A SEMINAR ON:

EMBRYOLOGY

PRESENTED BY:
AMRITHA S ANAND
1ST YEAR MSc NURSING
Embryology : is the science of the
early development of organisms,
between the one-cell stage
(generally, the zygote) and the
beginning of free living.
 Stages of Human
Development:


1.Prenatal development
(before birth)


 2. Postnatal development
(after birth)
EVENTS IN THE FEMALE
REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE:

• FIRST WEEK OF DEVELOPMENT



 OVULATION TO IMPLANTATION
 Ovulatory


 Hormonal


 Endometrial

 FIRST WEEK OF DEVELOPMENT
COTD….
• Menstruation
• Fertilization

  CONTACT AND FUSION OF THE
GAMETES:
Phase I:
Penetration of the corona radiata
Phase II:

Penetration of the zona pellucida

Phase III:

Fusion of the oocyte - sperm cell

membranes
•
Cleavage:
 Mitotic cell division of the
zygote to form blastomeres

Blastomeres:
 The emberyonic cells formed
by cleavage (division)

of the zygote

Morula:
 When 12 or more blastomeres
have formed, mulberry shaped

morula formed (32 cells), 3-4

days after fertilization

within uterine tube.


1- morula : 2- blastula
Blastocyst:


1.Early blastocyst: cavity in center (usually)

2.Late blastocyst:


blastomeres separated into:

qTrophoblast:
 outer cell layer = placenta
qInner cell mass:
 a group of blastomeres gathered at
periphery


•
 • Implantation (Nidation)
 Attachment of the
to endometrial wall of the uterus


starts 6-7 days after fertilization (end of 1st
week)
Fertilization to
Implantation
 SECOND WEEK OF DEVELOPMENT


• BILAMINAR GERM DISK

• EIGHTH DAY OF DEVELOPMENT


 The blastocyst is partially

embedded in the endometrial
stroma
 Trophoblast has differentiated
into two layers:


• An inner layer of mononucleated

(cytotrophoblast)
• An outer multinucleated zone
without distinct cell boundaries,
the syncytiotrophoblast or
syncytium.

 Inner cell mass or embryoblast
also differentiates into two
layers:


• Layer of small, cuboidal cells

adjacent to the blastocyst cavity,
known as the hypoblast layer.


• Layer of high columnar sells

adjacent to the amniotic cavity,
the epiblast layer.
 NINTH DAY OF DEVELOPMENT
• The blastocyst is more deeply embedded in
the endometrium
• vacuoles appear in the syncytium & known
as lacunar stage
• At the abembryonic pole, hypoblast form a
thin membrane, known as the
exocoelomic (Heuser’s) membrane & lines
the inner surface of the cytotrophoblast.
This membrane, together with the
hypoblast, forms the lining of the
exocoelomic cavity (primitive yolk sac)
•
 ELEVENTH TO TWELFTH DAYS OF
DEVELOPMENT:
• The blastocyst is completely embedded in the
endometrial stroma
• Trophoblast erodes sinusoids & thus maternal blood
begins to flow through the trophoblastic system,
thus establishing the uteroplacental circulation.
• Extra embryonic coelom (chorionic cavity) is formed
• The cells of the endometrium,become poly- hedral
and loaded with glycogen and lipids; the
intracellular spaces are filled with extravasate and
the tissue is edematous. These changes are known
as deciduas reaction.
 THIRTEENTH DAY OF DEVELOPMENT


• The surface defect in endometrium is

healed.
•
• The cells of the cytotrophoblast proliferate
locally and penetrate into the
syncytiotrophoblast, The cellular columns
with the syncytial covering become known
as the primary villi.


• A new cavity is formed within the

exocoelomic cavity. This new cavity is
known as the secondary or definitive yolk
sac
COMPARISON OF EMBRYO
FROM AN ADULT
  THIRD WEEK OF
DEVELOPMENT


 TRILAMINAR GERM DISC



GASTRULATION:
The process that establishes all the

three germ layer in the embryo,

which begins with the formation of
primitive streak on the surface of
epiblast in a 15- to 16- day embryo,
 THE THREE GERM LAYERS


• ECTODERM


• MESODERM


• ENDODERM
GASTRULATION


 FORMATION OF NOTOCHORD


• Forward extension of the primitive pit,

known as the notochordal or head
process is formed


•
• By the 17th day of development, the
mesoderm layer and notochordal
process separate the endoderm and
ectoderm layers entirely with the
exception of the prochordal plate in the
cephalic region and the cloacal
membrane in the region caudal to the
primitive streak. Both regions consist of
the tightly adhering endodermal and
ectodermal layers.
 • By the 18th day of development,
notochordal cells proliferate and form a
solid cord, known as the definitive
notochord.


• A small canal, the neurenteric canal

temporarily connects the yolk sac and
the amniotic cavity


• With the formation of the cloacal

membrane, the posterior wall of the
yolk sac forms a small diverticulam, the
allantocentric diverticulam , or
allantosis, appears at about 16th day of
development.



Notochord
 GROWTH OF GERM DISC
• The embryonic disc,becomes elongated with
a broad cephalic and a narrow caudal end.


• In the cephalic part, the germ layers begin

their specific differentiation by the middle
of the 3rd week, & in the caudal part, this
occurs by the end of the 4th week


• . Formation of the somites from the

mesoderm and formation of central
nervous system from the ectoderm begins
during the third week.

 • FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF
TROPHBLAST:


• By the beginning of the 3rd week,

mesodermal cells penetrate the core of the
primary villi and grow in the direction of
the deciduas & known as the secondary
villous.
• By the end of the 3rd week, villous capillary
system is formed and the villous is known
as a tertiary villous or definitive placental
villus.
 • Villi that extend from the chorionic plate
to the decidua basalis (decidual plate)
are called stem or anchoring villi.
Branches from the sides of stem villi
represent free (terminal) villi, through
which exchange of nutrients will occur.


• The chorionic cavity becomes larger, and

by the 19th or 20th day the embryo is
attached to its trophoblastic shell only a
narrow connecting stalk. The connecting
stalk later develops into the umbilical
cord, which forms the connection
between the placenta and the embryo.



  THIRD TO EIGHTH WEEK OF
DEVELOPMENT


 EMBRYONIC PERIOD
• Extends from the 3rd to the 8th
week of development.In this
period, three germ layers give
rise to its own tissues and organ
systems.
 DERIVATIVES OF THE ECTODERMAL GERM
LAYER
• At the beginning of the 3rd week of
development, the ectodermal germ
layer has the shape of a flat disc
which is broader in the cephalic
region than it is caudally.
• With the appearance of the notochord,
thickens to form the neutral plate.
Cells of the plate make up the
neurectoderm and their induction
represents the initial event in the
process of neurulation



• By the end of the 3rd week the lateral

edges of the neural plate become more
elevated to form the neural folds, while
the depressed mid region forms a
groove, the neural groove


• The neural folds approach each other in

the midline & they fuse. This fusion
begins in the region of the future neck
(fourth somite) and proceeds in cephalic
and caudal directions. As a result the
neural tube is formed.
•
 • At cephalic and caudal ends of the embryo the
tube remains temporarily in open connection
with the amniotic cavity by way of the anterior
and posterior neuropores
• Closure of the anterior neuropore occurs
approximately at day 25 & the posterior
neuropore closes at day 27.
• Neurulation is then complete and the central
nervous system is represented by a closed,
tubular structure with a narrow caudal portion,
the spinal cord, and a much broader cephalic
portion characterized by a number of dilations,
the brain vesicles.

•The formation of
the neural plate,
the neural folds,
and their closure
to form the
neural tube is
called
neurulation
Neural Crest Cells


• When the neural tube is closed, two other

ectodermal thickenings, the otic placode and
the lens placode, become visible in the
cephalic region of the embryo.


• During the further development, the otic

placode invaginates and forms the otic
vesicle, which will develop into the
structures needed for hearing and
maintenance of equilibrium. At this time, the
lens placode appears and it invaginates and
by the 5th week, forms the lens.

 • DERIVATIVES OF THE MESODERMAL
GERM LAYER


• Initially cells of the mesodermal germ

layer form a thin sheet of loosely
woven tissue on each side of the
midline. By about 17th day, the cells
close to the midline proliferate and
form a thickened plate of tissue,
known as the paraaxial mesoderm
Divisions of the mesodermal
lateral plate
• Somatic mesoderm: apposed to the
ectoderm
• Splanchnicmesoderm: apposed to the
endoderm
• Coelom in between will become the serous
cavities of the ventral body cavity:
▫ Peritoneal
▫ Pericardial
▫ Pleural

Day 23, beginning
to fold

Lateral folds
will join ventrally
 •


 Paraxial mesoderm organised

into blocks termed somitomeres
• Majority then form somites
• Others are neuromeres; striated
muscle of face, jaw and throat
• Organisation takes place
cranially to caudally
•
 •
• Somites differentiate into
sclerotome, myotome and
dermatomes which gives rise to
specific components of the body
•
• Sclerotomes are involved in
formation of the vertebrae


• Ventral portion of sclerotome

surrounds notochord and forms
vertebral body


• Dorsal portion surrounds NEURAL

TUBE and forms the rudimentary
vertebral arch
•
 • INTERMEDIATE MESODERM:


• This tissue, which temporarily

connects the paraxial mesoderm with
the lateral plate
•
• In the cervical and upper thoracic
regions it forms segmentally arranged
cell clusters (the future
nephrotomes), whereas more
caudally it forms an unsegmentedd
mass of tissue known as the
nephrogenic cord. From this partly
segmented, partly unsegmented
intermediate mesoderm developes
the excretory units of the urinary
system.
 • PARIETAL AND VISCERAL
MESODERM LAYERS:


• These two layers line the

intraembryonic coelom. The
parietal mesoderm together with
the overlying ectoderm will form
the lateral and ventral body wall.


• The visceral mesoderm and the

embryonic endoderm will form
the wall of the gut.
•
• The cardiovascular system
begins to develop during 3rd
week. The heart develops from
visceral mesoderm in the
cardiogenic area.
 BLOOD AND BLOOD VESSELS


• At about the beginning of the 3rd

week mesoderm cells located in the
visceral mesoderm of the wall of
the yolk sac will differentiates into
the blood cells and blood vessels.
These cells, known as the
angioblasts, form isolated clusters
and cords (angiogenic cell
clusters), which gradually become
canalized by confluence of
intracellular clefts.
 •
• Mesodermal origin:


• Supporting tissues such as

connective tissue;cartilageand
bone; striated and smooth
musculature; blood and lymph
cells and the walls of the heart,
blood and lymph vessels; kidneys,
gonads, and their corresponding
ducts; the cortical portion of the
suprarenal gland and the spleen.

 • DERIVATIVES OF THE
ENDODERMAL GERM LAYER:


• The gastrointestinal tract is the main

organ system derived from the
endodermal germ layer.


• . In the anterior part, the endoderm

forms the foregut; in the tail region
the hindgut. The part between them is
knon as the midgut. The midgut
remains temporaily in open
connection with the yolk sac by way of
a broad stalk, the omphalomesenteric
or vitelline duct.
 • During further development it gives
rise to the epithelial lining of the
respiratory tract; the parenchyma
of the thyroid, parathyroids, liver,
and pancreas; the reticular stroma
of the tonsils and thymus; the
epithelial lining of the urinary
bladder and urethra; and the
epithelial lining of the tympanic
cavity and Eustachian tube.

 • EXTERNAL APPEARANCE DURING THE
SECOND MONTH
• During the 2nd month of development, the age of
the embryo is then indicated as the crown-
rump (CR) length and expressed in millimeters.
• Formation of the limbs, face, ears, nose, and
eyes.
• By the beginning of the 5th week, the hind and
forefingers appear as paddle-shaped buds.
• Ossification in the long bones begin by the end of
embryonic period (7th week). The primary
centers are in the diaphysis.

 29 day embryo
n the heart starts pumping, about 4 weeks or 1 mon
 By 8 weeks, about 2
TERATOGENICITY months, all major organs
are in place in at least a
rudimentary form; this is
why drugs early in
pregnancy are so important
to avoid – many cause birth
defects; baby is a little over
1” long (below right)
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT INTO FET
 U …
Y O
N K
A
T H