EMBRYOLOGY OF BODY

CAVITIES, MESENTERIES
AND DIAPHRAGM
Mutalife F. Mweemba
 Objective

 Describe the development process of body cavities

 Discuss the development of the mesenteries
 Discuss the development of the diaphragm
 Clinical correlations
 Development of body cavities
 At the end of the 3rd week, intraembryonic mesoderm differentiates into a paraxial,
intermediate and lateral plate portions.
 Intercellular clefts appear in the lateral mesoderm, the plates are then divided into two
layers: the somatic and splanchnic mesoderm layers.
 Cont…
 The space between layers forms the intraembryonic cavity (body cavity)
 As the embryo folds cephalocaudally and laterally a large intraembryonic cavity
extends from the thoracic to the pelvic region forms.
 which is divided into 3 well-defined cavities during the 4th week
 A pericardial cavity
 Two pericardioperitoneal canals
 A peritoneal cavity
 These body cavities have a:
 parietal wall (future parietal layer of peritoneum) derived from somatic mesoderm and
 visceral wall covered by mesothelium (future visceral layer of peritoneum) derived from
splanchnic mesoderm
Cont…
 Cont….
 The peritoneal cavity (the major part of intraembryonic coelom) is connected
with the extraembryonic coelom at the umbilicus
 During the 10th week peritoneal cavity loses its connection with the
extraembryonic coelom
 During formation of the head fold, the heart and pericardial cavity are
relocated ventrocaudally, anterior to the foregut.
 As a result, the pericardial cavity opens into pericardioperitoneal canals,
which pass dorsal to the foregut.
 The caudal part of the foregut, midgut, and hindgut are suspended in the
peritoneal cavity from the dorsal abdominal wall by the dorsal mesentery
 Mesenteries
 Double layers of visceral peritoneum, enclosing internal organs and such
organs are called intraperitoneal
 whereas organs on the posterior body wall, covered by peritoneum on their
anterior surface only (e.g., the kidneys) are considered retroperitoneal.
 Suspends the gut tube in the peritoneum from dorsal and ventral body wall
 ventral mesentery soon disappears, except where it is attached to the caudal
part of the foregut (primordium of stomach and proximal part of duodenum)
 Provide pathways for vessels, nerves, and lymphatics to and from
abdominal viscera
Cont…
 Diaphragm and Thoracic Cavity

 The thoracic cavity is divided into the pericardial and two pleural cavities for
the lungs by the pleuropericardial membranes
 The septum transversum is a thick plate of mesodermal tissue occupying the
space between the thoracic cavity and the stalk of the yolk sac.
 This septum leaves large openings, known as pericardioperitoneal canals
between the thoracic and abdominal cavities
 Lung buds expand caudolaterally within the pericardioperitoneal canals as they
grow.
 Rapid growth of the lungs, in the small pericardioperitoneal canals makes the
lungs to expand into the mesenchyme of the body wall dorsally, laterally, and
ventrally
Cont….
 Division of the Embryonic Body Cavity
 Each pericardioperitoneal canal lies lateral to the proximal part of the
foregut (future esophagus) and dorsal to the septum transversum
 The septum transversum is the primordium of the central tendon of the
diaphragm.
 Partitions form in each pericardioperitoneal canal that separate the
pericardial cavity from the pleural cavities and the pleural cavities
from the peritoneal cavity.
 Because of the growth of the bronchial buds (primordia of bronchi and
lungs) into the pericardioperitoneal canals.
 Pleuropericardial Membranes
 As the pleuropericardial folds enlarge, they form partitions that separate the
pericardial cavity from the pleural cavities.
 Pleuropericardial membranes contain the common cardinal veins
 Initially the bronchial buds are small relative to the heart and pericardial
cavity.
 They soon grow laterally from the caudal end of the trachea into the
pericardioperitoneal canals (future pleural canals).
 As the primordial pleural cavities expand ventrally around the heart, also
extend into the body wall, splitting the mesenchyme into:
 An outer layer form the thoracic wall
 An inner layer (pleuropericardial membrane) becomes the fibrous
pericardium
 Pleuroperitoneal Membranes
 As the pleuroperitoneal folds enlarge, they project into the
pericardioperitoneal canals.
 Gradually the folds become membranous, forming the pleuroperitoneal
membranes.
 Eventually these membranes separate the pleural cavities from the
peritoneal cavity.
 The pleuroperitoneal membranes are produced as the developing lungs
and pleural cavities expand and invade the body wall.
 They are attached dorsolaterally to the abdominal wall
Cont…
 During the 6th week, the pleuroperitoneal membranes extend
ventromedially until their free edges fuse with the dorsal mesentery of the
esophagus and septum transversum
 This separates the pleural cavities from the peritoneal cavity.
 Closure of the pleuroperitoneal openings is assisted by the migration of
myoblasts (primordial muscle cells) into the pleuroperitoneal membranes
 The pleuroperitoneal opening on the right side closes slightly before the
left one.
 It may be related to the relatively large size of the right lobe of the liver at
this stage of development
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIAPHRAGM
 The diaphragm is a dome-shaped, musculotendinous partition that separates the thoracic and
abdominal cavities.
 It is a composite structure that develops from 4 embryonic components
 Septum transversum
 Pleuroperitoneal membranes
 Dorsal mesentery of oesophagus
 Muscular ingrowth from lateral body walls
Cont….
 Septum transversum
 composed of mesodermal tissue, is the primordium of the central tendon of
the diaphragm.
 Grows dorsally from the ventrolateral body wall and forms a semicircular
shelf
 The septum transversum does not separate the thoracic and abdominal
cavities completely.
 There are large openings, the pericardioperitoneal canals, along the sides
of the esophagus.
 The septum transversum expands and fuses with the dorsal mesentery of the
esophagus and the pleuroperitoneal membranes
 Pleuroperitoneal Membranes

 These membranes fuse with the dorsal mesentery of the esophagus

and the septum transversum
 This completes the partition between the thoracic and abdominal
cavities and forms the primordial diaphragm.
 Dorsal Mesentery of the Oesophagus
 This mesentery constitutes the median portion of the diaphragm.
 The crura of the diaphragm, a leg like pair of diverging muscle bundles that cross in the
median plane anterior to the aorta
 Develop from myoblasts that grow into the dorsal mesentery of the oesophagus.
 Muscular Ingrowth from Lateral Body Walls

 During the 9th to 12th weeks, the lungs and pleural cavities enlarge, delving into the lateral
body walls.
 During this process, the body wall tissue is split into two layers:
 An external layer that becomes part of the definitive abdominal wall
 An internal layer that contributes to peripheral parts of the diaphragm
Cont…
 Further extension of the developing pleural cavities into the lateral body walls forms the
right and left costodiaphragmatic recesses
 Innervation of the Diaphragm

 During the 4th week, the septum transversum, before relocation of the heart, lies opposite the 3rd to 5th
cervical somites .

 During the 5th week, myoblasts from these somites migrate into the developing diaphragm, bringing
their nerve fibres with them.

 phrenic nerves that supply motor innervation to the diaphragm arise from the ventral primary rami
of the 3rd, 4th and 5th cervical spinal nerves.

 The phrenic nerves also supply sensory fibres to the superior and inferior surfaces of the diaphragm.
 The costal border receives sensory fibers from the lower intercostal nerves because of the origin
from the lateral body walls
Cont….
 Clinical correlations
 Ventral body wall defects in the thorax or abdomen may involve the heart,
abdominal viscera, and urogenital organs.
 They may be due to a failure of body folding, in which case one or more
of the four folds may occur:
 Diaphragmatic Hernias
 Parasternal hernia
 Esophageal hernia
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)

 Diaphragmatic hernias involving a defect of the pleuroperitoneal membrane

on the left side occur frequently
 Posterolateral defect of the diaphragm is the only relatively common congenital
anomaly of the diaphragm
 defect occurs about once in 2200 new born infants
 associated with CDH, herniation of abdominal contents into the thoracic cavity.
 sometimes referred to clinically as the foramen of Bochdalek,
 occurs on the left side in 85% to 90% of cases.
Cont…
 Retrosternal (Parasternal) Hernia
 Herniations through the sternocostal hiatus (foramen of Morgagni)
 Congenital Hiatal Hernia
 herniation of part of the foetal stomach through an excessively large
esophageal hiatus
 the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus and vagus
nerves pass
Cont…
 Gastroschisis is a herniation of abdominal contents through the body
wall directly into the amniotic cavity
 Omphalocele is herniation of abdominal viscera through an enlarged
umbilical ring
 Ectopia cordis heart protrudes through a sternal defect (either cleft
sternum or absence of the lower third of the sternum) and lies outside the
body
ACTIVITY

 How do you explain the fact that the phrenic nerve, which originates from cervical
segments 3, 4, and 5, innervates the diaphragm in the thoracic region?
 Why does congenital diaphragmatic hernias involving a defect of the pleuroperitoneal
membrane on the left side occur frequently.
 Thank you