Embryology of urogenital system

R.Arulmoli
Learning outcomes

Define mesoderm and outline the formation of

mesonephric and paramesonephric ducts.
Describe the embryogenesis of male reproductive
organs & external genitalia.
Discuss the development of female reproductive
organs & external genitalia.
List the congenital anomalies associated with
urogenital development.
Basic embryology
Blastocyst formation

After fertilization the zygote undergoes rapid mitotic

cell division called cleavage divisions.
Cleavage produces a solid sphere of cells, still
surrounded by zona pellucida morulla.
At 4 to 5 days, cells have developed into a hollow
ball of cells blastocyst.
Bilaminar germ disc
As early of 2 weeks, inner cell mass differentiate into two
layers of cells called bilaminar germ disc:

- Epiblast (columnar cells)

- Hypoblast (cuboidal cells).
Epiblast gives rise to

- Primary ectoderm

- Amniotic membrane: amnioblast.

Hypoblast gives rise to

- Primary endoderm

- Extraembryonic endodermexocoelomic
membraneprimary yolk sac.
Bilaminar germ disc
Trilaminar germ disc

In between the yolk sac and the amniotic cavity is the

embryonic disc, which gives rise to the primary germ
layers:
Endoderm
Mesoderm
Ectoderm
Ectoderm: Epiblast cells form the ectoderm.
Mesoderm: Intraembryonic mesoderm.
Endoderm: Hypoblast cells are replaced by epiblast cells
Trilaminar germ disc: endoderm + mesoderm + ectoderm.
Trilaminar germ disc
Trilaminar germ disc
Ectoderm -Derivatives

Differentiation of ectoderm: from 18th19th days:

Neural plate: neuro-epithelium(neural
ectoderm), neural fold, neural groove, neural
tube: CNS
Neural crest (mesoectoderm): two lines of cell
cordsganglion.
Mesoderm

Differentiation of mesoderm:
17th day.
Paraxial mesoderm:
-Somite:20thday, 3 pairs/per
day, 42- 44 pairs by the
end of 5th weeks.
-sclerotome:bone,
cartilage,
-myotome:skeletal
muscle,
-dermatome:dermis and
hypodermis.
Mesoderm
Intermediate mesoderm:
- kidney and reproductive organs.
Lateral plate mesoderm:
- Intraembryonic coelom: body
cavity.
- Somatic or parietal mesoderm:
muscle, connective tissue,
parietal layer of pleura,
peritoneum and pericardium.
-Splanchnic or visceral mesoderm:
muscle, connective tissue of
digestive tract, visceral layer of
pleura, peritoneum and
pericardium.
Mesenchyme: Cardiovascular and
lymphatics.
Development of urogenital system
Development of urogenital system
Development of the urinary and reproductive systems
are closely associated.
Both systems develop from two longitudinal ridges of
mesoderm which run down the entire length of the
dorsal body wall. These ridges are called urogenital
ridges.
The medial region of this ridge differentiates into the
genital ridge where the gonads develop.

The urogenital ridge

consists of the
mesonephros and the
gonad.
Urinary system

The urinary system develops in the

urogenital ridge as three successive
sets of excretory organs - the
pronephros, mesonephronos, and
metanephros.
The pronephros forms first and quickly
disappears.
The mesonephros develops and
disappears with the exception of its
duct, the mesonephric duct which form
the male reproductive duct system.
A few mesonephric tubules remain as
efferent ductules in the male and
vestigial remnants in the female.
Urinary system
The metanephros is the third and final
excretory organ. It becomes the permanent
kidney.
The metanephros develops from two
sources: the ureteric bud which is a
diverticulum from the mesonephric duct and
metanephrogenic mass of mesoderm,a mass
of mesoderm that condenses around the
ureteric bud during development.
The ureteric bud further differentiates into the
ureter, urinary pelvis, major and minor
calyces and collecting tubules.
The metanephrogenic mass of mesoderm
differentiates into nephron units (proximal
and distal convoluted tubules, loops of
Henle, and Bowman's capsule).
The Genital system
(Reproductive organs)
Development of gonads (testis or ovary)

The gonads begin to develop during the fifth week in the

genital ridge.
The gonads are first undifferentiated and have only a cortex
and a medulla.
The type of gonad to be developed, female or male, is
determined at fertilization.
- In embryos with an XX chromosome complex, the cortex
normally differentiates into an ovary, and the medulla
regresses.
- In embryos with an XY complex, the medulla
differentiates into a testis and the cortex
regresses.
Development of gonads
On either side of the root of
the dorsal mesentery is the
genital ridge which has the
condensation of intermediate
mesoderm covered by
coelomic epithelium.
Coelomic epithelium
becomes germinal
epithelium.
By the 6th week primordial
germ cells migrate from the
wall of the yolk sac into the
genital ridge.
Development of gonads
Development of gonads
Development of gonads

Sex cords develop from the germinal epithelium. Sex

cords grow into the mesenchyme of the genital ridge
in both sexes. Further development differs in two
sexes.
Development of ovary
Absence of Y chromosome and presence of 2 X
chromosome - lead to the development of ovary.
Sex cords break up into small clusters each of which
surrounds a germ cell forming a primordial follicle.
Medulla & Cortex are differentiated. Follicles occupy
the cortex.
Division of germ cell & formation of primordial follicle
occur before birth.
Development of gonads
Development of gonads
Development of gonads
Development of testis

Directed by the testes development factor of Y chromosome.

Development of tunica albuginea separates the germinal
epithelium from sex cords.
Primordial germ cells come to lie in the sex cords.
Sex cords canalize to form seminiferous tubules and the rete testis.
Some of the mesenchymal cells between the seminiferous tubules
differentiate into Leydig cells, producing teststerone about the 8th
week.
Some mesenchymal cells in the seminiferous tubules differetiate
into Sertoli cells.
Testosterone promotes development of male genitalia.
Mullerian inhibitory hormone from the Sertoli cells suppress the
development of paramesonephric duct.
Descent of testis

Testis descends from the lumbar region to the scrotum.

3rd month --from loin to pelvis.
4th 7th month lies at the deep inguinal ring.
7th month traversing the inguinal canal.
8th month-- at the superficial inguinal ring.
9th monthto the upper part of the scrotum.
Reaches the bottom of the scrotum at or soon after
birth.
Testis descends to cooler atmosphere for the normal
functioning.
Descent of testis
Congenital anomalies of testis

Undescended testis may

lie anywhere in the pelvis
or abdomen, may become
malignant if left.
Cryptorchidism is the
absence of testis in the
scrotum.
Ectopic testis- abnormal
position of the testis.
Development of reproductive organs
Development of reproductive organs

Two pairs of genital

ducts develop in both
sexes:

- Mesonephric
(Wolffian) duct.

- Paramesonephric
(Mullerian) duct.
Development of female reproductive organs

Paramesonephric ducts develop

next to mesonephric duct in the
posterior body wall.
The caudal ends of
paramesonephric ducts fuse to form
a uterovaginal canal in both sexes.
The cranial ends of the ducts open
into the future peritoneal cavity.
In female embryos, mesonephric
ducts regress and paramesonephric
ducts develop into uterine tubes,
uterus, and upper vagina.
Development of uterus & uterine tube

The paired paramesonephric ducts fuse in the midline

forming the single body of the uterus.
The paramesonephric ducts remain separate laterally
where they form the uterine tubes.
Development of vagina
Embryonic origin of the vagina has been a historically hotly debated issue with several
different contributions. One view:
Vaginal cords proliferate from the lower end of uterovaginal canal [mesodermal].
Sinovaginal bulbs from Mullerian tubercle [endodermal].
Vaginal cords and the sinovaginal bulbs join to form the vaginal plate.
Vaginal plate canalises to form vagina.Near its lower end a thin partition remain for
some time as hymen.
So upper part is mesodermal & lower part is endodermal in origin.
Current molecular studies show the whole vagina is derived from the Mllerian duct
with bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4) reshaping the intermediate mesoderm-
derived Mllerian duct into the vaginal primordium.
Development of female reproductive organs
Development of male reproductive organs

In male, the mesonephric duct system remains to form

efferent ductules, epididymis, vas deferens and ejaculatory
duct.
The seminal vesicle develops as a diverticulum from the
developing vas.
The paramesonephric system regresses except the
prostatic utricle on the seminal colliculus and appendix of
testis.
In female, most of the mesonephric duct disappear.It gives
rise to ureter, trigone of the bladder, collecting part of the
kidney, ephoron and parphoron.
Congenital anomalies of uterus & uterine tube
Development of external genitalia
Development of external genitalia

Genital tubercle develops ventral to the cloacal

membrane - 4th week.
Genital tubercle elongates to form a phallus with a
urethral groove on its ventral surface.
Formation of bilateral urogenital folds & labio scrotal
swellings.
Development of external genitalia
Development of external genitalia

In male:

Testosterone
promotes elongation
of phallus into penis.
Urethral or urogenital
folds fuse to form
penile urethra.
Labio scrotal
swellings fuse to
form scrotum.
Development of external genitalia

In female:
Genital tubercle is small,gives rise to clitoris.

Urogenital folds & labio scrotal swellings do not fuse in the

midline & develops into labia minora & majora.
Development of external genitalia
Congenital anomaly - Hypospadiasis

Failure of the fusion of

Urethral or urogenital
folds ventrally lead to
hypospadias (urethra
opening ventrally)
Congenital anomaly - Epispadiasis

Failure of the
fusion of
Urethral or
urogenital folds
dorsally lead to
epispadiasis
(urethra opening
dorsally)
Ambiguous genitalia
Ambiguous genitalia
Ambiguous genitalia and Intersexuality: Birth defect where
the outer genitals do not have the typical appearance of either
a male or a female.
Ambiguous genitalia in genetic females (babies
with XX chromosomes) has the following
features:
An enlarged clitoris that has the appearance of a
small penis.
The urethral opening can be anywhere along,
above, or below the surface of the clitoris.
The labia may be fused, resembling a scrotum.
The infant may be thought to be a male with
undescended testicles.
Sometimes a lump of tissue is felt within the fused
labia, further making it look like a scrotum with
testicles.
Ambiguous genitalia

Ambiguous genitalia in a genetic male (

XY chromosome), include the following
features:
A small penis (less than 2-3 centimeters)
that resemble an enlarged clitoris (the
clitoris of a newborn female is normally
enlarged at birth).
The urethral opening may be anywhere
along, above, or below the penis; it can be
placed as low as on the peritoneum,
further making the infant appear to be
female.
Small scrotum with some degree of
separation, resembling labia.
Undescended testicles commonly
accompany ambiguous genitalia.
Summary
Development of gonads

On either side of the root of the dorsal mesentery is

the genital ridge which has the condensation of
intermediate mesoderm covered by coelomic
epithelium.
Coelomic epithelium becomes germinal epithelium.
By the 6th week primordial germ cells migrate from
the wall of the yolk sac into the genital ridge.
Development of reproductive organs

Male - mesonephric duct (Wolffian) forms efferent

ductules, epididymis, vas deferens and ejaculatory
duct.
Female - paramesonephric duct (Mullerian)
develops into uterine tubes, uterus, and upper
vagina.
Development of external genitalia
During development, initially the external genitalia are identical
in both sexes.
External genitalia develops from genital tubercle (phallus),
urethral fold and labioscrotal fold.
Male:
- Genital tubercle becomes the penis.
- Urethral folds fuse to become urethra.
- Fused labioscrotal fold becomes scrotum.
Female:
- Genital tubercle becomes the clitoris.
- Urethral folds remain separated as the labia minora.
- Unfused labioscrotal fold becomes labia majora.
Any Questions ?
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