Embryology

Dr Yaser Abdullah
Development of pharyngeal arches,pouches and
clefts.
 PHARYNGEAL ARCHES:are conditions of
mesoderm and neural crest cells on each
side of the primitive pharynx .
 The arches are covered externally by ecto
derm and internally by endoderm.
 Appearance: They are first observed in we
ek 4 of development and gives the embryo
it's distinctive appearance.
 Borders:Externally,arches are separated fr
om each other by invaginations called pha
ryngeal clefts and internally by outpocketin
g called pharyngeal pouches.
Development of the pharyngeal Arches A. 25 days ,B.28 da
ys ,C.5 weeks
 Number:There are
 _5 pharyngeal arches(1,2,3,4 and 6) and
 _4pharyngeal pouches(1,2,3 and 4),
 _4pharyngeal clefts(1,2,3 and 4),
 _pharyngeal arche 5 and pharyngeal pouc
h 5 completely regress in the human.
 Mesoderm differentiates into an artery (aortic arches 1_6)
and muscle tissue.
 _Neural crest differentiates into skeletal components and
connective tissue.
 _Each pharyngeal arche has cranial nerve associated wit
h it.
 _The cranial nerves innervating each arche are following:
 -Arche 1: Trigeminal nerve ,mandibular branch {cranial
nerve 5}.
 -Arche 2:Facial nerve{cranial nerve 7}.
 -Arche 3:Glossopharyngeal nerve {cranial nerve 9}.
 -Arches 4 and 6:Vagus nerve branches {cranial nerve 1
0}.
Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal Arch 1
1.Arch
2.Nerve
3.Mesoderm:
 .Muscles of mastication,
 .Mylohyoid,
 .Tensor veli palatini muscle,
 .Tensor tympani muscle,
 .Anterior belly of digastric muscle.
 4_Neural crest cells.
 .Maxilla,
 .Zygomatic bone,
 .Squamous temporal bone,
 .Palatine bone , vomer,
 .Mandible, incus, malleus,
 .Sphenomandibular ligament
 Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal Arch 2
1_Arch
2_Nerve
3_Mesoderm
 .Muscles of facial expression,
 .posterior belly of the digastric muscle,
 .Stylohyoid muscle,
 .stapedius muscle.
4_Neural crest cells
 .Lesser horn and upper body of hyoid bone,
 .Stapes, styloid process, Stylohyoid ligament.
 Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal Arch 3

1_ Arch
2_Nerve
3_Mesoderm
 .Stylopharyngeus muscle
4_Neural crest cells
 .Greater horn and lower body of hyoid bone.
 Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal Arch 4
1_Arch
2_Nerve
3_Mesoderm
 .Muscles of the soft palate (except tensor veli palatini),
 .Muscles of pharynx ( except Stylopharyngeus),
 .cricothyroid muscle,
 .circopharyngeus muscle.
4_Neural crest cells
 .laryngeal cartilages
 Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal Arch 6
1_Arch
2_Nerve
3_Mesoderm
 .Intrinsic muscles of the larynx(except cruciferous),
 .Upper muscles of esophagus
4_Neural crest cells
 .laryngeal cartilages
 PHARYNGEAL CLEFTS

.pharyngeal clefts are the invaginations of ectoderm betwe

en each pharyngeal Arch.
.pharyngeal cleft 1 gives rise to the external acoustic meat
us.
.The other grooves are obliterated as
 .pharyngeal Arch 2 overgrowns.
 .pharyngeal arches 3 and 4.
 PHARYNGEAL POUCHES
Pharyngeal pouches are diverticula(pouches) of the endo
dermal lining of the foregut
 -P. Pouch 1 gives rise to epithelial lining of auditory tube
and middle ear cavity
 -P. Pouch 2 gives rise epithelial lining of palatine tonsil c
rypts
 -P. Pouch 3 gives rise inferior parathyroid gland, thymus
 -P. Pouch 4 gives rise superior parathyroid gland, ultimo
branchial body.
Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal pouches,Grooves and
Membranes

Pouch Adult Derivatives

1. Epithelial lining of the auditory tube and middle ear cavity

2. Epithelial lining of the palatine tonsil crypts.

3. Inferior parathyroid gland and thymus

4. Superior parathyroid gland and ultimobranchial body.

Adult Derivatives of the pharyngeal pouches,Grooves and
Membranes

Groove

1 Epithelial lining of the external auditory meatu

2,3,4. Obliterated
Membrane
1 Tympanic membrane
2,3,4. Obliterated

*Neural crest cells migrate into the ultimobranchial body to form

parafollicular cells of the thyroid , which secrete calcitonin