Title of the project : The Form of the Embryo at Different Stages of Its

Growth

Objectives of the project : to know about human embryo at

different stages

Hypothesis:to study the human embryo at different stages

Tools:observation and survey,Questionnaire, I
interview,Internet
Procedure:
Introduction: As pregnancy progress, the foetus of an embryo with certain
characters
grows and the uterus increases in diameter. Usually, at about the ninth
month after fertilization. The head of the foetus is turned down towards
the opening of the uterus. At birth, the head usually comes out first.
Sometimes the feet come first; this makes the delivery more difficult.
We still do not know much about the mechanism of child birth and how it
is triggered.
Childbirth begins when the muscle layers of the uterus starts to a
rhythemic contract and relax, these actions are felt as labour pains. At
first, muscular activity of the uterus is just strong enough to move the
baby slowly toward the vagina the outer canal of the female reproductive
tract.

. The Form of the Embryo at Different Stages of Its

Growth
First Week.—During this period the ovum is in the uterine tube. Having been
fertilized in
the upper part of the tube, it slowly passes down, undergoing segmentation, and reaches
the uterus. Peters 9 described a specimen, the age of which he reckoned as from three to
four days. It was imbedded in the decidua on the posterior wall of the uterus and
enveloped by a decidua capsularis, the central part of which, however, consisted merely
of
a layer of fibrin. The ovum was in the form of a sac, the outer wall of which consisted of
a
layer of trophoblast; inside this was a thin layer of mesoderm composed of round, oval,
and spindleshaped
cells. Numerous villous processes—some consisting of trophoblast
only, others possessing a core of mesoderm—projected from the surface of the ovum into
the surrounding decidua. Inside this sac the rudiment of the embryo was found in the
form
of a patch of ectoderm, covered by a small but completely closed amnion. It possessed a
minute yolksac
and was surrounded by mesoderm, which was connected by a band to that
lining the trophoblast
1
FIG. 58– Human embryo about fifteen days old. (His.)
Second Week.—By the end of this week the ovum has increased considerably in
size, and
the majority of its villi are vascularized. The embryo has assumed a definite form, and its
cephalic and caudal extremities are easily distinguished. The neural folds are partly
united. The embryo is more completely separated from the yolksac,
and the paraxial
mesoderm is being divided into the primitive segments
Human embryo between eighteen and twentyone
days old. (His
Third Week.—By the end of the third week the embryo is strongly curved, and the
primitive segments number about thirty. The primary divisions of the brain are visible,
and the optic and auditory vesicles are formed. Four branchial grooves are present: the
stomodeum is wellmarked,
and the buccopharyngeal
membrane has disappeared. The
rudiments of the limbs are seen as short buds, and the Wolffian bodies are visible
3
FIG. 60– Human embryo, twentyseven
to thirty days old. (His.)
Fourth Week.—The embryo is markedly curved on itself, and when viewed in
profile is
almost circular in outline. The cerebral hemispheres appear as hollow buds, and the
elevations which form the rudiments of the auricula are visible. The limbs now appear as
oval flattened projections
4
FIG. 61– Human embryo, thirtyone
to thirtyfour
days old. (His.)
Fifth Week.—The embryo is less curved and the head is relatively of large size.
Differentiation of the limbs into their segments occurs. The nose forms a short, flattened
projection. The cloacal tubercle is evident
5
FIG. 62– Humanembryo of about six weeks. (His.)
FIG. 63– Humanembryo about eight and a half weeks old. (His.)
Sixth Week.—The curvature of the embryo is further diminished. The branchial grooves
—except the first—have disappeared, and the rudiments of the fingers and toes can be
recognized (Fig. 62).
6
Seventh and Eighth Weeks.—The flexure of the head is gradually reduced and the neck
is somewhat lengthened. The upper lip is completed and the nose is more prominent. The
nostrils are directed forward and the palate is not completely developed. The eyelids are
present in the shape of folds above and below the eye, and the different parts of the
auricula are distinguishable. By the end of the second month the fetus measures from 28
to 30 mm. in length (Fig. 63).
7

Third Month.—The head is extended and the neck is lengthened. The eyelids meet
and
fuse, remaining closed until the end of the sixth month. The limbs are welldeveloped
and
nails appear on the digits. The external generative organs are so far differentiated that it is
possible to distinguish the sex. By the end of this month the length of the fetus is about 7
cm., but if the legs be included it is from 9 to 10 cm.
8

Fourth Month.—The loop of gut which projected into the umbilical cord is
withdrawn
within the fetus. The hairs begin to make their appearance. There is a general increase in
size so that by the end of the fourth month the fetus is from 12 to 13 cm. in length, but if
the legs be included it is from 16 to 20 cm.
9

Fifth Month.
—It is during this month that the first movements of the fetus are usually observed. The
eruption of hair on the head commences, and the vernix caseosa begins to be deposited.
By the end of this month the total length of the fetus, including the legs, is from 25 to 27
cm.
10
Sixth Month.—The body is covered by fine hairs (lanugo) and the deposit of
vernix
caseosa is considerable. The papillæ of the skin are developed and the free border of the
nail projects from the corium of the dermis. Measured from vertex to heels, the total
length of the fetus at the end of this month is from 30 to 32 cm.
11

Seventh Month.—The pupillary membrane atrophies and the eyelids are open.
The testis
descends with the vaginal sac of the peritoneum. From vertex to heels the total length at
the end of the seventh month is from 35 to 36 cm. The weight is a little over three
pounds.
12

Eighth Month.—The skin assumes a pink color and is now entirely coated with
vernix
caseosa, and the lanugo begins to disappear. Subcutaneous fat has been developed to a
considerable extent, and the fetus presents a plump appearance. The total length, i.
e.,from head to heels, at the end of the eighth month is about 40 cm., and the weight
varies between four and onehalf
and five and onehalf
pounds.
13

Ninth Month.—The lanugo has largely disappeared from the trunk. The umbilicus
is
almost in the middle of the body and the testes are in the scrotum. At full time the fetus
weighs from six and onehalf
to eight pounds, and measures from head to heels about 50
cm.
14
Note 9. Die Einbettung des menschlichen Eies, 1899. [back]
Note 10. Bryce and Teacher (Early Development and Imbedding of the Human
Ovum,1908) have described an ovum which they regard as thirteen to fourteen days old.
In
it the two vesicles, the amnion and yolksac,
were present, but there was no trace of a layer
of embryonic ectoderm. They are of opinion that the age of Peters’ ovum has been
understated, and estimate it as between thirteen and onehalf
and fourteen and onehalf
days.
CONCLUSION:all the data collected for the project . The
Form of the Embryo at Different Stages of Its
Growth
Experience : we had mixed Experience where som
children gave ganuine answers it took little time in
gathering information from books.
Acknowledgement :We thankful to our biology teacher for
allotting this project . other teachers , friends , and parents
helped us a lot in doing this project .
Biloliography : we are thankful to our biology teacher
Library
News papers
Text book