Embryonic Period

& Folding of the Embryo

Asst. Prof. Dr. Fathelrahman Idris G. Ali

MBBS, MRCSEd, MSc, PhD
 Embryonic Period

• From the 3rd to 8th weeks of development.

• All the major organs begin to develop

(organogenesis).

• Folding of the embryo occurs.

• Embryo develops a distinct human appearance.

 Gastrulation

• Is the process that establishes the three definitive germ

layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm & endoderm.

• The three layers give rise to all the tissues and organs of
the adult human.
 Changes involving ectoderm

• Notochord: a solid cylinder in the midline of the

trilaminar disc.
ectoderm
 Notochord

Important for the following:

• Induce the overlying ectoderm to form neural plate.

• Induce formation of the vertebral bodies.

• Form the nucleus pulposus of each intervertebral

disc.
 Changes involving ectoderm

• Neuroectoderm

• Neural tube

• Neural crest
Formation of the neural tube
(neurulation)

Notocord
 Formation of the Neural Tube

• Neural plate – appears at beginning of 3rd week.

• Neural folds Neural groove Neural tube.

• The cranial ⅔ of the neural tube form the brain.

• The caudal ⅓ of the neural tube forms the spinal cord.

• The neural canal forms the ventricular system of the

brain and the central canal of the spinal cord.
 Neural tube
• Once the neural tube
closed, neuroepithelium
gives neuroblast,
spongioblast (glioblast),
and ependyma.
• Appearance of otic
placodes and the lens
placodes.
 Neural tube
• During the 6th week, the neural tube has 3 concentric
zones/layers:
ü Inner ependymal layer
ü Middle mantle layer (grey matter)
ü Outer marginal layer (white matter)

• The neural tube differentiates into the CNS (brain and

spinal cord).
 Neural Crest Cells

• These cells appear along each edge (the crest) of the

neural folds.
• The neural crest cells differentiate into most of the
peripheral NS & autonomic NS.
 Neural Crest Cell Derivatives

Ø Connective tissue and bones of the face and skull

Ø Cranial nerve ganglia
Ø C-cells of the thyroid gland
Ø Conotruncal septum in the heart
Ø Odontoblasts
Ø Dermis in face and neck
Ø Melanocytes
 Neural Crest Cell Derivatives

Ø Spinal (dorsal root) ganglia

Ø Sympathetic chain and preaortic ganglia
Ø Parasympathetic ganglia of the gastrointestinal
tract
Ø Adrenal medulla
Ø Glial cells
Ø Schwann cells
Ø Arachnoid and pia mater (leptomeninges)
 Derivatives of the ectoderm

Surface ectoderm
Neuroectoderm • Epidermis and its
-CNS & PNS appendages
• Mammary gland
-Retina
• Anterior pituitary
-Posterior pituitary • Enemal of the teeth
• Inner ear
• lens
NTD - Anencephaly
NTD - spina bifida
Spina bifida occulta
Spina bifida cystica
 Spina bifida with
Spina bifida with
Myeloschisis
meningomyelocele
 Changes involving intraembryonic
mesoderm
• Paraxial mesoderm
• Intermediate mesoderm
• Lateral plate mesoderm
 Paraxial Mesoderm

• A thick plate of mesoderm on each side of the

midline.

• Become organized into segments known as

somitomeres.
 Somitomeres

• Are rounded structures that consist of paraxial

mesodermal cells.

• Form in craniocaudal sequence.

• Somitomeres 1-7 do not form somites but contribute

mesodem in the pharyngeal arch.
 Somitomeres

• The first seven somitomeres give rise to the striated

muscles of the face, jaw and throat.

• The remaining somitomeres organized into somites.

 Somites

• First pair appear on 20th day.

• New somites appear at rate of 3 pairs per day.

• 42 to 44 somites at end of the 5th week.

 Somites

• Somites further differentiate into these components:

ØSclerotome

ØMyotome

ØDermatome
 Intermediate Mesoderm

• It connects paraxial mesoderm with the lateral plate

mesoderm.
• Nephrotomes: segmented cell cluster in cervical &
upper thoracic region.
• Nephrogenic cord: unsegmented from cervical to
coccygeal region.
• It differentiates into urogenital structures.
 Lateral Plate Mesoderm

• A thin plate of mesoderm.

• It forms the serous membranes.
• Intercellular cavities divide it into 2 layers:
Ø Somatic or parietal mesoderm layer
Ø Splanchnic or visceral mesoderm layer
• Somatic + ectoderm body wall
• Splanchnic + endoderm viscera & heart
hjhgfg
Lateral Plate Mesoderm
 Changes involving the endoderm
(Folding of the embryo)

• Occur during 4th week of development.

• Folding converts flat trilaminar embryonic disc into a
cylindrical embryo.
• Folding occurs in both longitudinal and transverse
planes.
• Folding is due to rapid growth of central nervous
system and somites.
 Folding in longitudinal plane

• Occurs in the cranial and caudal ends.

• Causing head and tail folds.
• Occurs ventrally as the embryo elongates cranially
and caudally.
 Head fold
• At the beginning of the 4th week.
• Occur when the brain vesicle projects dorsally into
the amniotic cavity and fold cephalocaudally.
 Result of the Head Folding
• Septum transversum, primordial heart, pericardial coelom
& oropharyngeal membrane move onto the ventral
surface.
• Endoderm of the yolk sac is incorporated into the embryo
to form the foregut.
• The foregut lies between the brain & heart.
• Oropharyngeal membrane separates the foregut from the
stomodeum.
 Result of Head Folding

• Septum transversum lies caudal to heart after the

folding and develops into central tendon of
diaphragm.

• After folding, the pericardial coelom lies ventral to

the heart and cranial to the septum transversum.
 Tail Fold

• Results primarily from growth of the distal part of the

neural tube (primordium of the spinal cord).

• As embryo grows, the caudal eminence projects over

the cloacal membrane.
 Result of Tail Folding

• During folding, part of endoderm is incorporated into

the embryo as a hindgut.

• Terminal part of the hindgut soon dilates to form the

cloaca (primordium of urinary bladder and rectum).

• Before folding primitive streak lies cranial to the

cloacal membrane. After folding it lies caudal to it.
 Result of Tail Folding

• The connecting stalk (primordium of umbilical cord)

is attached to the ventral surface of the embryo.

• Allantois (a diverticulum of yolk sac) is partially

incorporated into the embryo and its distal part
remains in the connecting stalk.
 Folding in Horizontal Plane

• Folding on sides of the embryo produces right and

left lateral folds.

• Is produced by rapidly growing spinal cord and

somites.

• Ventrolateral rolling of the edges of embryonic disc

form roughly cylindrical embryo.
 Folding in Horizontal Plane

• As the abdominal walls form, part of endoderm is

incorporated into the embryo as the midgut.

• Initially there is a wide connection between midgut &

yolk sac by the vitelline duct.

• After folding the connection is reduced becomes long

and narrow.
 Formation of Gut

• Primordial gut forms at the beginning of the 4th week

and is closed at its:

Ø Cranial end by oropharyngeal membrane.

Ø Caudal end by the cloacal membrane.

 Formation of Gut

• The epithelium at the cranial and caudal ends of the

tract is derived from ectoderm of the stomodeum
(mouth) and proctodeum (anal pit).

• The muscular, connective tissue, and other layers of

the wall of the digestive tract are derived from the
splanchnic mesenchyme surrounding the primordial
gut.
 Derivatives of Endoderm

It gives rise to:

Ø the epithelial lining of primitive gut, respiratory
tract, tympanic cavity, auditory tube, urinary bladder
and most of the urethra.

Ø Parenchyma of the thyroid and parathyroid glands,

liver and pancreas.

Ø Stroma of the thymus and tonsils.

External Appearance During the Second Month

• Counting somites becomes difficult.

• Age of the embryo is determined by crown rump length
(CRL) in millimeters.
• The limbs are apparent, the digits have lengthened and
are completely separated.
• Face, ears, nose, and eyes are formed.
• Both hands and feet approach each other ventrally.
• Intestines are still in the proximal portion of the
umbilical cord.
Approximately 56 days after ovulation
Summary
Thanks