Embryology

Por: Maria Payano

UNIBE

 This system consists of the Epidermis, Dermis, & its appendages:

sweat glands, nails, hairs, sebaceous glands & arrector pili muscles.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Epidermis: derives from

surface ectoderm.
 Dermis: Deeper layer
deriving from the
mesoderm.
 At 4th & 5th week the skin
is composed of only one
layer of ectoderm.
 Through cell induction
different areas of the skin
in the body proliferate.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Periderm:
 Primordium of epidermis.
 Squamous epithelium that undergoes
keratinization and desquamation.
Producing vernix caseosa.
 These cells are replaced by the layer of
cells under called the germinative layer
(Basal Layer).
 Periderm disappears in week 21 and
stratum corneum appears.
 Stratum Germinative:
 Derives from basal layer.
 11th week this layer forms an intermediate
layer .
 Proliferation of cells forms epidermal
ridges. Appear in week 10 and are
established by week 17 (fingerprints &
abnormal/normal)
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Late in the embryonic period neural crest cells migrate into the dermis and
differentiate into melanoblasts.
 Melanoblasts migrate to dermoepidermal junction and become melanocytes.
 Melanocytes begin producing melanin before birth & distribute it to the
epidermal cells.
 Thin and Thick Skin.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Most of the mesenchyme that

differentiates into the C.T of
the dermis originates from
the somatic layer of the
lateral mesoderm.
 Some derives from the
dermatomes of the somites.
 11th week: mesenchymal
cells produce collagenous
and elastic c.t.
 As epidermal ridges from so
do the dermal ridges which
from capillary loops.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Sebaceous glands
 Sweat glands
 Mammary glands (Modified and highly
specialized type of sweat glands).
Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE
Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE
Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Eccrine: located in
skin throughout most
of body & being
functioning shortly
after birth.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Mostly confined to
axilla, pubic,
perineal regions and
areolae of nipples.
 Open into upper part
of hair follicles
superficial to
opening of
sebaceous glands.
 Begin to secret
during puberty.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Ridges/crests appear in 4th week.

 Strips of ectoderm extending from the axillary to inguinal regions,
but persist in human in only pectoral area where breasts develop.
 The mammary buds develop as down growths from these these
ridges.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Each primary bud gives rise

to secondary mammary buds
that develop into lactiferous
ducts and their branches.
 Canalization of the buds is
induced by placental sex
hormones entering the fetal
circulation.
 This process continues until
late gestation and forms 15 to
20 lactiferous ducts.
 Fibrous connective tissue and
fat of the mammary gland
develop from the surrounding
mesenchyme.
mesenchyme
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 During fetal period, site of

mammary gland becomes
depressed forming the
mammary pit.
 In the newborn, nipples
are depressed & poorly
formed.
 After birth, proliferation
of surrounding connective
tissue of the areola causes
the nipples to rise from the
mammary pits.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Mammary glands of
newborn male & female
are identical often enlarge
and produce secretion
“witch’s milk.”
 Breast of newborn
contains lactiferous ducts
but no alveoli.
 Breasts are
underdeveloped until
puberty (very little
branching).
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 In females, breasts enlarge rapidly during puberty because of development of mammary

glands and accumulation of fat.
 Duct system grows with high levels of:
 Progesterone
 Estrogen
 Prolactin
 Growth hormones
 Full development occurs around the age of 19 years.
 Lactiferous ducts of male breasts remain rudimentary throughout life.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Begin to develop in
weeks 9-12.
 Easily recognized
starting in week 20th on
eyebrows, upper lip, and
chin.
 Lanugo hairs: first fine
hairs found on a fetus.
 Normally shed before
birth or shortly after.
 Replaced by coarser hairs
during perinatal period
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
 Proliferation of stratum basale into
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the underlying dermis forms the

hair follicle.
 Hair buds become club shaped
forming hair bulbs.
 Hair bulbs invaginated by hair papilla.
 Peripheral cells of the hair follicle
form the epithelial root sheats.
 Surrounding mesenchymal cells
form dermal root sheats.
 Epithelial cells within the hair bulb
constitute germinal matrix, where
cells proliferate, grow outward,
keratinize, and form the hair shaft.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
 Melanoblasts migrate into the
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hair bulbs and differentiate into

melanocytesproduce melanin.
 Content of melanin accounts
for different hair colors.
 Arrector pili muscles of hairs:
small bundles of SMC
differentiated from
mesenchymal surrounding hair
follicle.
 Contraction of these muscles
causes “goose bumps”.
 Poorly developed in hairs of
axilla & some parts of face.
 Eyebrows, eyelashes have no
arrector muscle.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 10th Week: Toenails and fingernails develop at

tips of digits, although fingernails precede
toenails by approx. 4 weeks.
 32nd Week: Fingernails reach fingertips.
 36th Week: Toenails reach toe tips.
 Prematurity indicate if nails have not reached
the tips of the digits at birth.
 Nail Fields: Primordia of nails that are
thickened areas on epidermis at tip of digits,
migrate onto the dorsal surface carrying
innervation from the ventral surface.
 Nail Folds: Folds of epidermis that surround the
nail fields laterally and proximally.
 Nail Plate: Cells from the proximal nail fold that
grow over the nail field and become keratinized.
 Eponychium: Narrow band of epidermis that
first covers the nail, later degenerates except at
base of nail forming the Cuticle.
 Hyponychium: Skin under the free margin of
the nail.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Two sets of teeth:

 Primary Dentition (Deciduous Teeth)
 Secondary Dentition (Permanent Teeth)
 Development occurs early in sixth week as thickening of oral
epithelium from oral ectoderm, mesenchyme and neural crest
cells.
 Enamel derives from ectoderm of oral cavity all other tissue
from surrounding mesenchyme and neural crest cells.
 Neural crest cells have morphogenic information before and
after they migrate from the neural crest.
 Odontogenesis is property of oral epithelium and is a
continuous process that involves reciprocal induction between
neural crest mesenchyme and oral epithelium.
 Divided into stages: Bud, Cap, Bell and Eruption
 Tooth Bud appearance: Anterior mandibular → Anterior
maxillary → Posterior in both.
 Mandible and maxilla grow to accommodate the developing
teeth changing the shape of the face.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE
 Ichthyosis: General term applied to skin
disorders due to excessive keratinization.
 Harlequin fetus: Results from a rare
keratinizing disorder (autosomal
recessive trait) skin is markedly
thickened, ridged and cracked – most
affected die during first week of life.
 Collodion infant: Covered by thick, taut
membrane that resembles collodion or
parchment – during respiration
membrane cracks and falls of in large
sheets, shedding may take many weeks,
sometimes leaving normal looking skin.
 Lamellar ichthyosis: Autosomal
recessive disorder – sometimes confused
as collodion infant but scaling remains,
hair and sweat glands development is
impeded – infants suffer in hot weather
due to lack of sweat glands.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

Feto Harlequin
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Congenital ectodermal dysplasia:

condition that represents a group of
hereditary disorders involving tissues
that are ectodermal in origin – affects
teeth, hair, nails and skin.
 Ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-
clefting syndrome: Congenital skin
condition that is an autosomal
dominant trait – involves both
ectodermal and mesodermal tissues.
 Variety of characteristics:
 Hypopigmentation of skin & hair
 Scanty hair & eyebrows
 Absence of eyelashes
 Nail dystrophy
 Hypodontia (Missing teeth)
 Microdontia (Small teeth)
 Ectrodactyl (Lobster-claw)
 Cleft-lip & Palate
Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

Melanie Gaydos
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Angiomas: Vascular anomalies developed due

to transitory and/or surplus primitive blood or
lymphatic vessels persisting.
 Blood vessel derived: Arterial, Venous &
Cavernous angiomas
 Lymphatic vessel derived: Cystic
Lymphangiomas, Cystic Hygromas
 True angiomas are benign tumors of endothelial
cells, usually composed of solid or hollow cords
that contain blood.
 Nevus flammeus: Flat, pink or red, flame-like
blotch that appears on posterior surface of neck.
 Hemangiomas are most common benign
neoplasms found in infants and children.
 Port-wine stain hemangioma: Larger and darker
angioma than nevus flammeus that appears
anterior or lateral on face and/or neck.
 Sturge-Weber Syndrome: Angioma of the
meninges of the brain that has associated port-
wine stain in the area distrubution of the
trigeminal nerve.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Albinism: Autosomal
recessive trait where skin, hair
and retina lack pigmentation
although the iris usually shows
pigmentation.
 Albinism occurs due to failure
of melanocytes to produce
melanin because of the lack of
the enzyme tyrosinase.
 Piebaldism: autosomal
dominant trait where there is a
lack of melanin in patches of
skin and/or hair.
 Absence of skin: Rare cases
where small areas of skin fail to
form, appears like ulcers but
heals by scarring, most
common in the scalp.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
 Gynecomastia: Refers to the
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development of the rudimentary

lactiferous ducts in the male
mammary tissue.
 It results in boys with decreased
ratio of testosterone to estradiol.
 During puberty approx. 2/3rd of
boys develop varying degrees
of hyperplasia (proliferation of
cells) of the breasts – persists
for a few months to 2 yrs.
 Approx. 80% of males with
Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY
chromosome complement) have
gynecomastia.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Athelia: Absence of one or both nipples.

 Amastia: Absence of breast and/or breast
tissue.
 Both are rare congenital anomalies that can
occur bilaterally or unilaterally and result
from failure of development or
disappearance of the mammary crests or
mammary buds.
 Hypoplasia (underdevelopment) of the
breast: More common and found in
association with gonadal agenesis and
Turner Syndrome.
 Aplasia (defective development) of the
breast: Occurs in post pubertal females,
regarded as anomaly because both glands
are exposed to the same hormones at
puberty and associated with rudimentary
development of the muscles of the thoracic Bilateral Amastia
wall.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Polymastia (extra breast) & Polythella (extra

nipple): Occurs approx. 1% of females and is
inheritable, usually develop inferior to
normal breast.
 Supernumerary mammary tissue: Rarely
occurs in a location other than along the
course of the mammary crest.
 Supernumerary nipples: Relatively common
in males, often mistaken for moles .
 Supernumerary breasts: Less common.
 Both appear in the Axillary or Abdominal region
of females, develop from extra mammary buds
that develop along the mammary crests and are
obvious during pregnancy.
 Approx. 1/3rd of affected have two extra nipples
or breast.
 Inverted nipple: Failure of nipple to elevate
above the skin surface after birth, remain in
their prenatal location and may make breast
feeding difficult.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Alopecia: Absence or loss of scalp hair

may occur alone or with other
abnormalities of the skin and its
derivatives.
 Congenital Alopecia: Caused by failure of
hair follicles to develop may result from
follicles producing poor-quality hairs.
 Hypertrichosis: Excessive hairiness due to
development of supernumerary hair
follicles or from the persistence of lanugo
hairs that normally disappear during the
perinatal period, can be localized or
diffuse.
 Localized hypertrichosis: Associated with
spina bifida occulta.
 Pili Torti: Hairs are twisted and bent and
can be associated with other ectodermal
defects, usually recognized at 2-3 yrs of
age.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Anonychia (Absence of Nails):

 Extremely rare, results from failure
of nail fields to form or proximal nail
folds to form nail plates.
 Abnormality is permanent.
 May be restricted to one or more
nails of the digits of the hands and/or
feet.
 May be associated with congenital
absence or extremely poor
development of hairs and teeth.
 Deformed Nails:
 Occurs occasionally and may be a
manifestation of a generalized skin
disease or systemic disease.
 Furrows (Corrugations) are long
ridges that run either lengthwise or
across the nail. Some are normal in
adults other can be
caused by skin disease – psoriasis.
psoriasis
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Natal Teeth:
 Erupt at birth
 Usually two in the position of the mandibular incisors
 Observed in approx. 1/2000 newborns
 May produce maternal discomfort during breast-feeding
 Infant's tongue may be lacerated or the teeth may detach
and be aspirated
 Sometimes are extracted
 Enamel Hypoplasia:
 Causes pits and/or fissures in the enamel of teeth
 Result from temporary disturbances of enamel formation
 Various factors may injure ameloblasts (enamel builders)
- nutritional deficiency, tetracycline therapy, and
infectious diseases such as measles
 Rickets:
 Disease in children who are deficient in vitamin D, is
characterized by disturbance of ossification of the
epiphysial cartilages and disorientation of cells at the
metaphysis
 When occurs during the critical in utero period of tooth
development (6-12 weeks) is a common cause of enamel
hypoplasia
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Abnormally shaped teeth are

relatively common:
 Enamel Pearls (A): Spherical masses
of enamel on the root of a tooth that
is separate from the enamel of the
crown which are formed by aberrant
groups of ameloblasts.
 Peg-shaped Incisors: Maxillary
lateral incisor teeth that may have a
slender and tapering shape.
 Congenital syphilis: Affects the
differentiation of the permanent
teeth, resulting in screwdriver-
shaped incisors, with central
notches in their incisive edges and
molars called mulberry molars
because of their characteristic
features.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Supernumerary Teeth:
 Usually develop in the area of the maxillary incisors and can
disrupt the position and eruption of normal teeth.
 Commonly erupt posterior to the normal ones (or can remain
unerupted) and are asymptomatic in most cases.
 Partial Anodontia:
 One or more teeth are absent it is often a familial trait.
 Total Anodontia:
 No teeth develop, this is an extremely rare condition, is usually
associated with congenital ectodermal dysplasia.
 Germination (B):
 Partially divided tooth germ that results in macrodont or megadont
(large teeth) with a common root canal system.
 Fusion (C):
 When two teeth results in one fewer tooth in the dentition.
 Abnormally Sized Teeth:
 Macrodontia (large teeth) and Microdontia (small teeth) occur due
to disturbances during the differentiation of teeth.
 Embryology
Por: Maria Payano
UNIBE

 Discolored Teeth:
 May be caused by foreign substances incorporated into the
developing enamel and dentine discolor the teeth.
 Hemolysis associated with Erythroblastosis Fetalis or
Hemolytic disease:
 Produce blue to black discoloration of the teeth in newborns.
 Tetracyclines (Antibiotics):
 Produce brownish-yellow discoloration due to the conversion of
tetracycline to a colored by-product under the action of light.
 Are extensively incorporated into the teeth and cause staining to
both enamel and dentine because it binds to hydroxyapatite.
 Dentine is affected more than enamel because it is more
permeable than enamel after tooth mineralization is complete.
 Critical period of risk for:
 Deciduous teeth – 14 weeks of fetal life to the 10 th postnatal
month.
 Permanent teeth – 14 weeks of fetal life to the 8 th postnatal year.
 For this reason, should not be administered to pregnant women or
children younger than 8 years of age.