Early Embryology:

Week 1 of Development

Ms M January
moratuwa.january@ul.ac.za
Anatomical Science: Embryology
University of Limpopo
 Embryology Lecture Outline

Embryonic period phase 1

• Formation of bilaminar disk
• Formation of trilaminar disk (gastrulation)
Embryonic period
• Formation of neural tube
• Differentiation of mesoderm
• Folding of embryo
• Formation of pharyngeal arches
 Terminology

Development is the gradual modification of

anatomical structures during the period from
conception to maturity.
 The formation of specialized cell types during
development is called differentiation.
 Differentiation occurs through selective changes in
genetic activity.
 A basic appreciation of human development
provides a framework for enhancing the
understanding of anatomical structures.
 Embryonic Development
• Development involves:
 The division and differentiation of cells
 Reorganization of those cell types to produce or modify
anatomical structures.

• Development produces a mature individual

• capable of reproduction.
 The process is a continuous, begins at
fertilization, or conception, and can be separated into
periods characterized by specific anatomical changes.
Gametes
Sperm Q- enzyme filled ACROSOMAL CAP
- digests outer layer surrounding the
egg + allows sperm to penetrate

R- NUCLEUS which contains haploid set of

chromosomes

S- body of spem containing

MITOCHONDRIA
- provides energy for sperm to swim T

T– CONTRACTILE FIBRES( long

flagellum)
- whip like movement to propell
sperm toward egg
 The Sperm &
*Sperm
Egg/ovum
-length = about 50µ, and
highly motile.
Parts→ head, neck and a
motile tail.
Head contains the nucleus that
is covered by the acrosome (an
organelle containing enzymes).

Two types of sperms according

to the chromosomal contents
i.e.
the Y- bearing sperm (having 22
autosomes + Y)

the X bearing sperm (having 22

autosomes +X).
Ovum

ZONA PEULLUCIDA: Lined by glycoprotein

CORONA RADIATA: Egg covered by cells
CHEMOTAXIS: Process of sperm finding the egg
 Secondary Oocyte (ovum)
Has large size & immotile,

Covered by zona pellucida

and corona radiate

The cytoplasm is abundant

(containing yolk granules
for nutrition of the embryo
during the 1wk of deve.)

The nucleus contains 22

chromosomes + one X
chromosome
Oogenesis and spermatogenesis describe the process of
meiosis in females and males respectively. What
statement about the two processes is true?

1. Oogenesis forms two polar bodies while

spermatogenesis only forms one
2. Oogenesis produces a larger gamete than
spermatogenesis
3. Both produce the same number of viable gametes
4. Both are halted in an intermediate step until
puberty
Answer 2
 Fertilisation
Definition:
A process by which the
sperm & ovum meet
and fuse→ zygote.
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tudent_handbook_2015-2016.pdf
Site:
In the ampullary part of
the uterine tube, for 2
reasons:
▪ It is close to the
ovary.
▪ It is the widest part
of the uterine tube.
 Fertilisation
• Fertilisation

 Fusion of egg and sperm and the mixing of their

DNA.

 Usually occurs in the uterine tube

 Sperm penetration stimulates the secondary oocyte to

finish meiosis.

 After ejection of the second polar body, the

haploid nuclei fuse.
 3 Phases of Fertilization

1. Penetration of the Corona Radiata

2. Penetration of Zona Pellucida

3. Fusion of sperm and oocyte cell membranes

 Fertilization

Figure 28.1 Fertilization and Preparation for Cleavage

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson

Benjamin Cummings
 Fertilization

Figure 28.1 Fertilization and Preparation for Cleavage

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson

Benjamin Cummings
 Consequences of Fertilization
1. Combination of maternal and paternal genetic material
resulting in genetic variation in the offspring and specie

2. Combination of genetic material establishes genotype

sex.

3. Diploid number of chromosomes is restored.

4. Cleavage is activated.

5. The embryo is referred to as the blastocyst

 Movement of sperm & oocyte

Sperm Egg
By own propulsion →tail. By the movement
fimbria of the uterin
By the movement of tube.
uterine cilia. By peristaltic
movement of the
uterine tubes
Oogenesis, is the process that creates female gametes, is
halted at prophase I until puberty. Which of the following
describes the DNA content of a female’s gametes during her
childhood?

1. 46 chromosomes, 46 chromatids
2. 46 chromosomes, 92 chromatids
3. 23 chromosomes, 46 chromatids
4. 23 chromosomes, 23 chromatids
Answer 2
 An Overview of Development
 Prenatal development occurs in the period from
conception to delivery.
 The term embryology refers to the study of the
developmental events that occur during prenatal
development.
 The period of prenatal development can be further
subdivided; into pre-embryonic, embryonic and
fetal developmental stages.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.,

publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings
 Prenatal development

1. Pre-embryonic development begins at fertilization

and continues through cleavage and implantation.

2. Embryonic development, which extends from

implantation to the end of the eighth week of
developmental week.

3. Foetal development begins at the start of the ninth

week of developmental and continues up to the time
of birth.
 Prenatal Development

 The gestation period consists of

three trimesters, each 3 months in
duration:
 First trimester
 Cleavage
 Implantation
 Placentation
 Embryogenesis
 Second trimester
 Most organs finish development
 Third trimester
 Rapid growth

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson

Benjamin Cummings
 Prenatal Development
Embryo Fetus

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

Cellular Differentiation of Growth and
proliferation internal & external maturation
and migration structures

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 40

Fertilization Delivery
 Prenatal Development

Figure 28.2 Cleavage and Blastocyst Formation

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson

Benjamin Cummings
 Prenatal Development

Figure 28.4 Blastodisc Organization and Gastrulation

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson

Benjamin Cummings
 Morula vs Blastocyst

Morula Blastocyst
Prenatal vs Postnatal Development
 Postnatal Development
• Postnatal development
• Ccommences at birth up to maturity.
• The neonatal period immediately follows delivery.
What would be a direct consequence of a single
point mutation that modifies the proteins inside the
acrosome?

1. Inability to dissolve zona pellucida's glycocalyx

2. Failure to complete spermatogenesis
3. Impairment of sperm motility
4. Increased polyspermy

Answer 1
2nd Week of Development
Week 2: Formation of Bilaminar
Germ Disk
Week 1: days 1-7 of Development
 Week 2: days 7-14 implantation

Events of the second week

1. Implanted embryo becomes more deeply embedded in
endometrium.

2. Further development of trophoblast

- early placenta formation

3.Development of a bi-laminar embryo, amniotic cavity, and yolk

sac.
 2ND week of development
About 8ds after fertilization, blastocyst becomes buried in
endometrium in the inner 1/3 of myometrium

1. Development of Trophoblast:
• Outer cell mass develops into 2 layers in region of contact
between blastocyst and endometrium.

1. Cytotrophoblast: stem cell population

2. Syncytiotrophoblast: invasive fused cells
(syncytium) derived from cytotrophoblast
Secretes human chorionic gondadotropin
maintains corpus luteum
(hCG) →
→continues to secrete estrogens
and progesterone
» Maintains uterine lining
 (2) Development of bilaminar embryo
– Cells of inner cell mass also
differentiate into 2 layers around 8d
after fertilisation.
• Epiblast (primitive ectoderm),
• Hypoblast (primitive endoderm)
• Epiblast & Hypoblast = Bilaminar
Embryonic Disc

(3) Development of amnion

-fluid filled cavities dev. embryonic pole→
amniotic cavity – lined by amniotic
ectoderm, epiblast forms floor
• Amnion eventually
surrounds entire embryo
– Amniotic cavity filled with
amniotic fluid
– Fluid derived from maternal
blood and later fetal urine
During the second week of development, the trophoblast
differentiates into:

A. Syncytiotrophoblast
B. Ectoderm
C. Intraembryonic mesoderm
D. Yolk sac (secondary)

Answer A
Principal events in the second week of
development
Second week of development (cont.)
(4)Development of primary yolk sac
• Also on 8thd after fertilization, cells at
edge of hypoblast migrate to cover inner
surface of blastocyst wall
– Form exocoelomic (Heuser's)
membrane →Primary yolk sac

– Relatively small and empty, nutrition

still derived from endometrium
– Several important functions – supplies
early nutrients, source of blood cells,
contains primordial germ cells that
migrate to gonads to form gametes,
forms part of gut, functions as shock Primitive yolk
sac
absorber, prevents desiccation
Second week of development (cont.)
(5) Development of sinusoids
– 9thd after fertilization, blastocyst
completely embedded in endometrium

– Syncytiotrophoblast expands →and

spaces (lacunae) develop

– 12thd – lacunae fuse to form lacunar

Networks

– Endometrial capillaries dilate to form

maternal sinusoids

– Lacunae become continuous with the maternal

sinusoids,

– Maternal blood enters the lacunar system

(Trophoblast continue to erode into maternal
endometrium)- uteroplacental circulation
Second week of development (cont.)
(6)Development of extraembryonic mesoderm (EEM) &
coleom
- about 12th day after fertilization
– New population of cells appears between the inner surface of the
cytotrophoblast and the outer surface of the exocoelomic cavity (1o
yolk sac) →EEM
– Small cavities appear within EEM
– Fuse to form single large cavity → extraembryonic cavity
• Splits the EEM →2 layers *Extraembryonic somatic mesoderm
and Extraembryonic splanchnic Mesoderm
(Extraembryonic
cavity)
Second week of development (cont.)
7. The chorion
• Formed by extraembryonic
Chorion: forms fetal part of the
placenta
Decidua: forms maternal part of
the placenta

mesoderm and 2 layers of

trophoblast
• Becomes principal embryonic
part of placenta
• Protect embryo from immune
responses of mother

• hCG produced by
syncytiotrophoblast
stimulates production of
progesterone by corpus
luteum-→(i.e., maintains
corpus luteum function)
→maintain pregnancy until
week 8.
– hCG can be assayed in maternal
blood at day 8 or maternal urine
at day 10 and is the basis of
pregnancy testing
 Recap

What you need to know…

Events of the 2nd week of embryonic

development:
1. Development of the trophoblast
2. Development of bilaminar Embryo
3. Development of the Amnion
4. Development of the Primary yolk sac
5. Development of Sinusoid
6. Development of the Extraembryonic Mesoderm
7. Development of the Chorion
• Schoenwolf, G.C., Bleyl, S.B., Brauer, P.R., Francis-
West, P.H. & Philippa H. (2015). Larsen’s human
embryology (5th ed.). New York; Edinburgh:
Churchill Livingstone.
• Sadler, T. W., & Langman, J. (2004). Langman’s
medical embryology. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins.
• Moore, K. L., Persaud, T. V. N., & Torchia, M. G.
(2008). The developing human: Clinically oriented
embryology. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier.
• Gilbert, S. F. (2000). Developmental biology.
Sunderland, Mass: Sinauer Associates.
END OF LECTURE

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