Lectures 1 & 2 - Embryology of the Cardiovascular System Flashcards
Describe the shape of embryos.
C-shaped curved bodies in varying age-dependent degrees (especially in the first 2 months)
Where is the face of an embryo located at first? How does this evolve?
It faces the heart and then as the neck develops, the face will erect
Is there a standard reference position for embryos like the anatomical position?
NOPE
Cranial side of embryo?
Toward back of head
Caudal side of embryo?
Toward lower limbs
Dorsal side of embryo?
Toward the back
Ventral side of embryo?
Toward the front
What are the 2 axes of embryos?
- Cranial/caudal
2. Ventral/dorsal
What is the anterior portion of the embryo?
Same as cranial
What is the anterior portion of the adult?
Same as ventral
What is the posterior portion of the embryo?
Same as caudal
What is the posterior portion of the adult?
Same as dorsal
What is the inferior portion of an embryo?
Same as ventral
What is the superior portion of an embryo?
Same as dorsal
Describe the axis seen via an adult MRI.
Feet coming at you
Head inside the picture
Describe the axis seen via an embryonic microscopy section? What is important to note?
Cranial side coming at you
Caudal side inside the picture
Note: the dorsal side is SUPERIOR to the ventral side
Where is the heart located inside the body?
In the center of the thorax with its apex to the left side.
Where is the aorta located relative to the heart?
Up towards the head, near the vertebral column-encased spinal cord/neural tube
Where are the atria and ventricles of the heart located?
- Ventricles: most inferior and anterior
2. Atria: most superior and posterior
How does the zygote receive nutrition prior to implantation? What is the rate dependent on?
By diffusion
Rate of diffusion dependent on surface area available between the egg and the environment AND the efficiency of the exchange mechanism
Describe the 7 steps from ovulation to implantation.
- Unfertilized ovum in metaphase II is released from the ovary into the ampulla
- Ovum resides in ampulla for 2/3 days
- Fertilization by sperm to give zygote
- Cleavage divisions without new cytoplasm
- Zygote with 64-128 cells enters uterus => morula
- Fluid filled cavity develops in morula => blastocyst
- Implantation into uterine wall
What is the largest cell in the body?
Ovum
What is the smallest cell in the body?
Sperm
What is the purpose of the cavity formation in the morula to give the blastocyst?
Diffusion of nutrients is too difficult and becomes less efficient due to the high number of cells in the morula
What part of the blastocyst gives rise to the embryo proper?
Inner cell mass
What part of the blastocyst gives rise to the placenta and fetal membranes?
Trophoblast
What happens to the trophoblast as it enters the uterine wall during implantation? What is this called?
- Invasive and multinucleated cells lose their plasma membranes and form the syncyotrophoblast as it enters the uterine epithelium
- Trophoblastic lacunae develop
- The edge of the syncytiotrophoblast erodes into some of the maternal blood vessels and the blood in them fills the lacunae which act like sponges
- Differential pressure levels in the lacunae will cause blood to wash through the lacunae and back into maternal veins in the uterine wall = uteroplacental circulation
What is the zygote mostly composed of during implantation?
Extraembryonic tissue
Describe the composition of the blastocyst with relative positions.
Inner cell mass located eccentrically close to the uterine wall within a sphere of trophoblast
What are the maternal sinusoids?
Maternal vessels in the uterine wall
How many days post-fertilization do the trophoblastic lacunae fill up with maternal blood?
13-14
Compare diffusion to uteroplacental circulation.
Uteroplacental circulation is more efficient than simple diffusion, but it will not be good enough to support the development of the rapidly growing embryo because very sluggish
Is the uteroplacental circulation made up ENTIRELY of maternal blood?
YUP
How many days post-fertilization will you be able to see flow via doppler ultrasound?
10th week
When does uteroplacental circulation begin relative to the embryonic CV system development?
BEFORE
How many days post-fertilization do germ layers form?
13-14
What cavities do the epiblast and hypoblast form?
- Epiblast: amniotic cavity
2. Hypoblast: yolk sac
What does the inner cell mass develop into?
- Epiblast
2. Hypoblast
What happens during gastrulation? 5 steps
- Epiblast cells on the central axis begin proliferating (dividing like cray)
- Primitive streak forms.
- Cells in neighboring area proliferate rapidly and migrate into the primitive groove and pit
- Epiblast cells move inferiorly (ingression) and spread laterally pushing the hypoblast cells to the side (which degenerate) and replacing them to form the endoderm. As they ingress they undergo major structural, physiological, and organizational changes
- Once the bottom layer is replaced, another layer of epiblast cells slide in between the top and bottom layers to form the mesoderm. The top layer is the ectoderm
What develops diametrically opposite the primitive streak during gastrulation?
Oral pharyngeal membrane
How is the embryo divided if you draw a line from the primitive streak to the oral pharyngeal membrane?
Right/left axis
Where is the previously oral pharyngeal membrane found in adults?
Back of throat at point of gag reflex
What are the 3 parts of the germ disk?
- Buccophyaryngeal membrane
- Cloacal membrane
- Primitive streak
What is fused at both the buccopharyngeal and cloacal membranes?
Epiblast and hypoblast
What part of the amniotic cavity becomes the membrane between the primitive mouth and the pharynx?
Buccopharyngeal membrane
What part of the amniotic cavity becomes the anus?
Cloacal membrane
During what 2 stages of embryonic development does heart induction occur?
- Pre-streak stage
2. Ingression stage
Describe the formation of the notochord (4 steps)
- Once all 3 germ layers have formed, cells from the mesoderm migrate through the primitive node to the cranial end of the bilaminar disk and create a tubular structure = notochordal process
- The notochordal process advances caudally to the prechordal plate
- The floor of the notochord process fuses with the endoderm bringing it in contact with the underlying yolk sac fluids (full of micro-RNA). The notochordal process becomes the notochordal plate in this state (with the neurenteric canal under it)
- The proliferating cells create a solid mass of notochordal cells called the definitive notochord
What are the 3 parts of the mesoderm that differentiate during notochord process formation?
- Paraxial
- Intermediate
- Lateral plate
What does a portion of the hypoblast develop into? Which part?
Anterior visceral endoderm - piece of the oropharyngeal membrane closest to the prechordal plate
What signals the development of the cardiac mesoderm?
- Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) released by anterior visceral endoderm onto anterior mesoderm
- Retinoic acid gradient produced by the anterior visceral endoderm
Where is the prechordal plate? What germ layer is it made of?
Cranial to the notochordal process
Mesoderm
How is the prechordal plate formed?
By signals sent from the orapharyngeal membrane and the caudal end of the notochord
What is the difference between the prechordal plate and the prochordal plate?
- Prechordal plate = portion of mesoderm to the cranial side of the notochord
- Prochordal plate = oropharyngeal membrane
Describe the relationships between the anterior visceral endoderm, the prechordal plate, the oropharyngeal membrane, and the notochord.
Similar to billiard game:
- Notochord = cue stick
- Oropharyngeal membrane with fused epiblast and hypoblast = cue ball
- Anterior visceral endoderm = part of the hypoblast of the oropharyngeal membrane closest to the notochord (most caudal)
- Prechordal plate = portion of mesoderm to the cranial side of the notochord (tip of the cue stick)
Describe the 3 steps of the establishment of the heart field through geospatial migration.
- As mesodermal cells ingress at different locations through the primitive streak, they migrate through areas of different retinoic acid concentrations and for different amounts of time, which primes them to receive inductive signals that determine them to become portions of the developing heart and circulatory system: cells that ingress near the cranial end of the primitive streak develop into the outflow tract; those ingressing in mid-streak develop into ventricle; and those that ingress more caudally become atrium
- These ingressed cells assemble in a horseshoe shape around the anterior visceral endoderm and cranial end of the primitive streak = cardiogenic plate
- A second area of cells migrates from the inferior pharynx to occupy the concave rim of the cardiogenic plate = secondary heart field
What is the source of the retinoic acid inductive signals during the establishment of the heart field? How?
Anterior visceral endoderm
By converting retinol (vitamin A) into retinoic acid to form a retinoic acid gradient
Where is the cardiogenic plate located relative to the neural plate and overall embryo? What is it made of?
Splachnopleuric mesoderm and is subjacent and anterior to the neural plate, at the cephalic end of the embryo
Where is the highest concentration of retinoic acid found in the mesoderm?
Closest to the anterior visceral endoderm
Where do early embryonic blood vessels/blood develop first?
Yolk sac wall + some in connecting stalk and allantois
What are the 2 mechanisms of blood vessel network establishment? Which one is most used?
- Vasculogenesis
- Angiogenesis
Most of the time: combination of the 2
Describe vasculogenesis.
Blood islands form in the extraembryonic mesenchyme of the yolk sac and clump together and condense to form a vessel:
- Middle cells slough off to become nucleated blood cells
- Outside cells become the lining of the blood vessels aka endothelial cells
What is mesenchyme?
Loosely organized, mainly mesodermal embryonic tissue that develops into connective and skeletal tissues, including blood and lymph.
Are the first embryonic blood vessels intra or extraembryonic?
EXTRAembryonic
What is the difference between vasculogenesis and angiogenesis?
Vasculogenesis = differentiation of cells from mesenchyme to endothelial and blood cells to produce blood vessels where non existed
Angiogenesis = sprouting of buds from pre-existing vessels
Describe angiogenesis.
Either the sprouting of buds from pre-existing vessels OR splitting of a pre-existing blood vessel into two
Do angiogenesis and vasculogenesis also happen in adults?
YUP BUT in vasculogenesis the middle cells will not become blood cells
What type of cells undergo vasculogenesis and angiogenesis?
Mesoderm cells
What type of cells make up blood vessels?
Endothelial cells
When do blood islands start to form in the embryo?
Couple days after formation in extraembryonic mesoderm
From what mesoderm does the heart develop from?
Splanchnic mesoderm of the lateral plate mesoderm
What is another name for splanchnic mesoderm?
Visceral mesoderm
What is splanchnopleuric mesoderm?
Mesoderm related to the wall of the gut
Where is the splanchnic mesoderm located relative to the presumptive brain before folding?
Anterior
Describe the 2 axes of folding of the lateral plate mesoderm. When does each take place relative to the other? Overall result?
- Cephalocaudal folding: brings the cardiovascular tube inferior to the head, more ventrally
- Lateral folding: brings the endocardial tubes together to fuse
Take place simultaneously
RESULT = X-shaped structure with a single midline that diverges into 2 laterally extending vessels on the caudal side (the presumptive venous return) and 2 on the cranial side (the presumptive outflow tract)