Year 1 Sem 1 ENG

C9-10

1
• Plan

Four to Eight Weeks of Development

S2
• For understanding, the events of embryonic period
are grouped under the following headings:
– Ectodermal differentiation
– Mesodermal differentiation
– Embryonic folding
– Endodermal differentiation

S3
• Differentiation of Ectoderm
• At the beginning of the third week,
the central part of ectoderm
overlying the developing notochord
thickens to form a neural plate or
neuroectoderm.
• Remaining part of the ectoderm is
called surface
ectoderm.
• Ectoderm = neuroectoderm +
surface ectoderm

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• Neuroectoderm

• Neural plate grows to form peripheral

neural folds and
a central depressed area called neural
groove (Fig. 8.1).
• Neural folds start fusion in the
central (cervical) region.
Fusion extends craniocaudally to
form neural tube.

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• Cranial open end of neural tube
called anterior neuropore closes by
the 25th day of IUL (Figs 8.2 and 8.3).
• Caudal open end of neural tube
called posterior
neuropore closes by the 27th day.
• Cells at the margin of neural plate
form the neural crest.
• Neural tube gets separated from
surface ectoderm, whereas neural
crest cells come to lie between
ectoderm and neural tube.

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• Cephalic part of neural tube shows
dilations as
forebrain vesicle, midbrain vesicle,
and hindbrain
vesicle, whereas distal part of neural
tube forms
spinal cord .
• Neuroectoderm forms entire
central and peripheral
nervous system and autonomic
ganglia.

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• Surface Ectoderm
• Surface ectoderm shows depression
at buccopharyngeal membrane and
cloacal membrane. At these
two depressions, ectoderm is firmly
adherent to endoderm.
Buccopharyngeal membrane
(oropharyngeal membrane)
• In the third week, it lies cranial to
the prechordal
plate. On development of head fold,
prechordal plate comes to lie
between forebrain vesicle and
pericardial bulging.

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• At the beginning of fourth week,
buccopharyngeal membrane ruptures
to form communication
between amniotic cavity and
primitive gut.
• Cloacal membrane divides into
anterior urogenital
membrane and posterior anal
membrane

S10
• Surface ectoderm also forms the
following structures:
1. Epidermis, hair and nail
2. Sebaceous glands and sweat
glands
3. Olfactory pit
4. Optic vesicle and lens vesicle
5. Otic vesicle
6. Branchial clefts
• 7. Rathke’s pouch
• 8. Epithelial lining of cheek, gum,
teeth enamel, root of mouth, nasal
cavity and paranasal air sinuses Rathke's pouch, and therefore the anterior pituitary, is
derived from ectoderm.
9. Salivary glands The pouch eventually loses its connection with
10. Mammary glands the pharynx giving rise to the anterior pituitary.
11. Pituitary glands S11
• A.Paraxial
mesoderm: Lies on
either side of
notochord
underneath neural
plate.
B. Intermediate
mesoderm: Lies
lateral to paraxial
mesoderm.
C. Lateral plate
mesoderm: The
lateral most part of
mesoderm.

S12
• These
components of
mesoderm form
specific
structures in
developing
embryo.
• Mesoderm =
paraxial
mesoderm +
intermediate
mesoderm +
lateral plate
mesoderm

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• Paraxial Mesoderm
• Paraxial mesoderm is situated on
either side of notochord.
• Extent: It extends from prechordal
plate to primitive streak.
• Paraxial mesoderm condenses to form
a series of rounded, whorl-like mass
called somitomeres.
• The somitomeres further develop a
discrete block of segmental paraxial
mesoderm called somites or
metameres

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• Intermediate Mesoderm
• It lies between the paraxial
mesoderm and lateral
plate mesoderm.
• On differentiation, intermediate
mesoderm forms
kidneys and sex glands (ovaries and
testis).

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• Lateral Plate Mesoderm
• Lateral plate mesoderm extends from intermediate
mesoderm to extraembryonic mesoderm.
• Cranially, lateral plate mesoderm is continued with
pericardial bar. (Pericardial bar is mesodermal
condensation cranial to the buccopharyngeal
membrane.)
• Small cavities appear in the lateral plate mesoderm
that fuse to form intraembryonic coelom.
• Similar cavity develops in pericardial bar called
pericardial sac.

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• Formation of Coelomic Cavity
• Pericardial sac communicates with
intraembryonic coelom to form
inverted U-shaped tubular passage.
• Coelomic cavity forms pericardial,
pleural and peritoneal cavities.

S17
• Formation of Layers of Lateral Plate
Mesoderm
• Intraembryonic coelom divides
lateral plate
mesoderm into two layers:
A. Somatopleuric layer: It is a parietal
layer that lies
in contact with the ectoderm.
B. Splanchnopleuric layer: It is a
visceral layer that
lies in contact with the endoderm.

S18
• Continuously growing intraembryonic coelom
separates somatopleuric and splanchnopleuric layers
laterally and develop communication with
extraembryonic coelom.
• Communication between intraembryonic and
extraembryonic coelomic cavities provide nutrition till the
complete development of uteroplacental circulation.
• A cranial mesodermal horseshoe-shaped bar
connecting somatopleuric layer with splanchnopleuric
layers is called septum transversum.
• Septum transversum later forms diaphragm and
participate in formation of liver

S19
• Fate of Lateral Plate Mesoderm
A. Somatopleuric layer
• It forms
– Parietal layers of peritoneal, pericardial and
pleural cavities
– Dermis
– Pectoral and pelvic girdles
– Skeletal elements of limbs (muscles develop
from migrating myotomes)
B. Splanchnopleuric layer
• It forms
– Visceral layer of pericardial, peritoneal and
pleural cavities
– Musculature and connective tissue of gut,
respiratory tract and heart

S20
• SOMITE

• From prechordal plate to primitive streak, the

paraxial mesoderm undergoes condensation to form somitomeres.
• Later, somitomeres undergo segmentation to forms
somites.
• Proximal somitomeres (underlying the developing brain, rostral to the
otic vesicle) remains unsegmented and do not form somites. These forms
striated muscles of face, jaw and throat.MCQ
• Note: Prechordal plate mesoderm form preotic somites that later forms
extrinsic muscles of eye.
• The first pair of somites appears on day 20 on each side of the cranial end
of the notochord in themoccipital region (cervical level).Neet, Viva
• Somites continue to appear from day 20 to day 30 in cranio-caudal
direction.
• In human, 42 to 44 pairs of somites form and they can be grouped as
follows: S21
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• Head fold produces following changes:
1. Foregut: Trapped part of yolk sac in head
fold is
called foregut.
2. Anterior intestinal portal: It is a
communication
between foregut and midgut.
3. Ventral relations of foregut:
Buccopharyngeal
membrane, pericardial sac and septum
transversum come to lie ventral to foregut.
4. Dorsal relations of foregut: Notochord and
brain
vesicles lie dorsal to the foregut.
• 5. Cranial relation of foregut: Rapidly growing
forebrain vesicle lies cranial to foregut
S25
• Tail Fold
• Overgrowing germ disc also fold ventrally around caudal end of notochord
to form a tail fold.
• Tail fold produces the following changes:
1. Hindgut: Trapped part of yolk sac in the tail fold is called hindgut.
2. Allantois: Allantois communicates with hindgut mand comes to lie ventral
to hindgut in the form of allantoenteric diverticulum.
3. Cloacal membrane: Bilaminar cloacal membrane later divides into
urogenital and anal membrane and lies caudal to connecting stalk.
4. Dorsal relations of hindgut: Notochord and neural tube lie dorsal to
developing hindgut.
5. Caudal relations of hindgut: Degenerating primitive node and streak lie
caudal to developingmhindgut.
6. Allantoenteric diverticulum divides hindgut into pre-allantoic and post-
allantoic parts.
7. Posterior intestinal portal: It is a communication between midgut and pre-
allantoic part of hindgut S26
• Lateral Folds
• Overgrowing central part of the
germ disc forms two
lateral folds (right and left)
• • Lateral folds make the embryo
cylindrical on fusion
with head and tail fold at the
primitive umbilical ring.

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• Fourth Week
During fourth week of intrauterine life, the following
changes occurs:
• Increase in the somite numbers
• Formation of three brain vesicles from the neural
tube
• Formation of head and tail folds
• 21st days and later: Heart starts beating
• 24th day: First pharyngeal arch appears
• 26th day: Three pairs of pharyngeal arches
• 26th–27th day: Rudimentary forelimb bud
• 28th day: Rudimentary hind limb bud
• Formation of prominence of forebrain vesicle
• Otic pits, lens placodes (ectodermal thickening)
appears

S30
• Fifth Week
During fifth week of intrauterine life, the
following
changes occur:
• Rapid growth of facial and head
prominences
• Rapid growth of a second pharyngeal
arch
• Growth of the limb buds
• Formation of alar and basal laminae of
the neural
tube
• Appearance of olfactory placodes,
maxillary and
frontonasal process.
• Appearance of gonadal ridges.
S31
• Sixth Week
During sixth week of intrauterine life,
the following
changes occur:
• Shows spontaneous movements
• Growth of brain vesicles
• Appearance of nasal processes
• Buccopharyngeal membrane
ruptures
• Development of appendix, caecum
and spleen
• Differentiation of the limb digits
begins. Differentiation in lower limb
starts 4–5 later than upper limb.
• Umbilical herniation is common.
S32
• Seventh and Eight Weeks
During seventh and eight weeks of
intrauterine life,
the following changes occur:
• Development of face, external ear
(auricular hillock)
and eye
• Well-defined limbs and digits
• Development of metanephric kidney
• Development of testis and ovaries
• Differentiation of external genitalia
• During the eighth week, coordinated limb
movements occur
• Primary ossification centers start
appearing
• Caudal tail-like eminence disappears
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