DEVELOPMENT OF THE

GERM DISK: THE 2 AND

ND

3 WEEKS
RD
IN THIS LECTURE WE WILL LEARN
ABOUT
• Formation of the bilaminar germ disk

• Formation of the trilaminar germ disk

• Formation of the notochord and the induction of neurulation

Attachment of the blastocyst results in differentiation of the trophoblast into the
erosive and invasive syncytiotrophoblast and the nutritive cytotrophoblast and the
initiation of implantation at the end of the first week. At the beginning of the second
week, the amniotic cavity begins to form in the inner cell mass.
In the second week, implantation is completed (D10); the embryo is now a
bilaminar germ disk, contains two cavities and is surrounded by two trophoblastic
layers. Lacunar cavities have formed in the syncytiotrophoblast (D9) and
extraembryonic mesoderm is forming
At the end of the
second week,
formation of the
secondary yolk
sac and chorionic
cavity is
completed. The
chorionic plate
will give rise to
the future
chorion
At the beginning of the 3rd week a caudocranial midline linear eminence, the primitive streak, forms
rostral to the cloacal membrane and terminates as the primitive node. The primitive streak transforms
into a primitive groove from which epiblast cells invaginate to form intraembryonic mesoderm and
endoderm, resulting in the trilaminar germ disk
Invaginating cells from
the primitive pit migrate
cranially first as the
notochord process.
Extension of the
primitive pit results in
formation of the
notochordal canal.
Subsequently the
neurenteric canal is
formed with notochord
formation thereafter.
This completes
establishment of
embryonic axes.
Formation of the notochord provides axial support to the embryo. The notochord
also signals the overlying ectoderm to thicken (D17), forming a slipper shaped
neural plate that continues to expand and initiating nervous system formation. The
neural plate forms a midline groove and lateral folds before the end of week 3.