Embryology Flashcards
What are the 4 cellular processes involved in embryological development?
- Proliferation
- Differentiation
- Reorganisation
- Apoptosis
What are the key developmental events that occur in the first 2 months of pregnancy?
Weeks of Embryonic development = +2 = gestation ages
NOTE:
- At the end of the embryonic period in week 8 about 90% of the adult anatomical structures have formed
- Face, urinary, reproductive system and lung cont to develop beyond week 8
How is the notochord formed?
- Week 3: mesodermal cell ingress through the primitive streak to form a notochord
- The primitive pit extends to form a notochordal canal
- Floor fuses with underlying endoderm
- Notochordal cells proliferate and infold to form the notochord
How is the neural tube formed?
Neurulation:
- The developing notochord induces the overlying ectoderm to thicken and form the neural plate
- The plate elevates to form neural folds which fuse ober the neural groove to form the neural tube
- Neural tube closes by week 4 (day 22)
What happens when the neural tube fails to close properly?
Anecephaly = failure of rostral fusion
Spina bifida = failure of caudal fusion
- Spinal bifida occulta = small internal defect marked by a patch of hair/ dimples overlying defect
- Meningocele = membrane bulged out → contains CSF but not neural tissue
- Myelomeningocele = neural tissue has bulged out → severe defect → derangement of function
How is spina bifida prevented?
Folic acid deficiency causes this
- Folic acid BEFORE pregnancy and in first trimester
How does the face develop?
2 halves of face develop separately
- Nasal pits begin where the eyes will end up at and the eyes develop on the lateral sides of head
- Eyes + nose begin on linear lvel
- Between wk5 and 10 PF, nose + eyes migrate centrally via:-
- Tissue btwn nasal pits apoptose = cleft formation
- Instead of new cell proliferation to fill up cleft, existing cells migrate centrally and pulls along with it the eyes + nose
- Process continues until 2 halves of face fuse
How may a cleft palate/lip arise?
- Grooves formed in midline
- Masses of tissue migrate from lateral side of face in towards midline to fill in these grooves
- Failure to fill these grooves leads to cleft palate/lip
- Upper lip consists of 2 grooves –> asymmetric defect -
- Cleft palate =malfusion of palate (roof of mouth)
- Cleft lip = malfusion of the upper lip ONLY!!
How does the urinary system develop?
Development of the urinary organs starts at the urogenital ridge (mesoderm)
Nephretic duct develops and joins with the nephrogenic cords > successive phases of kidney development
- Pronephros ismost immature form
- Mesonephros, an intermediate phase
- Metanephros is most developed > metanephric mesoderm > definitive adult kidney (wk 5)
Week 6-8: start down by ureters + ascend towards adrenal glands
- Ureters extend + retain kidney bladder connections
- In contrast the kidenys form new connections with the developing arterial system as they move so renal arteries breakdown and reform
When do the kidneys ascend?
Week 6-9 PF
What happens as the kidneys ascend? (X)
- Need to rise up to lumbar region
- Don’t drag BVs with them
- Send out new and more cranial branches
- Caudal branches regress
- Mesonephros degenerates
- Gonads descend
What complications can occur during renal development?
- Pelvic kidney (doesn’t ascend to below adrenal gland)
- Horseshoe kidney - fusion of separately developing kidneys below inferior mesenteric artery - also X descend
- Retention of extra artery (isn’t broken down) - may obstruct ureter –> enlargement renal pelvis
- Renal agenesis (bilateral = Potter’s syndrome due to low amniotic fluid the ureteric buds don’t grow)
- Abnormal ureter/shaped kidneys
- Bladder exstrophy - problem w/cloaca - abdominal wall fails to cover bladder - abnormal distance btwn scrotum + penis
What layer of cells does the bladder develop from? (X)
Mostly endoderm Trigone is mesodermal (mesonephric duct) - Trigone signals filling of bladder
How does the heart develop?
Week 3 - heart at midline - cardiogenic cells develop in U pattern outside embryo proper
Week 4 - heart tubes fuse
Day 23 - heart loops - atria loop posteriorly and to the right so they end up more cranial to ventricles
Day 28 - heart septation - spiralling occurs
Week 7 - outflow tracts divide
- Vascular connections maintained, so major arteries connected to ventricles + veins to atria
- Valves develop –> unidirectionally flow ensured
- Foramen ovale between atria
- Main artery from RV connected to aorta by ductus arteriosus
- these holes divert blood away from the lungs to the rest of the body
How do cardiac abnormalities occur?
- Problem w/heart looping day 23 = transposition of great arteries (aorta + PA swapped)
- Problem with heart septation day 28 = ventricular septal defect - deoxygenated blood into LV, patent foramen ovale
- Problem w/outflow tracts dividing wk 7 = pulmonary stenosis, truncus arteriosus