PLACENTA AND THE

FETAL MEMBRANES
(chorion,amnion, yolk sac, allantois)

First week of development

From
oocyte to
blastocyst

Oocyte(fertilization)zygote4-cell stage (2 days) morula

(ball)blastocysteinner cell mass (embryo)

outer cell mass(trophoblast)

(extraembronic membranes)

FIRST WEEK:

fertilization
Cleavage

zygote
Morulla (3rd day, 12 cell stage)

Blastocyst

inner cell mass

blastocyst cavit

outer cell mass

Implantation

(day6-7)
cytotrophoblast and syncytiotroblast
Hypoblast
Decidual reaction: The stromal connective

tissue cells of the

endometrium become loaded with glycogen and lipids, become polyhedral
and are called decidual cells.

SECOND WEEK
Epiblast and hypoblast
Amnion and yolk sac
Trophoblast:
Syncytiotrophoblast: Lacunae appear in the
syncytiotrophoblast maternal blood flows into the
lacunae.uteroplacental circulation
12 dayadjacent lacunae adjacent lacunae have fused to
form lacunar networks giving a sponge like appearance to the
Trophoblast

Endometrium:Maternal endometrial capillaries have dilated

and become congested to form sinusoids

Primary chorionic villi: cellular extensions of the cytotrophoblas in to

the syncytiotrophoblast

THIRD WEEK
TRILAMINAR GERM DISC
PRIMITIVE STREAK, NOTOCHORD AND NEURAL
PLATE
STEM VILLI, SECONDARY VILLI, TERTIARY VILLI

the primary chorionic villi appear in the second week, they begin to branch forming
econdary chorionic villi which cover the entire surface of the chorionic sac. Blood
vessels appear in the villi transforming the villi into tertiary villi. Capillries in the villi
fuse to form capillary networks. These become connected with the embryonic
vessels.
Cytotrophoblastic shell is formed by the cytotrophoblast which attaches the chorionic
sac to the maternal endometrium
Stem villianchoring villi extend from the cytotrophoblast to the
cytotrophoblastic shell
Branch villi extend from the stem villi as branches

Placenta
A

fetomaternal organ for nutrient and gas

exchange
Fetal portion: develops from the chorionic sac
Maternal portion: develops from the
endometriumdecidua

FUNCTIONS
Protection
Nutrition
Respiration
Excretion
Hormone

production

DECIDUA

Three regions
Decidua basalis: deep to conceptus
Decidua capsularis: overlying the conceptus
Decidua parietalis: the remaining
As the coneeptus enlarges the dicidua capsularis
bulges ingt he uteine cavity and eventually contacts
the decidua paritalis, obliterating the uterine cavity
and by 22-24 weeks it degenerates due to reduced
blood supply.
The smooth chorion fuses with the decidua
capsularis.

 Smooth

chorion; in the eighth week the villi in

the decidua capsularis become compressed
reducing blood supply to them producing a
relatively a vascular area the smooth chorion
or chorion lavae.
Bushy chorion:The vessels associated with
the basalis branch profusely and enlarge
forming bushy chorion or chorion frondosum

Placenta develops from the decidua basalis and the chorion

frondusom.
It is usually discoid in shape
As the chorion invades the decidua several wedge shaped areas
are formed in the decidua the placental septa theat project
toward the chorionic plate. These septa divide the fetal part of
the placenta into irregular convex area called cotyledons.
The inervillous space is divided by the into compartments by the
placental septa. Maternal blood enters the spaces through spiral
arteries and is drained into endometrial veins
The placental membrane: until 20 weeks it consists of
syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast, connective tissue of villi,
endothelium of fetal capillaries.
After 20th week cytotrophablast ove rthe branch villi is attenuated
leaving patches of syncytiotrophoblast. Now th placental
membrane consists of three layers. In some areas the placental
membrane becomes extremely thin, at hese sites the
syncytiotrophoblast comes in direct contact with the fetal
capillary endothelium.

Implantation with inner cell mass towards uterine wall

Trophoblast
Cytotrophoblastcells around the inner cell mass
Syncytiotrophoblast.syncytium of cells that becomes placenta

Placenta formation

Lacunae form within synctiotrophoblast--maternal blood fills

these spaces
Vili form with embryonic capillaries down middle

Placenta formation

Villi bathed in maternal blood in lacunae--exchange of nutrients, O2,

CO2
After 13 weeks, full placenta--pancake-shaped organ.

Other extraembryonic tissues

Cellular trophoblast forms

amnion, yolk sac
Fetal cells shed into amniotic
cavity which fills with fluid
from fetal kidneys extreted
through ureter, bladder,
urethra
Amniocentesis--sample of
amniotic fluid taken with
hypodermic needle
Part of yolk sac sucked into
embryo to form endermic
bladder

Embryo proper
ICM

forms hypoblast (yellow-becomes endoderm) and epitblast

(blue--becomes ectoderm)
See handout for all adult
derivatives of embryonic tissues-HOW FAR WEVE COME!!

Animatedmovieoffetaldeveopment
http://www.cvillepregnancy.org/fetal.html

Fig.24.27