-60, we can compare the embryo features to the 23 stages of development - allows us to compare development between species
What are the 3 main stages of development?
Embryogenic
Embryonic
Foetal
When is the embryogenic stage?
14-16 days after fertilisation
When is the embryonic stage?
16-50 days after fertilisation
When is the foetal stage?
50-270 days after fertilisation
What happens in the embryogenic stage?
We create 2 distinct cell populations:
- Pluripotent embryonic cells that contribute to foetus
- Extraembryonic cells which contribute to supporting structures e.g. placenta
What happens in the embryonic stage?
- Formation of 3 germ layers and differentiation of tissue types
- Body plan is established
What happens in the fetal stage?
- Major organs now present, but some will migrate to their final position
- Extensive growth and acquisition of foetal viability
Describe the steps from ovulated oocyte to eventually a blastocyst in the first few days of life
Ovulated oocyte Zygote (1 cell) Cleave stage embryo (2-8 cells) Morula (16+ cells) Blastocyst (200-300 cells)
When is the maternal-zygotic transition?
Occurs at the 4-8 stage
What happens before the maternal-zygotic transition?
Embryonic genes not transcribed therefore maternal mRNA and proteins which are synthesised pre-ovulation support embryo
What can lead to an impairment in development before the maternal-zygotic transition?
Failure to synthesis or store these maternal proteins
What occurs during the maternal-zygotic transition?
Embryonic genes are transcribed therefore there is an increase in embryonic protein synthesis, helping with organelle maturation e.g. mitochrondria and Golgi
When is compaction?
Around the 8 cell stage or later
What does compaction do?
Division within the zone pellucida means cells are compressed and the outer layer of cells become wedge shaped - these cells then connect via desmosomes and polarise with apical and basolateral membranes, creating a barrier for diffusion. The inner cell mass forms a separate population
How does the blastocyst form during compaction?
The inner cells and the outer cells reorganise to form a new blastocoel cavity, thus forming a blastocyst
What are the 2 cell populations formed in the blastocyst?
Inner cell mass (pluripotent stem cells)
Trophoectoderm
What is the zone pellucida?
Hard protein shell stopping polyspermy and protects early embryo
What is the blastocoel?
Fluid filled cavity formed osmotically by trophoblast pumping Na+ ions into cavity
What is the purpose of hatching?
Further development can occur upon implanting in the endometrium, however to do this we must escape the hard zone pellucida to allow further division
How does hatching occur?
Blastocyst secretes enzymes to digest zona pellucida.
Cellular contraction of the embryo to weaken a point of the ZP
When is peri-implantation?
7-9 days
What does the trophectoderm develop into?
Syncitiotrophoblast
Cytotrophoblast