Pregnancy, Parturition and Foetal Development Flashcards
What type of nutrition is used during early embryo development
Histotrophic, this is nutrition originating from the degradation of local endometrial tissue
When does the switch to heamotrophic nutrition in the fetus occour?
At the start of the second trimester
How is haemotrophic nutrition used?
Through a haemochorial-type placenta where maternal blood directly contacts the fetal membranes
What is the amnion derived from?
The epiblast
What does the amnion form?
The amniotic cavity and then becomes part of the amniotic sac
What does the connecting stalk link?
It links the developing embryo unit to the chorion
What are trophoblastic lacunae?
large spaces filled with maternal blood formed by the breakdown of maternal capillaries and unterine glands
What do the trophoblastic lacunae become?
Intervillous spaces aka maternal blood spaces
What is the chorion?
The second fetal membrane
What are the names of the inner and outer fetal membranes?
Inner= amnion Outer= chorion
When does the amnion begin to secrete amniotic fluid?
Week 5
What does the chorion originate from?
From yolk sac derivative and the trophoblast
What is the blood supply to the chorion like?
Highly vascularised
What does the chorion give rise to?
The chorionic villi
What is the allantois?
An outgrowth of the yolk sac, it grows along the connecting stalk from the embryo to the chorion
What does the allantois become and how?
It becomes coated with mesoderm and vascularises to become the umbilical chord
What does the umbilical chord arise from?
The allantois
What are the 2 layers of the amniotic sac?
The amnion and the chorion
How does the chorion give rise to chorionic villi?
The cytotrophoblast forms finger like projections through the syncitiotrophoblast layer into the maternal endometrium
What is the role of the chorionic villi?
They provide extra surface area for exchange of gases and nutrients
What are the 3 phases of chorionic villi development?
Primary: outgrowth of the cytotrophoblast and branching of these extensions
Secondary: growth of the fetal mesoderm into the primary villi
Tertiary: growth of the umbilical artery and umbilical vein into the villus mesoderm, providing vasculature.
Describe the villus microstructure
There is a convoluted knot of vessels and vessel and dilation to slow blood flow and allow efficient exchange , then the whole structure is coated in trophoblast
Describe the maternal blood supply to the endometrium
Uterine arteries branch into arcuate arteries, these branch into radial arteries, these branch into basal arteries, these form spiral arteries
What happens to the maternal blood supply to the endometrium if implantation doesn’t occur?
The spiral arteries regress and the endometrium is lost
What arteries provide blood supply to the endometrium?
Spiral arteries
What is the name of the process by which blood supply to the maternal endometrium is established?
Conversion
Describe the process of conversion (in establishing blood supply to the endometrium)
Turns the spiral artery into a low pressure, high capacity conduit for maternal blood flow
By what process is oxygen exchanged across the placenta?
Via diffusional gradient (maternal oxygen tension is high and fetal is low)
By what process is glucose exchanged across the placenta?
Facilitated diffusion by transporters on maternal side and fetal trophoblast cells
By what process is water exchanged across the placenta?
Mainly diffusion but also some local hydrostatic gradient
By what process are electrolytes exchanged across the placenta?
Diffusion and active co-transport
By what process is calcium exchanged across the placenta?
Actively transported against a concentration gradient by magnesium ATPase calcium pump