Embryology Flashcards
Two reactions that happen in sperm in the female reproductive tract
- Capacitation: revealing of the receptors, removal of glycoprotein coat AND seminal plasma proteins, it is needed to pass through the Corona cells
- Acrosome reactions: Sperm sticks to ZP, facilitated by ZP3 protein, ZP is penetrated, sperm enters the plasma membrane of the oocyte
The ZP3 is a ligand for sperm recepters, allows the release of enzymes from the acrosome
What is done to avoid polyspermy
There are 2 reactions that happen to avoid this: cortical reactions (release of lysosomes from the cortical granules) and zona reactions where the ZP’s chemical properties are changed to avoid further binding AND penetration
Oocyte membrane also becomes impenetrable
What is the name of the structure that forms after fertilization
Zygote
What happens at the 8 cell stage
Compaction, maximizing cell to cell contacts
What is the structure called at 16 cell stage
Morula, it now enters the endometrium lumen
What is the necessary for implantation
Loss of ZP
What does the inner and outer cell mass form in a blastocyst
Amnion, yolk sac and embryo proper
Trophoblast
When does implantation occurs
On the 6th day
What does corpus luteum make
Progesterone to preserve the endometrium lining
Explain the mechanism of pregnancy stick
Synccyteotophoblast cells make Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin hormone, it is detectable by week 2
What happens after the stage when trophoblast cells allow implantation of the blastocyst
The next stage is characterized by the formation of lacunae in syncytotrophoblast cells and the formation.
Know that the exocoelomic cavity and the membrane is still present and the exocoelomic membrane is also called the Heuser’s membrane
What happens after the stage when lacunae develops in syncyteo
Heuser’s membrane have pores called extraembryonic cavity. The part of the membrane in contact with the exocoelomic cavity is called the extraembryonic splanchnopleuric mesoderm and the one that is on the other side of the extraembryonic cavity is the extraembryonic somatopleuric mesoderm
Where are the splanch and somato mesoderms when the (exocoelomic cyst) primitive yolk sac is pinched off and the chorionic membrane surrounds the fetus
The splanchno is surrounding the fetus whereas the somato is now surrounding the chorionic cavity
What lines the secondary yolk sac
Extraembryonic endoderm which in turn is lined by splanchno
What are the two cell layered structures that form at this stage
Primary villi
What happens on day 13 and day 28
Uteroplacental circulation starts and bleeding occurs which can be mistaken for a period, respectively
Name the 3 abnormal implantation sites
Mesentry, oviduct (or uterine tube) and ovary
Where does most of the ectopic pregnancies occur
In the oviduct, in the ampulla region (the wider lumen region)
What other region is common for ectopic pregnancy.
What are the risks involved?
Rectouterine pouch, attached to the peritoneum.
Surgery may involve hemorrhage.
What are the two membranes that lie on the opposite poles of the primitive node and primitive streak
Buccopharyngeal membrane that will form the oral cavity and the cloacal cavity that will form the rectum (or anus or whatever).
What are prenotochordal cells
Cells that migrate to form notochord eventually. These cells move through the primitive node
When does the trilaminar germ disc layer formation occur
Day 15 or 16, this is when the cells start to migrate
What is the fate of hypoblast cells
They can either contribute to heuser’s membrane or they can be a part of the extraembryonic endo and mesoderm
What is a fate map of epiblast cells
The length through which they enter the primitive streak (or the primitive node so to speak) determines what structures will they differentiate into
How does the notochord forms
In a cranial to caudal fashion
What is alantois
It plays a role in blood vessel development in the connecting stalk
What happens before the formation of notochord
Notochord plate forms
When are the body axes established
The establishment of body axes occur right before gastrulation
What is anterior and posterior
Anterior is head, posterior is tail
How does the anterior-posterior axis develops
First we will talk about the formation of head region. It is formed by the cells in the anterior region called the Anterior Epiblast cells. These express genes responsible for the formation of head region and this also avoids formation of primitive streak in the head region.
The cranial end of the embryo is established before gastrulation.
Primitive node is responsible for maintaining the primitive streak which by the help of transforming growth factor beta family specializes the caudal portion.
The node secretes goosecoid, chordin, noggin, follistatin and nodal.
How is the dorsal and ventral axis established.
Define this axis in the embryo first.
Dorsal is towards the neural tube and ventral is towards the notochord.
Bone Morphogenic Protein 4 (BMP4) ventralizes the Mesoderm (Intermediate and Lateral Plate Mesoderm).
Chordin (activated by Goosecoid), noggin, follistatin (secreted by node) antagonizes the BMP4 so it results in dorsalizing the cranial mesoderm forming the notochord and paraxial mesoderm.
Further details on what is the role of dorsal-ventral axis
The establishment of dorsal and ventral axis results in the formation of notochord. Notochord later secretes dorsalizing factors (chordin, noggin, follistatin).
Brachyury gene expressed in the node, prenotochordal and notochordal cells dorsalizes embryo in the middle and caudal region.
So dorsalization of the head happens first.
Any pathologies relating to ventral-dorsal axis?
Goosecoid regulates head development, under or over expression can lead to pathology that of cojoined twins.
Chordin is activated by Goosecoid.
Function of Brachyury gene
It is important in migration of the cells through the primitive streak and dorsalizing the caudal region.
Pathology associated to brachyury gene
Caudal dysgenesis or Sirenomelia. There is shortening of embryo leading to caudal region malformation by fusion of the limb buds.
How do you establish the left and right axis
The primitive node secretes FGF8 (fibroblast growth factor 8) on the left, that activates nodal that causes left sidedness. It is absence of FGF8 that causes the right side to develop. Sonic Hedge Hog suppresses the left sided genes on the right side.
The left and right side are formed with respect to the notochord.
Also ciliated cells play an important role in the left-right axis formation.
These ciliated cells rotate and establish flow patterns.
Describe the progress of gastrulation along the body of the embryo
Gastrulation occurs cephalocaudally which means it occurs first in the cephalic region and then it starts later in the caudal region. . Primitive streak regresses from the middle to the caudal region
Embryonic disc expands (I think they are talking about the head) as cells continuously migrate from the primitive streak to the cranial region.
What are teratogenic insults
Hypersensitivity to teratogenesis, begins on the 3rd week. The associated pathologies are:
1. Holoprosencephaly - craniofacial defects due to the consumption of high amounts of alcohol.
2. Caudal dysgenesis (sirenomelia)
3. Situs Inversus - Transposition of viscera in thorax and abdomen
4.