4mm Frog Embryo A median posteroventrally directed verticulum of the foregut is the

forerunner of the liver.

Whole Mount

4mm frog embryo is characterized by the presence of a clearly Yolk

recognizable: - fills the bulk of the body
- endodermal in origin
Tail - serve as nutrition for continued growth and differentiation
Neural tube of the embryo
Notochord
Proctodeum
Segmented mesoderm
- found at the base of the tail
Fin folds
- ectodermal invagination
The neural system differentiates from a just a form of closed tube - will break to open into the hind gut as the Form: anus
into distinct parts of the brain indicated by the appearance of
thickening and constrictions. Transverse Section

Prosencephalon Level of the Prosencephalon and Nasal Rudiments

- Foremost part
Prosencephalon
Mesencephalon
- anterior part of the embryonic brain
- middle part
- its cavity is the prosocoel
Rhombencephalon
- hind part Mesenchyme
- embryonic tissue derived from mesoderm and neural
crest cells
Epiphysis Form:
- slight mid-dorsal evagination of the brain vesicle 1. Connective tissues
Form: pineal body in the adult 2. Epithelial tissues
3. Muscular tissues
Olfactory placodes 4. Nervous tissues
- thickenings on the lateral surface of the head anterior
Form: cavities known as the olfactory pits (evagination) Head mesenchyme

Lens placode - Fills the spaces between the presumptive epidermis (skin
- anterior to the olfactory placodes ectoderm) and the walls of prosencephalon
- paired thickening of the head ectoderm - Mesoderm with additional cells of neural crest origin.
Form: lens vesicle (evagination) -> eye lens
Olfactory placodes
The otic lens at the level of the rhombencephalon is the form of a
- Paired pigment invaginations on either side of the
closed chamber as a result of the evagination of the otic placode.
prosocoel found in the head mesenchyme
Notochord
Epidermis
- extends from the midbrain up to the posterior end of the
- Outermost skin layer
body
- Derived from the ectoderm

Flanking the notochord on each side is the mesoderm subdivided

into segments referred to as somites.
Level of the Mesencephalon and Optic Cups
Stomodeum
Mesencephalon appears dorsal to a portion of the prosencephalon
- ectodermal rudiment of the mouth
called the ifindibulum.
- formed by the invagination of the antero-ventral
ectoderm of the head (in contact with the anterior wall of Ifindibulum
the foregut)
- separated from the endodermal foregut by an - Develops as a depression in the floor of the
oropharyngeal membrane (will eventually rupture to prosencephalon
form: mouth) - Precursor to the posterior portion of the pituitary gland

Other ectodermal thickenings ventrolateral to the oral region are

suckers.

Beneath the floor of the foregut and anterior tot the mass of yolk are
loose mesodermal cells which will become organized to form: heart.
Hypophysis
- Ventral to the ifindibulum
- Small knot of tissue
- Develops as an inward growing cord of ectoderm from
stomodeum
Form: anterior portion of the pituitary gland
Optic cups
- Lateral to the ifindibulum
- Lens vesicle present on the left side
Oral cavity (?)
- Ventral to the ifindibulum and the hypophysis
- Cavity
- Oral evagination of the foregut
- Walls surrounding are composed of the endoderm
Mesencephalon
- Mid-region of the developing embryonic brain with a thick
roof
- Brain cavity is known as the mesocoel
Syn: midbrain
Oral Cavity
- The cavity at the cranial end of the alimentary canal
- Spherical in appearance
Oral plate
- Thickened region where the cranial portion of the
alimentary canal comes in contact with the ectoderm
portion of the head.
Syn: pharyngeal plate, oropharyngeal membrane
Stomodeum
- Ectodermal rudiment of the mouth
- Formed from the invagination of the ectoderm at the
anteroventral region of the head
Hypophysis
- Solid ingrowth or nodular aggregation of cells
- Lying between the oral and brain cavity
Term can be used into two different manners:
It may be used to describe an embryonic portion of a developing
gland, as in:
1) The invagination of stomodeum which fuses with
infundibulum to form: complete adult gland
(Syn: Rathkes pocket)
2) An endocrine gland formed from an ingrowth from the
stomodeum (Rathkes pocket) and the infundibulum
(Syn: pituitary gland)
Infundibulum
- Funnel-like depression of the prosencephalon
- Part of which forms the posterior lobe of the pituitary
gland together with the stomodeum
- Seen as smaller, ventral component of the diencephalon
with thin roof and thick sides
Mandibular arch
- Most cranial branchial arch
Form: caudal border of the stomodeum and also the maxillary
process cranial to the stomodeum
Adhesive glands
- Paired ectodermal thickenings
- Found in the ventral surface of anuran embryos
- Secrete adhesive mucus for attachment to floating objects
Syn: cement glands, mucous glands, oral suckers
Optic vesicle
- Evagination from the lateral wall of the prosencephalon
- First indication of the formation of the eye
- Walls give rise to the various ectodermal parts of the eye
except the lens and the cornea
Optic cup
- Double-walled structure
- Formed from the invagination of the distal portion of the
optic vesicle
Inner layer is thicker than the outer layer.
Optic stalk
- Connection of the optic cup with the brain
Level of the Rhombencephalon
Section through the anterior pharynx
Rhombencephalon
- Most caudal region of the brain of the developing embryo
with a thin roof
- Cavity is rhombocoel
Syn: hindbrain
Notochord
- Round structure originating from the mesoderm
- Lying dorsal to the gut
- Ventral to the hindbrain
- Defines the anterior/posterior axis in the developing
embryo
- Provides skeletal support during early development
Pharynx
- Broad region of the foregut
- Its paired evagination corresponds to the pharyngeal
pouches
Otic
- Paired invagination of the otic placode
- Laterally located and slightly ventral to the brain
Form: inner ear (separation from the head ectoderm)
Syn: auditory vesicle
Section through the embryonic heart
Presence of rhombencephalon, notochord, somites and pharynx.
Below the pharynx the heart appears suspended within the
pericardial coelom by the dorsal mesocardium.
Heart - Degenerates and is replaced by the mesonephric kidney in
adults
- Located beneath the enlarged foregut
- Appears suspended within the pericardial coelom by the Somites
dorsal mesocardium
- Segmented mesodermal blocks
The pericardial coelom is delimited by a thin layer of somatic - Located on either side of the spinal cord
mesoderm called the pericardium (membrane enclosing the heart). - Arise from the dorsal mesoderm
Its formation is brought about by the migration of the heart
mesoderm to the midventral region of the pericardial cavity. Differentiates into:

Loose mesenchymal cells Sclerotome (located above the neural tube and
- Makes up the thick mass of mesoderm of the heart notochord)
- Organize into a continuous endothelial lining of the heart, - Forms part of the axial skeleton
the endocardium Myotome forms muscle
Two layers of the heart Dermatome forms dermal layer of the skin
1) Endocardium inner layer
Form: lining of the heart wall
2) Epimyocardium outer layer Section through the midgut
Form: muscle
The spinal cord gradually tapers off in diameter from the
rhombencephalon to its caudal end. Note that in this section the
diameter of the spinal cord approximates that of the notochord.
Section through the liver diverticulum
Wedged between the notochord and the midgut, a small knot of cells
Observe the spinal cord and the notochord with adjacent somites. can be identified that are part of the subnotochordal rod.

Mesomeres Subnotochordal rod

- Paired bulges located just below the horizontal level of the - Transient structure of endodermal origin
notochord - Unknown function that will later disappear
Form: pronephric tubules and may collectively be called the
pronephros or pronephric kidney
Section through the hindgut
Liver diverticulum
- Rudiment of the liver This section through the base of the tail, is at level of the
- Found at the floor of the pharynx proctodeum. The proctodeum is an ectodermal invagination that
- Extremely deep groove meets with the endoderm of the hindgut.

Cloacal membrane (ectodermal and endodermal plate)

- Delicate strand of tissue between the proctodeum and the
Section through the pronephros
hindgut
Note the spinal cord, notochord, somites, pronephros and coelomic - Will become perforated
activities. This section is at level caudal to the liver diverticulum. In Form: posterior opening of the digestive tract
this region, the foregut (pharynx) narrows into the midgut.
Dorsal fin
Yolky endoderm
- Flat extension of the body wall along the dorsal midline of
- Nutrient supply for the developing embryo
the trunk and the tail
Spinal cord - Structure degenerates during the metamorphosis of the
tadpole
- Cavity that replaces the hindbrain
- Smaller than the hindbrain Hindgut
- Thick lateral sides almost touches at the roof part unlike - Posterior most region of the embryonic gut
the hindbrain Form: cloaca, colon, small intestine, rectum

Pronephros Proctodeum
- Ectodermal invagination on the ventral side of the trunk at
- Paired structure located on the lateral side of the the base
specimen - Later breaks into the hindgut
- Appear as spherical structures clustered together Form: anus
- Some are more elongated than spherical Syn: anal pit
- Initial excretory organ found in developing vertebrate
embryos
- Functional in larval amphibians and fish