Embryo pt.4 Flashcards
What is fertilization?
The process in which gametes (an egg and a sperm cell)
fuse to form a zygote
What type of cell is a zygote?
- Totipotent stem cell, the only one able to give rise to any
cell type present in our body - It will preserve its totipotency till it starts to divide forming blastomeres, which will have a lower capability of differentiation
What is the blastocyst composed of?
Inner cell mass (embryoblast) and outer cells mass (trophoblast)
What does the trophoblast differentiate into?
Syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast
Which part of the blastocyst invades the uterus?
- Syncytiotrophoblast, the invading portion of the blastocyst
- It is able to produce digestive enzyme, which will be used to extend finger-like processes in the endometrium.
At which part of the cycle does implantation occur?
- Secretory phase
- Days 19-21 considered implantation window
- 6-12 days after ovulation, aka 8-9 days after conception
How long does it take from fertilization to implantation?
About one week (8-9 days)
What does gastrulation give rise to?
Gives rise to three layers, endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm
What are structures formed from mesoderm?
- Skeletal muscle
- Blood cells
- Lining of blood vessels
- Cardiac muscle
- Ducts and organs of the reproductive and excretory system
- Serosal lining of all body cavities
- ONLY IN TRUNK AND TORSO (excluding head, neck, and limbs): Source of all connective tissues, including cartilage, bones, tendons, dermis, and stroma (connective tissue) of internal organs
What are endoderm derivatives?
- Epithelial lining of:
- Respiratory tract
- Digestive tract (including glands opening to GI tract)
- Urinary bladder & urethra
-. Tympanic cavity & auditory tube
2. Parenchyma of thyroid, parathyroids, liver & pancreas
- Reticular stroma of tonsils & thymus
Ectoderm derivatives
- CNS and PNS (from neural crest cells)
- Epidermis
- Many connective tissues of the head
- Pigment cells
What does the epiblast form?
The epiblast gives rise to the three primary germ layers (definitive ectoderm, definitive/embryonic endoderm, and definitive mesoderm) and to the extraembryonic mesoderm of the visceral yolk sac, the allantois, and the amnion, and the ectoderm of amnion
What does the hypoblast form?
- Endoderm of umbilical vesicle which then becomes extraembryonic mesoderm
- Give rise to the tiny membrane covering the exocoelomic membrane
What is an important reaction in the mother that occurs during implantation?
Decidual reaction
What is decidualization?
Changes in the structure and function of the endometrium that facilitate implantation and growth of embryo
What are some changes that occur during decidualization and what’s their significance?
- Some cells accumulate glycogen (and some lipids), which the syncytiotrophoblast during invasion phagocytosis some of them, represent the first nutrition source for the embryo, before the development of the placenta and nutritional circulation
- There’s also a lot of infiltration of leukocytes, the decidual leukocytes play a role in suppressing the immune response of the mother to prevent treating the fetus as genetically foreign
What are the extraembryonic membranes? List them
- Temporary structures that will disappear with the end of pregnancy
- There are 4 extraembryonic membranes: Chorion , amnion, allantois, umbilical vesicle
What is the role of extraembryonic membranes?
IImportant for protection, nutrition and for removal of waste from the embryo
Which is the innermost and outermost extraembryonic membrane?
- Chorion is outermost
- Amnion is innermost