Summary

of general

embryology

Fertilization: Where?
Ampullary region of the uterine tube
changes must Spermatozoa Undergo
Capacitation and Acrosome reaction
three phases of fertilization:
phase 1
Pehnetration of the Corona Radiata.
Sperm must have undergone capacitation (removal of glycoprotein coat
Phase 2
Penetration of the Zona Pellucida.Requires acrosome reaction.
Phase 3
Fusion of the Oocyte and Sperm Cell Membranes.
1. Resumption of the second meiotic division.
2. Metabolic activation of the egg.
How Blastocyst Formation occur
Inner cell mass - embryoblast - becomes embryo proper.Outer cell mass trophoblast - becomes placenta end of first week.
Uterus at time of Implantation.
Think about Its makeup, phase of the menstrual cycle
Wall of Uterus:
Endometrium- mucosal lining
Myometrium - thick layer of smooth muscle
Perimetrium - peritoneal covering of the outside wall.
Mucosa in secretory phase.
Endometrium:Compact layer, spongy layer, and thin basal layer.
Second Week of Development: Day 8 and 9
Trophoblast two layers:
1. inner layer cytotrophoblast
2. outer layer syncytiotrophoblast
Embryoblast two layers:
1. adjacent to amniotic cavity - epiblast layer.
2. adjacent to blastocyst cavity hypoblast
Exocoelomic Membrane lines the primative yolk sac.
Lacunar form

Second Week of Development Day 11, 12 and 13

Blastocyst completely enveloped in the endometrium. Syncitiotrophoblasts
invade into maternal arterioles - Establishment of uteroplacental circulation.
Extra-embryonic mesoderm forms the boundary of the extraembryonic cavity.
(chrionic cavity)
the two layers of extra embryonic mesoderm are called:
1. Extra embryonic Somatopleuric mesoderm
2. Extra embryonic Splanchnopleuric mesoderm
Secondary yolk sac formed from hypoblast layer.
Connecting stalk- will become ubilicus.
Third Week of Development Gastrulation
Formation of Ectoderm, Mesoderm and Ectoderm.
1. Privative streak on epiblast.
2. Cells of the epiblast migrate towards the primative streak and invaginate.
3. Displacement of the hypoblast leads to formation of the endoderm.
4. Cells betwen the epiblast and the endoderm become the mesoderm.
5. Cells remaining in the epiblast become the ectoderm.
How Formation of the Notochord?
Prenotochordal cells invaginate into the primative node to form the
prechordal plate.
Cells of the notochord detach from the endoderm and form the
definitive notochord
Third Week of Development: Further Development of the Trophoblast
Primary Villi.
Mesodermal cells penetrate primary villi to become secondary villi.
Mesodermal cells differentiate into blood vessels - Tertiary Villus.
Nuerulation process
Neuroectoderm forms neural plate > neural folds and neural
grooves > neural tube with anteriori and posterior neuropores.

Neural crest cells - become sensory ganglia, sympathetic and enteric

neurons, schwann cells and cells of adrenal medulla.
Neural Tube defects
Neural tube fails to form in cranial region = anencephaly.
Neural tube fails to form anywhere from cervical region caudally =
spina bifida.
70% of defects prevent woth 400ug of folic acid beginning 3 months
before pregnancy
Human placenta develops from two sources
Fetal component- Chorionic frondosum
Maternal component- decidua basalis

 The intervillous space of the placenta, which contains maternal

blood, is derived from the lacunae that developed in the
syncytiotrophoblast during the second week of development
The placental membrane is a composite structure that consists of the
extrafetal tissues separating the maternal and fetal blood

placental membrane consists of four layers

syncytiotrophoblast,
cytotrophoblast,
extraemberyonic mesoderm
endothelium of fetal capillaries.
The Decidua
Decidua refers to the gravid endometrium, the functional layer of the
endometrium in a pregnant woman that separates from the
remainder of the uterus after parturition (childbirth). The three
regions of the decidua are named according to their relation to the
implantation site
The decidua basalis is the part of the decidua deep to the
conceptus that forms the maternal part of the placenta.
The decidua capsularis is the superficial part of the decidua
overlying the conceptus.
The decidua parietalis is all the remaining parts of the decidua.
Functions of the Placenta
Metabolism (e.g., synthesis of glycogen)
Transport of gases and nutrients
Endocrine secretion (e.g., human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG])