Embryology- introduction and week 1 of development, week 2 of development, week 3 – Trilaminar Disc Formation and Establishing Body Axis and Week 4 – Neurulation and Embryonic Folding Flashcards
What end is the superior end?
Head
What end is the inferior end?
Bottom
What end is the anterior end?
Front
What end is the posterior end?
Back
What end is the cranial end of an embryo?
Head
What end is the caudal end of an embryo?
Back/feet
What end is the ventral end of an embryo?
Front
What end is the dorsal end of an embryo?
Back
Two ways in dating a pregnancy?
- Menstrual age- date pregnancy from women’s last menstrual period- 3 equal trimesters- 40 weeks
- Fertilisation age- split into 3- early development- rapid cell division, embryonic (organogenesis) period and foetal period where the systems mature- 38 weeks
Human birth defects- genetic and environmental causes
Genetic causes:
Monogenic- defective gene on autosome
Chromosomal- problem during chromosome separation and misalignment
Environmental causes:
Teratogens- agent or factor which causes malformation of an embryo
Examples:
Infectious- TORCH Taxoplasmosis, Other (Hep. B. , Syphilis), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Chemical- Thalidimide and alcohol Deficiency- Folic acid Maternal disease- Diabetes Physical- Radiation
When’s the most susceptible time for an embryo
3-8 weeks to teratogens
Taxoplasmosis- what is it?
Parasite found in cat faeces
Other- Zika Virus- what is it?
Mosquito, bodily fluids
Rubella- what is it?
Infection passes over placenta
Cytomegalovirus- what is it?
Virus that crosses the placenta
Infection via bodily fluids- blood, sweat and semen
Herpes Virus- what is it?
Herpes Simplex- usually doesn’t travel through reproductive system- usually happens while giving birth if mother has herpes
Varicella zoster virus – Chickenpox
Most dangerous in between 13-20 weeks or just before birth to two days postpartum
Chemical- Thalidomide- what is it? What does it do?
Prescribed for morning sickness
Shortened or absent limbs
Now used to treat leprosy and HIV
Chemical- alcohol- foetal alcohol syndrome
Prenatal and postnatal growth retardation
Intellectual disability
Impaired motor ability and coordination- CNS
Capacitation
Where the sperm (get the female reproductive system gets ready for fertilisation)- change chemical structure/ the shape of the head of the sperm for fertilisation
What happens just after fertilisation?
- Fusion of male and female gametes to form zygote
- Capacitation of sperm
- Acrosome reaction
- Formation of zygote
- Fusion of pronuclei
What is the acrosome reaction?
Acrosome releases degrative enzymes that allow sperm to penetrate zona pellucida (outer jacket of the oocyte). Sperms acrosome contains degrative enzymes. Once the capacitated sperm reaches the zona pellucida, the acrosome releases the degrative enzymes and breaks down the zona pellucida. The head of the sperm that contains the nucleus enters the oocyte and fertilises. This forms a zygote.
What is the cortical reaction?
The cortical reaction shuts down the zygote, preventing a normal of sperm fertilising eggs (polyspermia). Zona pellucida becomes impenetrable – stops any sperm coming back in.
Cleavage- rapid cell division- number of days? What happens?
1-3 days
After fertilisation zygote cells divide
No change in size of zygote. Blastomeres get smaller
After 24 hours the first cleavage occurs. Cells get smaller as cleavage occurs. Morula is formed- ball of cells.
Formation of morula-number of days? How many cells? What is formed?
16-32 cells
Inner Cell Mass forms embryo proper (embryoblasts)- ones in the middle
Outer Cell Mass forms placenta (trophoblasts)- ones on the outside
Embryoblast form embryo and trophoblast form support structures such as the placenta.
Formation of blastocyst- number of days? How are the cells now arranged?
Day 5
-Formation of a fluid filled cavity by day 5
-Separates cells into a
• compact mass – Inner cell mass (embryoblasts)
• thinner outer layer -Outer cell mass (trophoblasts)
• Fluid filled space
Blastocyst Hatching and Initiating Implantation- number of days?
Days 5 and 6
Implantation- embryo now try to implant onto the uterine wall (endometrium(inner lining) of the uterus)
to get nutrients from the mother
Hatching
Blastocyst removes the Zona pellucida
What do trophoblasts and embryoblasts differentiate into?
Day 7
Trophoblasts differentiate into cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts. Forming the outer cell mass.
Embryoblasts differentiate into hypoblasts and epiblasts. Forming the inner cell mass/ bilaminar disc.
Importance of epiblast dorsal and ventral axis- what is the positioning?
The epiblast forms the dorsal surface of the embryo and the hypoblast forms the ventral surface.
Dorsal goes first into the uterine lining.
Formation of the amniotic cavity
Day 8
Amniotic cavity forms as a small fluid filled cavity in the epiblast.
Amniotic cavity formed between epiblast cells- this gets bigger and bigger until it engulfs the whole embryo.
Formation of the primary yolk sac
Full implantation- hypoblast cells begin to migrate around the blastocyst cavity.
Fully implanted embryo into the uterine lining.
Coagulation plug = ‘scab’ to heal uterine lining
The support structures cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotropohblast engulf the whole embryo.
The cytotrophoblasts membrane break down to form syncytiotropohblasts.
Cavity layered with hypoblast cells is now called primary yolk sac.
How does developing embryoblast receive nutrients?
Syncytiotrophblast bind to uterine gland and get nutrients from the mother by diffusion but not enough.
Maternal capillary formed (red circular thing on diagram) and the synctiotropoblasts break down the wall of maternal capillary- uteroplacental circulation.
Synctiotrophoblasts have gaps called trophoblastic lacuna, this is where the nutrients are before they get to the embryo. When get nutrients from uterine gland it is just going into the trophoblastic lacuna. Blood leaks into trophoblastic lacuna.