EMBRYOGENESIS &

FETAL DEVELOPMENT
1 ST WEEK
 1st

Week
 1st

Week
2 ND WEEK
2nd Week

■ Completion of implantation: occurs on day 6 – 10

■ Trophoblast differentiates into 2 layers:
– Cytotrophoblast: mitotically active
– Syncytiotrophoblast: rapidly expanding, multinucleated mass in which no cell
boundaries are discernible, produce hCG hormone  detectable at maternal
blood at the end of 2nd week
■ Decidual cells: degenerate adjacent to the penetrating syncytiotrophoblast
■ The syncytiotrophoblast engulfs these cells providing a rich source of embryonic
nutrition
2nd

Week
Formation of Amniotic Cavity, Embryonic
Disc, and Umbilical Vesicle
■ A small space appears in the embryoblast  primordial amniotic cavity
■ Embryoblast  bilaminar plate:
– Epiblast: thicker, columnar cells, related to amniotic cavity  amnioblast, Form
the floor of amniotic cavity, continuous with amnion peripherally
– Hypoblast: small cuboidal cells adjacent to exocoelomic cavity  form the roof
of exocoelomic membrane  lines the primary umbilical vesicle
■ Cells from the vesicle endoderm form a layer of connective tissue  extraembryonic
mesoderm  surrounds the amnion and umbilical vesicle.
■ Extraembryonic mesoderm  extraembryonic coelom. Primary umbilical vesicle 
smaller secondary umbilical vesicle
2nd

Week
2nd Week

■ Lacunae appar in the syncytiotrophoblast  filled with a mixture of maternal blood

from ruptured endometrial capillaries and cellular debris from eroded uterine glands
 embryotroph  asses to the embryonic disc by diffusion and provides nutritive
material to the embryo
■ Primordial uteroplacental circulation
■ Day 10: embryo is completely embedded  closed by closing plug
■ Day 12: lacunae  lacunar network  primordia of the intervillous spaces of the
placenta
■ Endometrial capillaries  maternal sinosoid
Development of Chorionic Sac

■ Extraembryonic coelom splits the extraembryonic mesoderm into 2 layers:

– Extraembryonic somatic mesoderm: lining the trophoblast and covering the amnion
– Extraembryonic splanchnic mesoderm: surrounding the umbilical vesicle
■ Extraembryonic coelom is the primordium of the chorionic cavity.
■ Extraembryonic somatic mesoderm + 2 layers of trophoblast  chorion  wall of
chorionic sac
■ Embryo, amniotic sac, and umbilical vesicle are suspended in this sac by the connecting
stalk
■ Day 14: hypoblastic cells @ localized area  columnar and thickened  prechordal
plate (mouth and head region)
2nd

Week
3 RD WEEK
3rd Week

■ Gastrulation
■ 3 important events:
– Appearance of primitive streak
– Development of notochord
– Differentiation of 3 germ layers
Gastrulation

■ Gastrulation: formative process by which the three germ layers, which are precursors of
4 all embryonic tissues, and the axial orientation are established in embryos
■ Embryonic ectoderm: epidermis, CNS, PNS, eyes and internal ears, neural crest cells,
and head connective tissue.
■ Embryonic endoderm: epithelial linings of the respiratory and digestive tracts, including
the glands opening into the gastrointestinal tract, and glandular cells of the liver and
pancreas
■ Embryonic mesoderm: skeletal muscles, blood cells, the lining of blood vessels, all
visceral smooth muscular coats, serosal linings of all body cavities, ducts and organs of
the reproductive and excretory systems, and most of the cardiovascular system.
Primitive Streak

■ Appears as a thickened linear band of epiblast caudally in the median plane of the
dorsal aspect of the embryonic disc
■ Proliferation and movement of cells of the epiblast
■ Its cranial end proliferates to form the primitive node  invagination: primitive pit
■ Primitive streak  invagination: primitive groove
■ Epiblast migration  mesenchyme, an embryonic connective tissue consisting of
small, spindle-shaped cells loosely arranged in an extracellular matrix  mesoblast
 intraembryonic mesoderm
■ Epiblast migration  displace hypoblast  embryonic endoderm
Notochordal Process

■ Mesenchymal cell migrate through primitive streak  mesoderm  migrate

cranially  notochordal process  notochordal canal  grows cranially between
the ectoderm and endoderm until it reaches the prechordal plate
■ Mesenchymal cells from the primitive streak and notochordal process migrate
laterally and cranially until they reach the margins of the embryonic disc
■ Prechordal plate: small circular area of columnar endodermal cells where the
ectoderm and endoderm are fused  give rise to endoderm of the oropharyngeal
membrane, located at the future site of the oral cavity
■ Prechordal mesoderm: mesenchymal population of neural crest origin, rostral to the
notochord
3rd Week

■ Mesenchymal cells from the primitive streak that have mesodermal fates migrate
cranially on each side of the notochordal process and around the prechordal plate
 form cardiogenic mesoderm in the cardiogenic area  primordial heart develop
at the end of 3rd week
■ Cloacal membrane: @ caudal to the primitive streak  future anus site
■ At the end of the 3rd week, intraembryonic mesoderm separates the ectoderm and
endoderm everywhere except :
– Cranial: @ oropharyngeal membrane
– Median plane: cranial to the primitive node, where the notochordal process is
located
– Caudal: @ cloacal membrane
Notochord

■ Signal from primitive streak region  induce notochordal precursor cells 

notochord:
– Primordial longitudinal axis
– Provides signals  axial musculoskeletal structures & CNS development
– Intervertebral discs
■ Fusion of notochordal process’s floor with the underlying embryonic endoderm 
degenerate  opening @ the floor of notochordal process  communication w/
umbilical vesicle, the remains of the noto- chordal process form the flattened,
grooved notochordal plate  @ cranial proliferate and undergo infolding 
notochord
■ Notochord detaches from endoderm  forms corpus vertebrae, nucleus pulposus
Neurulation: Formation of Neural Tube

■ Notochord  induce embryonic ectoderm at/adjacent to thicken and form

alongated neural plate
■ Neuroectoderm  CNS (brain & spinal cord), retina
■ Day 18: neural plate invaginate  neural groove, neural folds  end of 3rd week:
fusion of neural folds  neural tube
■ Neural crest epithelial cells  mesenchymal transition, migrate away to dorsolateral
aspects  spinal ganglion, autonomic nervous system ganglia, arachnoid mater,
and pia mater
Vasculogenesis & Angiogenesis

■ Mesenchymal cells  differentiate into endothelial cell precursor (angioblast) 

aggregate to form blood islands  small cavities appear within and endothelial
cords
■ Angioblasts flatten  endothelial cells that arrange themselves around the cavities
in the blood islands  endothelium
■ Endothelium-lined fuse  networks of endothelial channels (vasculogenesis) 
additional vessels sprout into adjacent areas by endothelial budding (angiogenesis)
and fuse with other vessels
■ Mesenchymal cells  differentiate into muscular and connective tissue of the
vessels
■ Hematopoiesis @ 5th week
Primordial Cardiovascular System

■ Mesenchymal cells  heart & great vessels @ cardiogenic area

■ Endocardial heart tubes fuse  primordial heart tube  connect with the stalk,
chorion, umblical vesicle  primordial cardiovascular system
■ End of 3rd week: blood is circulating
■ 21st – 22nd day: heart starts to beat
FOLDING OF EMBRYO
4 TH – 8 TH WEEK
FETAL PERIOD
TERIMA KASIH