embryology Flashcards
journey of an egg
Sperm can survive for 5 days (travels cervic, uterine cnal, fallopian tube)
The oocyte can survive for 24 hours
step 1 - egg leaves ovary and enters fallopian tube
step 2 - sperm enters egg and united with nucleus
step 3 - fertilised egg divides
step 4 - cells attach to uterus
fertilisation
1 - sperm makes contact with egg
2 - acromosome reacts with zona pellucida
3 - acrosome reacts with periviterlline space
4- plasma membrane of sperm and egg fuse
5 - sperm nucleus enters egg
early embryo development
Day 1 – Formation of pronuclei (two nuclei in fertilised egg one to egg and one to sperm)
Day 2 – First cell division
Day 3 – Cell division continues (rapid increase number –> ball of cells (morula))
Day 4 –Formation of Morula
Day5 - Blastocyst forms
implantation process
Early embryo enters the uterine cavity in morula phase which converts to blastocyst on day 5.
Hatching- trophoectoderm cells produce protease to dissolve the zona in preparation for implantation
Apposition- first connection between blastocyst and endometrium, apposes to microvilli like structure called pinopodes expressed on receptive endometrium
Adhesion- trophoblast of the blastocyst adheres to the epithelial layer of maternal endometrium, embryonic tissue starts to actively secrete hCG
Invasion- trphoblast proliferation, differentiation, crossing of the epithelial basement membrane and invasion of endometrial stroma to form the placenta. Uterine spiral arteries remodelled by the invasive trophoblast.
hatching of the blastocyst
hatching of the embryo from sona pellucida 5th day after fertilisation
inability to hatch results in infertlity and premature hatching can result in abnormal implantation in the uterine tube
decidulisation change prior to invasion
Pre-requisite for trophoblast inasion and placentation -involves transformation of stromal cells of maternal endometrium every month under the effect of hormone progesterone.
Changes-
Stromal cell differentiation (elongated fibroblast like cells) converted into decidual( rounded epithelial cells).
Angiogenesis - new vessel formation, increase vascular permeability
Increased macrophages, lymphocytes and decidual leukocytes(uterine natural killer cells) for maternal immune tolerance
These changes transform the endometrium into a vascular receptive tissue for blastocyst invasion.
invasions of thropoblast
placenta isnt the mothers property mainly composed of the fetus
placentation
Invading trophoblast form primary chorionic villi
With infiltration of extra-embryonic mesoderm these become secondary villi
When capillaries form they become tertiary villi
Invasion of cytotrophoblast remodels spiral arteries to increase blood flow
mature placenta components
Chorionic villi
The intervillous space
Placental Septae
Cotyledons (subunits of the
placenta)
functions of the placenta
Acts as an immunological barrier
Gas exchange
Nutrient exchange Waste excretion
Endocrine functions
embryogenesis
embryogenesis is the first eight weeks of embryo development post fertilisation.
Fertilised egg forms blastocyst on day 5 with two organised cell groups- inner cell mass(embryoblast) and trophoblast which develop to form the baby and placenta respectively
embryoblast development
Week 2-3- formation of bilaminar disc and development of amniotic sac, yolk sac, extraembryonic mesoderm and chorionic cavity
Week 3-4- differentiation of bilaminar disc into trilaminar structure- three germ layers ( endoderm, medoderm and ectoderm) through process of gastrulation and neural tube formation
Week 5-8 - organogenesis.
blastocyst cell group
Pluripotent cells
bilaminar disc consisting of Epiblast and hypoblast.
Epiblast undergoes gastrulation to form the three germ layers - ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm
Hypoblast forms extraembryonic mesoderm
Blastocoele
Inner layer cytotrophoblast forms chorionic villi
inner cell mass differentiation
The inner cell mass differentiates into bilaminar epiblast (columnar epithelial cells) and the hypoblast (cuboidal epithelial cells). Hypoblast is the layer facing the blastocoel, while the epiblast is on the other side
Two cavities form, yolk sac on the side of the hypoblast and amniotic cavity on the side of epiblast
epiblast differentiation / gastrulation
Epiblast differentiates into the three germ layers- ectoderm , mesoderm and endoderm in a process called gastrulation (D13 to 16 of embryo development)
Gastrulation starts with a groove appearing in the caudal end of epiblast called primitive streak
Epiblast cells migrate into the hypoblast layer displacing them- forming the endoderm
Further epiblast cells migrate through primitive streak between the epiblast and the hypoblast/endoderm to form the mesoderm
Remaining epiblast becomes the ectoderm
The newly formed trilaminar disc with three layers is called gastrula and forms the different organ systems
ectoderm purpose
Epidermis, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, hair, nails, neuroendocrine organs (adrenal medulla, pituitary gland), enamel of teeth
mesoderm purpose
Dermis, musculoskeletal structures, cardiovascular system, kidneys, ureters, trigone of the bladder, gonads (not germ cells), adrenal cortex, visceral and parietal linings (pleura, pericardium, peritoneum),