Folding of the Embryo

Formation of Gut
Endodermal Derivatives

By: Dr. Mujahid Khan

Folding Of Embryo
Flat trilaminar disc folds into a somewhat

cylindrical embryo
Folding occurs in both median & horizontal
planes
Results from rapid growth of the embryo
Long axis increases rapidly than the sides
Occurs simultaneously on both axis
Constriction at the junction of embryo &
yolk sac

Folding in Median Plane

Occurs in the cranial and caudal ends
Causing head and tail folds
Moving ventrally as the embryo elongates

cranially and caudally

Head Fold

At the beginning of the 4th week

Neural folds in the cranial region thickened to

form primordium of the brain

Initially the developing brain projects dorsally

into the amniotic cavity

Later grows cranially beyond the oropharyngeal

membrane

Overhangs the developing heart

Head Fold

Septum transversum, primordial heart,

pericardial coelom & oropharyngeal membrane
move onto the ventral surface

Endoderm of the yolk sac is incorporated into

the embryo as a foregut

The foregut lies between the brain & heart

Oropharyngeal membrane separates the foregut

from the stomodeum

Head Fold
Septum

transversum lies caudal to heart

after the folding and develops into central
tendon of diaphragm

Head fold also affects the arrangement of

the primordium of body cavity which

consists of a flattened horseshoe shaped
cavity before folding

Tail Fold
Results primarily from

part of the neural tube

This is primordium

growth of the distal

of the spinal cord

As embryo grows, the caudal eminence

projects over the cloacal membrane

During folding, part of endoderm

is
incorporated into the embryo as a hindgut

Tail Fold
Terminal part of the hindgut soon dilates to

form the cloaca

Cloaca is the primordium

bladder and rectum

of urinary

Before folding primitive streak lies cranial

to the cloacal membrane

After folding it lies caudal to it

After Tail Fold

The connecting stalk (primordium

of
umbilical cord) is attached to the ventral
surface of the embryo

Allantois (a diverticulum

of yolk sac) is
partially incorporated into the embryo

Folding in Horizontal Plane

Folding on sides of the embryo produces

right and left lateral folds

Is produced by rapidly growing spinal cord

and somites

Ventrolateral rolling of the edges of

embryonic disc form roughly cylindrical

embryo

Folding in Horizontal Plane

As the abdominal walls form, part of

endoderm is incorporated into the embryo

as the midgut

Initially there is a wide connection

between midgut & yolk sac

After folding the connection is reduced to

yolk stalk

Folding in Horizontal Plane

Umbilical cord forms from the connecting stalk

As it forms, ventral fusion of the lateral folds

reduces the region of communication between
intraembryonic and extraembryonic coelomic
cavities to a narrow communication

Amniotic cavity expands and obliterates

extraembryonic coelom

Derivatives of Endoderm
Endoderm gives rise to the epithelial lining
of:
Trachea
Bronchi
lungs

Derivatives of Endoderm
Endoderm gives rise to the epithelial lining of:

Gastrointestinal tract

Liver

Pancreas

Urinary bladder

urachus

Derivatives of Endoderm
Endoderm gives rise to the epithelial lining of:

Pharynx

Thyroid

Tympanic cavity

Pharyngotympanic tube

Tonsils

Parathyroid glands

Formation of Gut
Primordial gut at the beginning of the 4 th

week is closed at its:

Cranial end by oropharyngeal membrane
Caudal end by the cloacal membrane

Formation of Gut
Primordial gut forms during the 4 th

week

as the head, tail and lateral fold

incorporate the dorsal part of the yolk sac
into the embryo
The endoderm

of the primordial gut gives

rise to most of the epithelium and glands
of the digestive tract

Formation of Gut
The epithelium

at the cranial and caudal

ends of the tract is derived from ectoderm
of the stomodeum (mouth) proctodeum
(anal pit)

The muscular, connective tissue, and other

layers of the wall of the digestive tract are

derived from the splanchnic mesenchyme
surrounding the primordial gut

Formation of Gut
For descriptive purposes the primordial
gut is divided into 3 parts:
Foregut
Midgut
Hindgut