EMBRYOLOGY LECTURE 12

DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Brachial or Pharyngeal arches

These arches appear in the 4th and 5th week of development and they form
the most typical features of the developing head and neck
The arches initially consist of bars of mesenchymal tissue separated by
deep cleft known as pharyngeal clefts.
At the same time, a number of outpocketings known as pharyngeal
pouches appear along the lateral wall of the pharyngeal gut. The
pharyngeal pouches penetrate the surrounding mesenchyme.
Pharyngeal arches contribute to the formation of the head and the neck
Each arch consist of a core of mesodermal tissue, covered on the outside
by surface ectoderm and on inside by epithelium of endodermal origin.
Neurocrest cells migrate to the arch to contribute to the skeletal
components of the face.
The mesoderm of the arches gives rise to the musculature of the face and
neck. The mascular components of each arch carry their own nerve. Each
arch has its own blood supply

First pharyngeal arc

It consists of maxillary process and mandibular process (Meckels

cartilage). The mesenchyme of the maxillary process gives rise to maxilla,
zygomatic bone and part of the temporal bone through membraneous
ossification.
The mesenchyme surrounding the Meckels cartilage give rise to the
mandible through membraneous ossification. The arch also contributes to
the formation of the bones of the middle ear(malleus and incus).
The masculator of the arch is formed by the muscles of mastication,
anterior belly of digastrict,mylohyoid, tensor tympany and tensor palatine
which are supplied by mandibular branch of trigeminal.

Second arch
The hyoid cartilage contributes to the formation of stapes, styloid process of the
temporal bone and to parts of hyoid bone. Muscles of the arch are muscles of
facial expression, posterior belly of digastrict,stapedius,stylohyoid. The facial
nerve supplies all the muscles.

Third arch

The cartilage of this arch contributes to the bones of the hyoid bone. The
musculature of the arch is confined to stylopharyngeus muscle and pharyngeal
constrictors. Glossopharyngeal is the nerve
Fourth and sixth arch
Their cartilages fuse to form the cartilages of the larynx(arytenoid, thyroid,
cricoid, cuneiform). The nerve of the fourth arch is the superior laryngeal nerve
while recurrent laryngeal nerve is for the sixth arch.

PHARYNGEAL POUCHES

Humans have 5 pairs. Their epithelial endodermal lining gives rise to a

number of important structures.
First pouch gives rise to the external auditory meatus, middle ear cavity,
pharyngotympanic tube.
Second forms the primordium of palatine tonsils
Third gives rise to inferior parathyroid glands and thymus
Fourth pouch gives rise to superior parathyroid glands
Fifth pouch give rise to parafollicular or C cells of the thyroid gland

PHARYNGEAL CLEFTS
Only the first cleft contributes to the formation of the external auditory meatus