Gastrulation And Embryonic Germ Layers Flashcards
What is the embryonic period?
Weeks 3-7 during which the embryo is most susceptible to deformities
What are gametes?
Haploid cells whose genetic material fuses during fertilization
Describe oocytes
Develop in follicles and remain dormant until puberty
1-2 follicles mature each menstrual cycle -> secondary oocyte -> ovulation
What is the zona pellucida?
Thick layer of glycoproteins surrounding the oocyte
What are granulosa cells?
Responsible for follicle development
Which three cell types or structures are associated with the granulosa cells?
Cumulus oophorus, mural granulosa cells and corona radiata
What is the cumulus oophorus?
Anchor oocyte to the follicle wall
What are mural granulosa cells?
Line the wall of the follicle
What is the corona radiata?
Firmly anchored to the ZP
What is the acrosome reaction?
Sperm head releases enzymes allowing passage through the corona radiata and ZP during fertilization
What is the zona reaction?
Changes in the ZP occur resulting in an impermeable membrane to other sperm
What are the steps of fertilization?
- Acrosome reaction
- Zona reaction
- Fusion of egg and sperm cell membranes
- Sperm head and tail enter the oocyte cytoplasm
- Formation of female and male pronuclei
- Pronuclei fusion -> single diploid aggregate (the zygote)
- Chromosomes of the zygote are arranged on a cleavage spindle
What is cleavage?
Repeated mitotic divisions of the zygote
Begins ~30 hours after fertilization
What do the cells undergo at the 9 cell stage?
Compaction
The developing human is known as what at the 12-32 cell stage?
Morula
What is a blastocyst?
The embryo and its membranes including the trophoblast layer and embyroblast
When does a blastocystic cavity appear?
After the blastocyst enters the uterus
When does the ZP degenerate and cause hatching of the blastocyst?
After ~2 days
What is the difference between an early and late blastocyst?
Early blastocyst is still at the 2 cell stage and has the ZP attached
Late blastocyst does not have its ZP
Where does fertilization take place?
Fallopian tube
When the blastocyst finally arrives in the uterine cavity what occurs?
It attaches to the endometrium adjacent to the embryoblast and the trophoblast differentiates into a cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast
Blastocyst then burrows into the endometrium and becomes superficially implanted
How do syncytiotrophoblasts invade the endometrium?
Via enzymatic digestion
What will the embryoblast differentiate into during implantation on day 7?
Into the epiblast and hypoblast and with this differentiation the amniotic cavity forms and cells separate from the epiblast forming the amnion
What is the hypoblast continuous with?
The exocoelomic membrane
What is the amnion?
Encloses the embryo and houses amniotic fluid
What is the bilaminar embryonic disc?
When the embryoblast differentiates into epiblast and hypoblast it is referred to as the bilaminar embryonic disc