Embryology Flashcards
What is Gametogenesis?
The process by which male and female germ cells become spermatozoon and oocyte respectively
Where and when does fertilisation occur?
Ampulla of the fallopian tube, usually 12 hours post ovulation
when are the meiotic and first mitotic divisions complete?
Meiotic is complete after fertilisation
the first mitotic division occurs 30 hours post-fertilisation
What stage is described at day 2 post-fertilisation?
2 cell stage - known as a zygote
What happens by day 3 post-fertilisation?
Rapid cleavage forms a MORULA which is a 16+ cell stage
-each individual cell is known as a BLASTOMERE
-migration has moved the cell to the uterine cornua
-at this stage, each blastomere is PLURIPOTENT
What has formed by day 4 post-fertilisation?
a BLASTOCYST
-composed of an Outer cell mass which forms the Trophoblast
-an inner cell mass which forms the Embryoblast
-an empty cavity known as the Blastocele
By day 6 what has happened?
The blastocyst makes initial contact with the uterine wall
-the embryoblast becomes the BILAMINAR DISC composed of Epiblast and Hypoblast
-the trophoblast becomes the Syncytiotrophoblast and the Cytotrophoblast
What occurs on day 8?
Decidualisation reaction starts with implantation
the Epiblast forms an Amniotic Cavity
What happens by day 9?
Syncytiotrophoblasts start to merge and becomes Lacunar stage
The hypoblast forms a Primitive Yolk Sac which is lined by Exocoelomic Membrane (also known as Heuser’s membrane)
What happens by day 12?
The syncytiotrophoblast has formed Lacunae which interact with endometrial sinusoids to establish blood flow
Yolk sac cells form an Extra-Embryonic Mesoderm layer (between the exocoelomic layer and cytotrophoblast)
Within the extra-embryonic mesoderm, cavities called Extra-Embryonic-Coelom or Chorionic Cavities form
When is implantation complete? and what else starts to occur at this time?
By Day 13
Cytotrophoblast starts to form Primary Chorionic vili
B-HCG is secreted by syncytiotrophoblast
What happens at day 16?
1) The allantoic diverticulum forms which forms the posterior wall of the yolk sac
2) the process of neurulation begins (formation of the brain and spinal cord)
What does the epiblast and the hypoblast become?
Epiblast becomes Ectoderm
Hypoblast becomes Endoderm
There is a potential space between them where the (Intra-embryonic) mesoderm will form
What is a Prochordal and Cloacal plate?
Two depressions of the Bilaminar disc where the ectoderm and endoderm are in contact.
They provide orientation with the Prochordal being the cranial end and the cloacal being caudal end.
They will go on to form the Mouth and Anus respectively.
What happens by day 15 of development?
At the cranial end a PRIMITIVE NODE forms and at the caudal end a PRIMITIVE STREAK forms
-Ectodermal cells migrate laterally and inferiorly from the streak to form the INTRA-EMBRYONIC MESODERM layer
-Ectodermal cells migrate from the primitive node to the prochordal plate to form the NOTOCHORD
What does the Prochordal plate become?
The Buccopharyngeal membrane (which becomes an opening to the oral cavity)
What does the Cloacal Plate become
The cloacal membrane which becomes the anal opening
What does the Notochord become?
It will fold and become the future Neural Tube (which makes brain and spinal cord)
-Nuclei Pulposis (the centre of an adult intervertebral disc, is the remnant of the notochord)
What does the Ectoderm form?
epidermis and nervous system
What does the mesoderm form?
skeletal, connective and muscle tissues
what does the endoderm form?
lining of the GI tract and respiratory systems
Which layer produces the neural plate and how is this initiated?
The notochord produces growth factors which induces Ectodermal thickening which produces the neural plate
When is the neural plate formed?
By day 18
What are the openings of the neural tube called and when do they close?
Anterior and Posterior Neuropore
-close at day 24 and 26 respectively
Where do neural crest cells come from?
They form in the neural fold and detach prior to neural plate folding prior to neural tube formation
-they form discrete aggregations and go on to form important structures
What 3 layers does the mesoderm differentiate to?
Medial = Paraxial mesoderm
-Intermediate mesoderm
Lateral = lateral plate mesoderm
-the lateral plate mesoderm is made up of 2 layers:
a) Somatic Layer (in contact with the ectoderm)
b) splanchnic layer (in contact with the endoderm)
How does the paraxial mesoderm initially differentiate?
In to blocks in a cranio-caudal direction - forms SOMITES
-these are paired on either side of the neural tube
-first pair forms on day 20, with three per day thereafter until 42-44 somite pairs exist
What do somites develop in to?
1) Dermatome (dorsal)
2) Myotome
3) Sclerotome (ventral)
What does the Dermatome generate?
Spinal meninges, skin and subcutaneous tissue
What does the Myotome generate?
Epiaxial and Hypoaxial muscles
What does the Sclerotome generate?
Vertebral column, ribs and Intevertebral discs
What does the intermediate mesoderm generate?
The kidneys and ureters
The testes and epididymis/vas deferens
The ovaries and fallopian tubes/uterus
What does the lateral plate mesoderm generate?
a) Somatic layer = parietal structures e.g parietal pleura/peritoneum
-plus sternum, limb bones and cartilage
b) splanchnic layer = visceral structures e.g visceral pleura and peritoneum
-plus adrenal cortex, lymph nodes, smooth muscle of GI tract, Cardiovascular system (endothelium), myeloid/lymphoid/erythropoid stem cells
What three key structures form from the ectoderm?
Neural Tube
Neural Crest Cells
Placodes
What key structures form from the neural tube?
Brain and spinal cord, including neural cells, glial cells, posterior pituitary, pineal gland, retinas
What are placodes and how many are there?
Areas of discrete thickening around the primitive node
-there are 3(4)
1) Olfactory placode
2) Lens placode
3) Otic Placode
What is surface ectoderm?
The rest of the ectoderm that is not neural tube/neural crest cells or placodes
-forms epithelial tissue including epidermis, nails, hair, sweat glands, linings of openings (mouth, nose, ear, inferior anus below pectinate line), Rathkeys pouch (an out pouching of nasopharynx that forms the anterior pituitary)
What main structure forms from the endoderm and what is it divided in to?
The Gut tube:
1) foregut
2) mid gut
3) hind gut
What is classed as the foregut?
Pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, first 2 parts of duodenum
What is classed as midgut?
last 2 parts of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, ascending colon, proximal 2/3 of transverse colon
what is classed as hindgut?
distal 1/3 of transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid, rectum, anus (proximal to pectinate line)
what organs form from the foregut?
Respiratory diverticulum forms trachea, bronchi, lung parenchyma
Hepatic diverticulum forms liver and biliary tree and head of pancreas
Pancreatic diverticulum forms body and tail of pancreas
In what two planes does embryological folding occur?
Longitudinal (cephalocaudal) and Transverse/Lateral
When does embryo folding occur?
Day 21-24
When is nutrition provided by the maternal blood supply rather than the zone pellucida?
By day 12
what is the name of the process by which the blastocyst invades the endometrium?
Decidualisation
Which structures form loose attachments between the endometrium and the blastocyst?
Microvilli on the blastocyst and Pinopods on the decidua functionalis
Which structures form strong attachments between endometrium and the blastocyst?
Integrins on the trophoblast cells attach to selectins on the decidua
How does invasion happen?
The trophoblast releases metalloproteases which breaks down the Zona pellucida and starts to erode surface epithelium of the endometrium
-further release of metalloproteases by the trophoblast digests the extra-cellular matrix of the uterine decidua
What stage of development has the placenta reached by Day 9?
The syncytiotrophoblast cells divide rapidly and cell membranes break down to form a syncytium
Syncytiotrophoblast starts releasing B-HCG to support the corpus luteum to continue to make progesterone
Syncytiotrophoblast releases proteases that invade uterine blood vessels causing leaking in to stromal spaces = Lacunae formation
What happens at Day 12 of placental development?
The Lacunae mature and become Intervillous Spaces
The Hypoblast starts making Extra-Embryonic Mesoderm which sits between the Cytotrophoblast and the Amniotic Cavity
What happens in week 3 of placental development?
The somato-pleuric extra-embryonic mesoderm invades the primary villi so the villous now has a core
-this turns it into Secondary villi
By the end of week 3 this mesoderm starts breaking down in the villi and in the conecting stalk which becomes BLOOD VESSELS
What has formed in the placenta by the end of week 3?
The villi now contain blood vessels so are known as Tertiary Villi
-They contain cotyledon arteries and enable diffuse exchange between the fetal and maternal circulations across the layers of the vili
What layers make up a villous?
Fetal vessel endothelium
Connective tissue of the villous
Cytotrophoblast
Syncytiotrophoblast