Embryology Flashcards
What is the first major system to function in the embryo?
The cardiovascular system
When does the primordial heart start functioning?
Beginning of the 4th week of development
Why does the primordial heart start functioning so early?
Nutrition received by diffusion is not enough to satisfy the growing embryo
What are the stages of development of the blood vessels?
Differentiation of mesenchymal cells
Angioblast formation
Blood island formation
Small cavities appear within blood islands
Endothelial lined cavities fuse to form endothelial channels
What is the difference between vasculogenesis and angiogenesis?
During vasculogenesis blood vessels form in situ
In angiogenesis vessels develop by sprouting and branching from the pre-existing vessels
Where do blood vessels first appear?
In the wall of the yolk sac, allantois, connecting stalk and chorion
When do the angioblastic cords first appear?
Around the 3rd week of development, first seen in the cardiogenic mesoderm
The angioblastic cords canalise to form
heart tubes
What does the tubular heart show?
Alternate dilatations and constrictions
What are the sections of the heart tube primordia?
Truncus arteriosus Bulbus cordis Ventricle Atrium Sinus venosus
Where do the two horns (left and right) of the sinus venous get their venous blood from?
Yolk sac, placenta and body of the embryo
What is the truncus arteriosus continuous with cranially?
Aortic sac
What arises from the aortic sac?
Aortic arches
Where do the aortic arches terminate?
Dorsal aorta
What controls the blood flow from the sinus venosus to the primordial atrium?
Sinoatrial valves
Blood passes through the atrioventricular canal into the
primordial ventricle
From the ventricle, blood is pumped through the
bulbus cordis and truncus arteriosus in the aortic sac, to the aortic arches
From the aortic arches, blood passes to the dorsal aorta for distribution to the
embryo, yolk sac and placenta
What are the layers of the heart?
Epicardium Myocardium Endocardium Pericardium Serous pericardium
What is the pericardium derived from?
Intra-embryonic coelom
What are the parietal layers of the serous pericardium and fibrous pericardium formed from?
Somatopleuric mesoderm
What is the visceral layer of the serous pericardium derived from?
Splanchnopleuric mesoderm
How is the bulboventricular loop formed?
The bulbus cordis and ventricle grow faster than other regions, forming a U-shaped loop called the bulboventricular loop
What is dextrocardia?
Where the heart tube bends to the left side instead of to the right
Most frequent positional abnormality of the heart
What might dextrocardia be associated with?
Situs inversus
During what week of development is the partitioning of the bulbus cordis and truncus arteriosus?
5th week
What changes occur in the mesenchymal cells during the 5th week of development?
Active proliferation of the mesenchymal cells in the walls of the bulbus cordis and truncus arteriosus
What results in the formation of the aortico-pulmonary septum?
180 degree spiralling of the bulbar and truncal ridges
What doe the aortico-pulmonary septum divide?
The bulbus cordis and truncus arteriosus into the aorta and pulmonary trunk
When does the formation of the cardiac septa occur?
Around 27th and 37th days of embryonic development
What is the method of formation of the cardiac septa?
Proliferation of the mesenchymal tissue
What is the cardiac septa formation followed by?
Endocardial cushion formation
When does partition of the primordial heart occur?
Begins around middle of 4th week and finishes by end of 5th week
How is the AV canal partitioned?
Endocardial cushions form on dorsal and ventral walls of AV canal
Develop from cardiac jelly
Endocardial cushions approach each other and divide the cavity into left and right AV canals
When is the partitioning of the primordial atrium?
Starts towards end of 4th week of development
What are formed during the partitioning of the primordial atrium?
Two septa and two foramen
What are the septa and foramen formed during partitioning of the primordial atrium?
Septum primum
Septum secundum
Foramen primum
Foramen secundum
What is the foramen ovale?
Septum secundum appears on the right of the septum premium and grows and overlaps the foramen secundum, to form an opening known as the foramen ovale
What is the role of the foramen ovale?
Before birth it allows most of the blood to pass from the right atrium to the left atrium and prevents the passage of blood in the opposite direction
Normally closes after birth, creating an increased pulmonary blood flow and shift of pressure to the left atrium