The first two

weeks of
human
development
C J Jacobs
GJ Roode

Acknowledgment for sources used:

• Embryology for the Health Science Student 1st Ed. CJ Jacobs, LM Greyling & JH Meiring. JH Meiring 2006
• Langman’s Medical Embryology 12th Ed Sadler. Lippincott Williams & Wilkens 2012
• Atlas of Human Anatomy Netter FH Springer Verlag, Novartis
• The Developing Human - Clinically Oriented Embryology
5th Ed Moore and Persaud. W.B. Saunders Company 1993
• Essentials of Human Embryology KL Moore The C.V . Mosby Company 1988
 Topics

 Fertilization
 Cleavage: zygote, morula, early blastocyst
 Late blastocyst
 Implantation
 Bilaminary embryo disc
 Gastrulation
 Trilaminar embryo disc
 Background knowledge
week 2 week 8
Moore

Amnion

Placenta
 Fertilization
Langman p 32, Jacobs p 12
 Fertilization. Week 1 of development
Jacobs p 12, Langman p 32

Male gamete Female gamete Zygote

+ =
• one spermatozoon • Ovum • diploid
• haploid •secondary oocyte • Sex is determined
• complete meiosis II •1st mitotic # initiated

• Occurs in the ampulla of the uterine tube

• Penetration of the ovum wall with the • Acrosome
aid of enzymes from acrosome reaction

• Zona pellucida becomes

non-penetratable for other sperms • Zona reaction
Cleavage and blastocyst formation
Jacobs p13, Langman p37- 40
 Cleavage. Week 1

Mitotic Langman p 37, Jacobs p 12

divisions

Zygote in uterine tube Daugter cells

( Blastomeres )
Morula -12 plus cells

Blastocyst in uterine cavity

As the blastocyst enters the uterine cavity:

• zona pellucida disappeares at 5-6th day
• it develops a blastocele
(coele or cyst = cavity) Ready for implantation
• inner cell mass = embryoblast
• outer cell mass = trofoblast
Implantation of blastocyst (in uterine mucosa)
Langman p39- 43, Jacobs p 14

Embryoblast – embryo

Trophoblast:

- cytotrophoblast

- syncytiotrophoblast
Normal
implantation Langman p 43, 48
site
Jacobs p 12
Netter

Abnormal (ectopic)
implantation sites
Division of the decidua (endometrium) Langman 103
Jacobs p 12
Compare the hormonal status and the situation in the
ovarium during implantation Langman p30 & 39, Jacobs p 14
- Endometrium in secretory (progestational) phase
- Estrogen & Progesteron secreted from corpus luteum
- hCG secreted from trophoblast

primordial follicles

corpus mature follicle - Ovarium :

albicans
corpus luteum
phase
ovulation
corpus luteum
Implantation. Week 2 Langman p 43 Jacobs p 15
Day 7 Endometrium in secretory phase.
Dig into the Parts: - Decidua basalis,
- Decidua capsularis,
endometrium - Decidua parietalis
Day 12
Trophoblast:
• Cytotrophoblast, Syncytiotrophoblast - Syncitium
• Proteolytic enzymes erode endometrium
• secretes human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) : Acts on
hypothalamus stimulates hypophysis to continue to secrete
FSH and LH to maintain corpus luteum hormones
maintain endometrium . Endometrium in gravid phase

Decidual reaction spreads from implantation site

 Increase in nutrition
 Cells become more loaded with glycogen and lipids
 Tissue become more edematous (more fluid)
Hypoblast germ layer Langman p 43, Jacobs p 15
Development of the first of the layers of the bilaminar (germ) disc

Trophoblastic cells

Inner cell mass

Hypoblast

Cytotrophoblast

Blastocele
Early development of extraembryonic mesoderm
Langman p 45, Jacobs p 17

syncytotrophoblast
cytotrophoblast
amnion
amniotic cavity
epiblast
hypoblast

primitive yolk sac

extraembryonic mesoderm
cytotrophoblast
Parts of the extraembryonic mesoderm
Langman p 45, Jacobs p 17

Syncytotrophoblast

Cytotrophoblast
Connecting
Connectingstalk
stalk
Somatopleure Amniotic cavity
Epiblast
Hypoblast
Splanchnopleure
Primitive yolksac

Coelom
 Corrections to figure 3.5, p17, Jacobs
Maternal sinusoids
Lacuna
Connecting stalk
Amniotic cavity Extraembryonic somatopleuric
mesoderm (chorionic plate)

Yolk sac
Hypoblast
Syncytiotrophoblast

Extraembryonic
splanchnopleuric mesoderm

Extraembryonic coelom

Exocoelomic cyst
Primitive Uteroplacental Circulation
Langman p 46, Jacobs p 18
Bleeding at the 12th / 13th day
Langman p 46, Jacobs p 12
Bilaminar embryonic disc
Langman p 52 Jacobs p 16
 Bilaminar Germ Disc Langman p 43 Jacobs p 16
Epiblast : columnar cells
Embrioblast
Hypoblast : cuboidal cells
Extraembryonic structures
•Epiblast cavities amniotic cavity
•Hypoblast Heuser’s membrane Primitive yolk sac
• acquire extraembryonic endoderm definite yolk sac

- somatopleuric extraembryonic mesoderm

Mesoderm Extraembryonic cavity
-splanchnopleuric extraembryonic mesoderm
- connecting stalk

Primitive uteroplacental circulation : Increased blood flow to lacunae,

some blood may leak into uterine cavity - confused with menstrual bleeding
Day 12 overlap expected menstruation phase
The beginning of Gastrulation
Langman p 51 Jacobs p 19

Amnion

Primitive streak appears

Epiblast

Hypoblast
Primitive yolksac
Gastrulation : Invagination of epiblast cells at primitive streak
Langman p 53,
Jacobs p 19

Somatopleuric mesoderm
Amnion

Henson’s node
Primitive streak
Epiblast
Hypoblast
Gastrulation: Invagination of epiblast cells at primitive streak
Langman p 53 Jacobs p 19
Intraembryonic mesoderm migration occur, but not
to the prechordal plate and cloacal membrane
Langman p51- 53
Jacobs p 20

Prechodal plate

Cloacal
membrane
 The three
Heart bud
laminar Buccopharyngeal
embryo disc membrane
Ectoderm
Langman p 70
Notochord
Jacobs p 20 Endoderm
Paraxial mesoderm
(somite)
Intermed.mesoder
Henson node m
Lateral mesoderm
Primitive streak
Cloacal membrane Amnion
Connecting stalk Somatopleuric mesoderm
Splanchnopleuric mesoderm
Yolk sac - endoderm
 Langman p 55 Jacobs p 19
Trilaminar Embryo Disc
Gastrulation: Formation of the three germ layers
Starts from the primitive streak , first day of 3 rd week
Epiblast changes its name to Ectoderm germ layer
Epiblast, cells invaginate to form Mesoderm germ layer
Epiblast replace hypoblast to form Endoderm germ layer
The intraembryonic mesoderm can now be found in all
regions between ectoderm and endoderm except at
prechordale plate (buccopharyngeal membrane) and the
cloacal membrane.
The intraembryonic mesoderm forms the Notochord from Henson’s node
Stages: plate, solid cord, short canal No detail !!
Adult remnants: nucleus pulposus & apical ligament of the dens NB
Remnants of the Notochord
(i) The apical ligament of the dens Langman p 51 Jacobs p 20

Netter
atlas
Occipital bone

Apical ligament

Atlas
Axis
Remnants of the Notochord
(ii) The nucleus pulposus Langman p 55 Jacobs p 20
of the intervertebral disk

annulus fibrosis

nucleus pulposus

The end
 Trilaminar Embryo Disc
Gastrulation: Starts from the primitive streak, When?
Ectoderm
Epiblast, some cells invaginate:

3rd layer: Mesoderm

to replace hypoblast Endoderm
Spreading of the intraembryonic mesoderm
all regions between epiblast and hipoblast
Except: prechordale plate (buccopharyngeal membrane)
cloacal membrane, and notochord
Formation of the Notochord: from Henson’s node
Stages: plate, solid cord, short canal
Adult remnants: nucleus pulposus and apical ligament of the dens
• Early embryogenesis - Cleavage,
blastulation, gastrulation, and neurulation
• khanacademymedicine

• General Embryology - Detailed Animation

On Embryonic Folding