Gastrointestinal System

Development

Dr. Bindiya Mangar

What is the gastrointestinal system?
• The digestive systems starts from the mouth to the anus, with all its
associated glands and organs.
• The primordial gut forms during the fourth week as the head, caudal
eminence and lateral folds incorporate the dorsal part of the yolk sac.
Sagittal view of
cranio-caudal
folding
The gut is divided into 3 parts based on its blood supply; the
forgeut, midgut and hindgut.
What are the derivatives of the foregut?
• Primordial pharynx
• Lower respiratory system
• Esophagus and stomach
• Duodenum, distal to the opening of
the bile duct
Supplied by Celiac Artery
• Liver
• Biliary apparatus
• Pancreas
Development of Esophagus
• The esophagus develops from the forgeut immediately caudal o the
pharynx.
• The tracheoesophageal septum separates the esophagus from
trachea.
• Initially the esophagus is short and elongates rapidly due to heart and
lungs.
• Epithelium and glands proliferate and completely obliterates the
esophagus, however, recanalization occurs by the end of the 8th
week.
Development of Esophagus
• Striated muscle form muscularis externa of superior third of
esophagus, derived from mesenchyme in 4th and 6th pharyngeal
arches.
• Smooth muscle in inferior third of esophagus develops from
splanchnic mesenchyme.
• Both innervated by vagus nerve.
Development of the Stomach
• Begins as a fusiform enlargement of the distal foregut initially
oriented in the median plane.
• Begins to enlarge ventrodorsally, dorsal border grows faster than
ventral border  greater curvature of the stomach.
 Rotation of the Stomach
Effects of 90o clockwise rotation around longitudinal axis:
• Ventral border (lesser curvature) moves to the right
• Dorsal border (greater curvature) moves to the left

• Original left side becomes ventral surface

• Original right side becomes dorsal surface

• Cranial aspect of stomach moves to the left and slightly inferior

• Caudal aspect moves to right and superior

• Left vagus nerve supplies anterior wall of adult stomach

• Right vagus nerve supplies posterior wall

• Dorsal mesentery moves to the left  omental bursa (lesser sac) forms
Mesenteries of the Stomach
• The stomach is suspended from the dorsal wall of the
abdominal cavity by the a dorsal mesentery, the
primordial dorsal mesogastrium.
• The mesentery, originally in the median plane, is carried
to the left during rotation of the stomach and formation
of the omental bursa or lesser sac of the peritoneum.
• The mesentery also contains the spleen and celiac artery.
Mesenteries of the Stomach
The primordial ventral
mesogastrium
attaches to the
stomach, the
duodenum to the liver
and the ventral
abdominal wall.
 Omental Bursa (Lesser Sac)
• Isolated cleft develop in
the mesenchyme,
forming the thick dorsal
mesogastrium.
• The clefts coalesce to
form a single cavity, the
omental bursa.
Omental Bursa (Lesser Sac)
• Rotation of the stomach pulls the mesogastrium to
the left, thereby enlarging the bursa, a large recess in
the peritoneal cavity

• The bursa expands transversely and cranially and soon

lies between the stomach and posterior abdominal
wall.
Omental Bursa (Lesser Sac)
• The superior part of the omental bursa is cut off as
the diaphragm develops, forming the infracardiac
bursa.

• The inferior region of the superior part of the bursa

persists as the superior recess of the omental bursa.
As the stomach
expands, the
omental bursa
expands and
acquires an
inferior recess of
the omental
bursa, between
the layers of the
greater
omentum.
Omental Bursa
• The greater omentum is a membrane that
overhangs the developing intestines. The inferior
recess disappears as the layers of the greater
omentum fuse.
• The omental bursa communicates with the
peritoneal cavity through and opening, the
omental foramen.
Development of Duodenum
During the 4th week, the duodenum develops from:
• Caudal part of foregut
• Cranial part of midgut
• Splanchnic mesenchyme

The junction of the two parts of the duodenum is just distal to

the origin of the bile duct.

Duodenum forms a C-shaped loop that projects ventrally.

Development of Duodenum
• As the stomach rotates, the duodenal loop rotates to
the right and is pressed against the posterior wall of
the abdominal cavity (retroperitoneal).

• 5-6th weeks: proliferation of epithelial cells in

duodenum  duodenal lumen obliterated 
vacuolation occurs and epithelial cells degenerate 
dudoenum recanalized.
Development of the Liver and Biliary
Apparatus
• The liver, gallbladder and biliary system arise as a ventral
outgrowth (from the foregut), the hepatic diverticulum early
in the 4th week.

• The diverticulum extends into the septum transversum, a

mass of splanchnic mesoderm separating the pericardial and
peritoneal cavities. The septum forms the ventral
mesogastrium in this region.
Development of the Liver and Biliary
Apparatus
The hepatic diverticulum enlarges rapidly and divides into two parts:
• Larger cranial part  primordium of the liver
• Smaller caudal part  primordium of the gallbladder
Development of the
Liver and Biliary
Apparatus
Proliferating enodermal
cells form interlacing
cords of hepatocytes and
give rise to the epithelial
lining of the intrahepatic
part of the biliary
apparatus.
Development of the
Liver and Biliary
Apparatus
The hepatic cords
anastamose around
endothelium-lined
spaces, the primordia of
the hepatic sinusoids.
Development of the Liver and Biliary
Apparatus
• The fibrous and hematopoietic tissue and Kupffer cells
of the liver are derived from mesenchyme in the
septum transversum.
• Kupffer cells  phagocytic cells  breakdown RBC’s
• Hematopoiesis – begins in the 6th week
• Bile formation – begins in the 12th week
Development of the
Gallbladder
The small caudal part of
the hepatic diverticulum
becomes the gallbladder
and the stalk of the
diverticulum forms the
cystic duct.
Development of the Gallbladder
Initially the extrahepatic biliary apparatus is occluded
with epithelial cells but it is later canalized because of
vacuolation, resulting from degeneration of these cells.
Development of the Gallbladder
• The stalk of the diverticulum connecting the hepatic and
cystic ducts to the duodenum becomes the bile duct.
• Initially it attaches to the ventral aspect of the duodenual
loop.
• When the duodenum grows and rotates, the entrance of
the bile ducts goes to the dorsal aspect of the duodenum.
• Bile entering the duodenum after the 13th week gives the
meconium (intestinal discharges of the fetus).
 Ventral Mesentery
Thin, double-layered
membrane that gives rise to:
1. The lesser omentum
(hepatogastric and
hepatoduodenal ligament)
2. Falciform ligament –
extending from the liver to
the ventral abdominal wall.
Ventral Mesentery

The umbilical vein

passes in the free
border of the
falciform ligament .
Bare Area of the
Liver
Area of the liver in direct
contact with the
diaphragm, not covered
by peritoneum.
Questions
Development of Pancreas
In the caudal region of the foregut, endodermal cells give rise to
the dorsal and ventral pancreatic buds.
• Dorsla pancreatic bud gives rise to most of the pancreas
• Ventral pancreatic bud develops near the entry of the bile duct into
the duodenum.
• As the duodenum rotates, the bud is carried dorsally with the bile
duct.
• The ventral bud then lies posterior to the dorsal pancreatic bud and
later fuses with it.
• Ventral pancreatic bud  uncinate process and part of the head of
the pancreas.
The pancreatic duct forms from the duct of the ventral bud and
the distal part of the duct of the dorsal bud.
The proximal part of the duct of the dorsal bud often persists as
an accessory pancreatic duct that opens into the minor
dudoenal papilla, 2 cm cranial to the main duct.
Histogenesis of Pancreas
• Parenchyma (basic cellular tissue) – derived from
endoderm of the pancreatic buds. They form a
network of tubules.
• Pancreatic acini (secretory portions of an acinous
gland) begin to develop from cell clusters around the
ends of these tubules (primordial pancreatic ducts).
• The pancreatic islets develop from groups of cells that
separate from the tubules and lie between the acini.
 Histogenesis of the Pancreas
• Pancreatic acinar cells produce digestive enzymes
• Pancreatic ductal cells transport the digestive enzymes
• Pancreatic endocrine cells in the islets of Langerhans produce
insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide, and
ghrelin.
• They all differentiate from the endoderm of the pancreatic buds.
• 10th week  Insulin secretion begins
• 15th week  presence of Glucagon
Maternal Diabetes Mellitus
Chronic exposure of high levels of glucose 
hypertrophy of beta cells  increased rate of insulin
secretion in the fetus
 Development of the Spleen

The spleen is derived from a

mass of mesenchymal cells
located between the layers
of the dorsal mesogastrium.

The spleen functions as a

hematopoietic center until
late fetal life.
Development of the Spleen
As the stomach rotates, the left
surface of the mesogastrium fuses
with the peritoneum over the left
kidney  development of the
splenorenal ligament.
Midgut Derivatives
• Small intestine (jejunum and ileum) + duodneum
distal to the opening of the bile duct.
• Cecum
• Appendix
• Ascneding colon
• Right 2/3 transverse colon
 Herniation of Midgut Loop
Physiological Umbilical
Herniation
6th week - As the midgut
elongates, it forms a
ventral U-shaped loop of
intestine, the midgut loop,
that projects into the
remains of the
extraembryonic coelom in
the proximal part of the
umbilical cord.
Herniation of
Midgut Loop
The loop communicates
with the umbilical vesicle
(yolk sac) through the
narrow omphaloenteric
duct (vitelline duct) until
the 10th week.
Why does the
herniation occur?
Due to the massive liver and
kidneys, there is a shortage
of space for the rapidly
growing midgut loop.
The midgut loop has a cranial
and caudal limb and is
suspended from the dorsal
abdominal wall by the dorsal
meosgastrium.
Midgut Loop
The vitelline duct is attached to the apex of the midgut
loop where the two limbs join.
The cranial limb: grows rapidly and forms small
intestinal loops
The caudal limb: develops the cecal swelling
(diverticulum) – the primordium of the cecum and
appendix. The caudal limb will become the ascending
colon and the transverse colon.
Rotation of Midgut Loop
While in the umbilical cord, the midgut loop rotates 90o
counter-clockwise around the axis of the superior
mesenteric artery.
• Cranial limb moves to the right
• Caudal limb moves to the left

• During rotation, the cranial limb elongates and forms

the intestinal loops.
Retraction of Intestinal Loops
• 10th week – reduction of midgut hernia, the
intestines return to the abdomen.
• The small intestines (formed from the cranial limb)
returns first, passing posterior to the superior
mesenteric artery and occupies thee central part of
the abdomen.
• As the large intestines return, it undergoes a further
180o degree counterclockwise rotation.
 11th week – intestines have completely returned to the abdominal cavity.
The cecum rotates to a posiiton just inferior to the liver in the region of the right iliac crest.
 Fixation of
Intestines
• The enlarged colon presses
the duodenum and pancreas
against the posterior
abdominal wall, as a result
most of the duodenal
mesentery is absorded.
• The duodenum, except for the
first part, has no mesentery
and lies retroperitoneally.
• The head of the pancreas also
becomes retroperitoneal.
Fixation of Intestines
At first, the dorsal mesentery is in the median plane.
As the intestines enlarge, lengthen and assume their
final positions, their mesenteries are pressed against
the posterior abdominal wall.
The mesentery of the ascending colon fuses with the
parietal peritoneum on this wall and disappears, the
ascending colon becomes retroperitoneal.
Small Bowel Mesentery
Cecum and Appendix Development
The primordium of the
cecum and the appendix,
the cecal swelling, appears
as an elevation on the
antimesenteric border of
the caudal limb of the
midgut loop.
 Hindgut Derivatives
• Left 1/3 transverse colon
• Descending colon
• Sigmoid colon
• Rectum
• Superior part of anal canal
• Epithelium of urinary bladder and urethra

The hindgut is supplied by the inferior

mesenteric artery.
The Descending Colon
The descending colon becomes retroperitoneal as its
mesentery fuses with the parietal peritoneum on the
left posterior abdominal wall and then disappears.
Cloaca
The cloaca is a chamber into which the hindgut and allantois
empty.
• It is endoderm-lined and in contact with surface ectoderm
at the cloacal membrane.
• Cloacal membrane: composed of endoderm of the cloaca
and ectoderm of the anal pit.
• The cloaca receives the allantois ventrally, which is a finger-
like diverticulum that extends into the connecting stalk.
Partitioning of the Cloaca
The urorectal septum divides the cloaca into dorsal and ventral parts.
Partitioning of the Cloaca
• As the urorectal septum grows toward the cloacal membrane, it
develops fork-like extensions that produce infoldings of the lateral
walls of the cloaca.
• These folds grow toward each other and fuse.
• These folds divide the cloaca into three parts:
1. The rectum
2. Cranial part of anal canal
3. Urogenital sinus
• An upper fold,
Tourneux, is
located frontally
and grows
caudally.

• Two lateral folds,

Rathke, form
and fuse at the
median level.
Cloaca and anorectal development
• After the cloacal membrane ruptures by apoptosis,
the anorectal lumen is temporarily closed by an
epithelial plug.
• Mesenchymal proliferations produce elevations of the
surface ectoderm around the epithelial anal plug.
• Recanalization of the anorectal canal occurs by
apoptotic cell death of the epithelial anal plug which
forms the anal pit.