Embryology Flashcards
Neurulation
A. Begins with the formation of the neural plate which is induced to form by the notochord.
B. Next, the lateral edges of the neural plate elevate to form the neural groove.
C. Neural groove fuses, forming neural tube.
1. Originally open cranially and caudally (neuropores)
2. Cranial neuropore closes on day 25; caudal on day 27
D. The neural tube will form CNS (the brain and spinal cord)
Neural Crest Cells
- Arise from neuroectoderm as the neural tube is closing (not part of the neural tube).
- Migrate into underlying mesoderm.
- Fate of cranial neural crest:
a. Bones, cartilage, fascia, ligaments and tendons of face, neck.
b. Sensory ganglia, autonomic ganglia of cranial nerves - Fate of spinal neural crest:
A. Dorsal root ganglia, autonomic ganglia
b. Heart (fibrous skeleton) - Shared fate of cranial and spinal neural crest:
a. Meninges, schwann cells
b. Melanocytes
neural crest derivatives
connective tissue and bones of face and skull cranial nerve ganglia c cells of the thyroid gland conotruncal septum in the heart odontoblasts dermis in face and neck spinal (dorsal root) ganglia sympathetic chain and preaortic ganglia parasympathetic ganglia of the gastrointestinal tract adrenal medulla schwann cells glial cells meninges (forebrain) melanocytes smoothmusscle cells to blood vessels of the fce and forebrain
Spinal Cord
A. Neural tube caudal to 4th pair of somites forms spinal cord.
B. Three different regions form in neural tube form as a result of neuron migration from the neuroepithelium – ventricular, mantle, and marginal zones.
Ventricular zone
- Embryo – composed of the thick, pseudostratified epithelium called the neuroepithelium; will give rise to all neurons and most glia of spinal cord.
- Adult – composed of simple layer of ependymal cells.
Mantle zone
- Zone superficial to neuroepithelium
- Embryo – location of cell bodies of neuroblasts (primitive neurons)
- Adult – inner gray matter
- Alar and basal plates will form within the mantle layer.
a. Alar plate will form sensory, dorsal horn of gray matter.
b. Basal plate will form motor, ventral horn of gray matter
Marginal zone
- Outermost layer
- Embryo – location of fiber processes of neurons (axons, dendrites)
- Adult – external white matter
Spinal nerves
- Ventral nerve root formed from neurons derived from the basal plate
- Dorsal nerve root formed from neurons derived from neural crest (dorsal root ganglion cells)
- Dorsal and ventral rami form when the somite splits into dorsal and ventral portions (see below)
- Dorsal rami will innervate muscles, skin, joints, of back and ventral rami will innervate the limbs, ventral body wall.
Positional changes of spinal cord
- 3rd month – spinal cord extends entire length of vertebral column.
- At birth, spinal cord ends at about LV3.
- In the adult, spinal cord ends at about LV1-LV2.
Patterns of somatic innervation
A. Neuronal Pathfinding – active movement of axon toward an end organ or target. The nerves follow signals released from the paraxial mesoderm (the somite).
B. The dorsal and ventral rami form when the somite splits into dorsal and ventral portions.
- Epimere (dorsal) – dorsal ramus
- Hypomere (ventral) – ventral ramus
C. Motor and sensory innervation also established as spinal nerve innervates the somite.
- Myotome – skeletal muscle innervated by one spinal nerve.
- Dermatome - the area of skin innervated by one spinal nerve.
Spina Bifida
(most often occurring in lumbosacral region)
1. Cause: neural tube does not completely fuse. This also results in a fusion defect in the overlying bony structure (vertebral arch). The spinous processes are underformed or not formed at all and the vertebral canal remains open posteriorly.
- Types
a. Spina bifida occulta (affects 15-20% of population). Typically does not involve menginges or nervous tissue; only involves bony defect. Often marked by a small patch of hair overlying the defect.
b. Spina bifida cystica involves the formation of a cyst overlying the vertebral defect.
1. Meningocele – cyst contains meninges and CSF
2. Meningomyelocele – cyst contains meninges, CSF, and spinal cord or spinal nerves)
c. Spina bifida with myeloschisis is the most severe form of spina bifida. Results when the neural plate fails to elevate and fold. The spinal cord remains open and is represented as a flattened mass of nervous tissue.
Somites
A. Sclerotome: axial skeleton (vertebral column, ribs, portion of skull)
B. Dermotome: dermis
C. Myotome: skeletal muscle
Vertebral Column
A. During week 4, cells of the sclerotome shift to surround the spinal cord and notochord.
B. Resegmentation
1. Original sclerotome separates into cranial and caudal halves.
2. Caudal portion of each sclerotome proliferates and fuses to the cranial half of the next sclerotome; original sclerotome splits.
3. Each vertebra is formed from caudal half of one somite and cranial half of neighbor.
a. Example: atlas (CV1) is formed from caudal half of first cervical sclerotome and cranial half of second cervical sclerotome.
2. Intervertebral discs
a. Annulus fibrosis from mesenchymal cells which remain between the cranial and caudal portions of the original sclerotome.
b. Nucleus pulposus from notochord.
3. The rearrangement of the sclerotomes results in:
a. The myotomes spanning the intervertebal discs.
b. Spinal nerves exit between contiguous vertebrae.
c. Intersegmental arteries pass midway over vertebral bodies.
Congenital malformations of vertebrae
spina bifida, congenital scoliosis, klippel-feil,
Congenital scoliosis
a. Cause: one half of vertebrae does not ossify.
b. Leads to abnormal lateral curvature of vertebral column.