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Exercise 6
Embryology Lab

The 33-hour Chick Embryo

By 33 hours of incubation the embryo will measure 4 mm in total length although a

portion of this is represented in a ventral flexion of the head process part of the body around
the anterior end of notochord. Obviously this flexion cannot progress very far because of the
underlying inert yolk so that in later stages there will develop a dextral torsion (right turn or
twist) also beginning at this end. Note the large optic vesicles (fig. 55, p 116 of Patten’s
embryology of the chick); the constriction between the two portions of the forebrain
(prosencephalon); the single midbrain vesicle (mesocoele), and several vesicles arranged
linearly which comprise the hindbrain (rhombemcephalon). This cephalic portion of the central
nervous system is known as the encephalon to distinguish it from the posterior neurocoele
(spinal cord level) known as the myolocoele (cavity of the myelencephalon). The brain is
supposed to consist of 11 neuromeres: 3 in the forebrain, 2 in the midbrain and 6 in the
hindbrain. Is there any evidence of such metamerism of the encephalon? Due to the presence
of 12-13 pairs of somites at this stage the neural tube may also appear to have metameric
bulges. Posteriorly, there remains but a slight vestige of the primitive streak and sinus
rhomboidalis.
At the posterior margin of the median vesicle of the forebrain locate a semicircular
depression which is the infundibulum. This ventral evagination of the brain ectoderm will later
join the ectoderm of Rathke’s pocket to form the hypophysis. Just posterior to the infundibulum
locate the anterior tip of the notochord. It maybe possible to trace the notochord posterior to
the disappearing primitive streak. The head ectoderm now clearly marks off the head
structures form the underlying proamnion, and the subcephalic pocket is almost immediately
ventral to the level of the heart.
The heart at this stage is a thin-walled S-shaped, single, tubular sac which bulges to the
right, apparently projecting outside of the body. Locate the two large omphalo-mesenteric
veins which join (sinus venosus) and empty in to the bulbous part of this bulbous heart (atrium,
precursor of auricles). Anteriorly, the heart wall may appear somewhat thicker, indicating the
material of the future ventricles, and leads forward to the ventral aortic roots and thence to the
aortic arches which pass dorsally around the foregut. The first evidences of the paired dorsal
aortae may be seen running posteriorly beneath the somites, and growing out onto the yolk
about the level of the most posterior somites. In the area vasculosa note the further
development of the blood islands and blood vessels and the enlarging sinus terminalis. The
areas peliucida, opaca, vasculosa and vitellina are all easily distinguishable at this stage of
development.

Study the whole mount and transverse sections of the 33 hour chick embryo. Use the diagrams
on the next page as your guide.
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Parts of the embryo (33-hour) depicted above.

1 = Proamnion
2 = Prosencephalon
3 = Mesencephalon
4 = Rhombencephalon
5 = Somite
6 = Eye vesicle
7 = Foregut
8 = Chorda (translucent)
9 = Heart
10 = Lateral mesoderm
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11 = Spine
12 = Sinus rhomboidalis
13 = Primitive streak
14 = Blood islands
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33- Hour chick embryo

SAQs
1. What primordial structure gives rise to the heart?_____________________________
2. Give the origin and function of the dorsal ____________________________________
mesocardium ____________________________________________________________
3. What are the direct external continuation of the dorsal aortae? _______________
4. The brain vesicle that give rise to the optic vesicles? ____________
5. The open neural groove in the caudal region of the embryo
_________________________
6. The immediate cephalic continuation of the endocardial tubes _____________________
7. The caudal continuation of the endocardial tubes ____________________
8. The structure that suspends the heart from the dorsal body wall _________________
9. The structure that give rise to the epimyocardium _______________________
10. The depression in the floor of the prosencephalon ______________________
11. The number of somites in the 33- hour chick embryo ________________