Teratology and Development

of Wollfian and Mullerian

ducts

By :- Hassen Yimam (MD)

06/04/2024 1
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 Development of Genital Ducts( introduction)
Initially both male and female embryos have tow pairs of genital ducts

1-The mesonephric ducts (wolffian ducts), which drained urine from the mesonephric
kidneys play a major role in the development of male reproductive system
2-The paramesonephric ducts (mullerian ducts) – it develop into main genital ducts
of the female.

Till the end of sixth week, the genital system is in an indifferent state

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Mesoderm

 Intermediate mesoderm:
- kidney and reproductive organs.

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Cont…
 Development of the urinary and reproductive systems are closely
associated.
 Both systems develop from two longitudinal ridges of mesoderm which run
down the entire length of the dorsal body wall. These ridges are called
urogenital ridges.
 The medial region of this ridge differentiates into the genital ridge where the
gonads develop.
Urogenital
ridges

• Medialy: genital ridge , consisting of

mesenchyme and coelomic epithelium

• Laterally: mesonephric ridge

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Cont..
 The urinary system develops in the urogenital ridge
as three successive sets of excretory organs - the
pronephros, mesonephronos, and metanephros.
 The pronephros forms first and quickly disappears.
 The mesonephros develops and disappears with the
exception of its duct, the mesonephric duct which
form the male reproductive duct system.
 A few mesonephric tubules remain as efferent
ductules in the male and vestigial remnants in the
female.
 The metanephros is the third and final excretory
organ. It becomes the permanent kidney.
Introduction

 The gonads begin to develop during the fifth week in the genital ridge.
 The gonads are first undifferentiated and have only a cortex and a medulla.
 The type of gonad to be developed, female or male, is determined at fertilization.
- In embryos with an XX chromosome complex, the cortex normally
differentiates into an ovary, and the medulla regresses.
- In embryos with an XY complex, the medulla differentiates into a
testis and the cortex regresses.
Development of genital ducts
Development of Paramesonephric (Mullarian) ducts

 Paramesonephric ducts develop next to

mesonephric duct in the posterior body wall.
 A pair of embryonic duct which give rise to the
genital passages in female (uterine tubes, uterus,
and upper vagina)
 It develop as mesodermal invagination of the
celomic epithelium, these happens at the lateral
surface of the urogenital ridge.
Cont..
 In female embryos, the mesonephric ducts regress because of the absence of
testosterone

 Paramesonephric ducts develop because of the absence of mullerian inhibiting

substance (AMH)

 The paramesonephric ducts form most of the female genital tract

Cont..
 It has cranial portion and caudal portion
 The cranial ends of the ducts open into the future peritoneal cavity.
Cont..
 The uterine tubes develop from the unfused cranial part of the paramesonephric ducts
Cont..
 The caudal portion fuse in midline to form utero vaginal primordium
 The uterovaginal primordium give rise to uterus, cervix and proximal1/3 of the vagina.
Cont…

 The paired paramesonephric ducts fuse in the midline forming the single body of
the uterus.
 The paramesonephric ducts remain separate laterally where they form the
uterine tubes.
Cont..
 Layer of mesenchyme forms the muscular coat of the uterus, the myometrium and the
perimetrium.
 Fusion of the paramesonephric ducts also brings together a peritoneal fold that forms
the broad ligament
 The uterus and broad ligament divide the pelvic cavity into the uterorectal pouch and
the uterovesical pouch
Cont..
 Paramesonephric ducts projects in the dorsal wall of the CLOACA and induced the
formation of a pair of interdermal out growth of urogenital sinus called sinovaginal
bulbs.
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Cont..
 Sinovaginal bulbs fuse to form the solid vaginal plate which then undergoes
canalization and develops into the inferior 2/3 of the vagina.
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 The mesonephric ducts and tubules develop in the female as part of the
urinary system b/c these ducts are critical in the formation of the
definitive metanephric kidney

 After the formation the metanephric kidney they degenerate..

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Vestigial remnants
 The formation of cysts is related to vestegial remnants of the genital ducts.
1- Ahydatid cyst of mogagni arises from hydatid of mogagni( remnant of PMD)
2- A kobelt cyst( remnant of the MND)
3- Acyst of the epoophoron (remnant of the MND)
4- A gartner duct cyst arise from the gartner, ( remnant of the MND)
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Development of Mesonephric (Wollfian) ducts

 Genital ducts in male are stimulated to develop by testosterone and are

derived from parts of the mesonephric kidney system
 These ducts are critical in the formation of definitive metanephic kidney.
 Except for the most cranial portion, the appendix epidadymis, The MND
persist and form the main genital ducts. ( the epididymis, ductus deferens,
seminal vesicle and ejaculaory duct).
 The PMD ducts degenerate except for a small portion at their cranial ends, the
appendix testis.

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Congenital anomalies of Mullarian and Wollfian ducts

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A. Uterine Anomalies

 Resulting from abnormal development of the Mullarian ducts .

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 Formation of ducts (Mullarian hypoplasia or agenesis and Unicornuat uterus)
 Fusion of ducts(Didelphys and Bicornuate uterus)
 Resolution of septum (canalization)-Septate and Arcuate uterus

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1.Mullarian hypoplasia or agenesis anomalies (cass-1)

 Involving the PMD can result in vagina, cervical, uterine, uterine tube or combined
anomalies..
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 Primary amenorrhea (commonly)
 Associated with renal anomalies-10%
 Normal secondary sexual characteristics(b/c intact ovaries)

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2.Unicornuat uterus(clas-2)

 Occur when one PMD fails to develop or incompletely develops.

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3. Didelphys (double uterus) anomalies(class-3)

 Occur when there is a complete lack of fusion of the PMD.

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4. Bicornuate uterus anomalies(class-4)

 Occur when there is a partial fusion of the PMD.

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5. Septate uterus anomalies(class-5)

 Occur when the medial walls of the caudal portion of the PMD partially or completely
fail to resorb.
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5.Arcuate uterus anomalies(class-6)

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6. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) related anomalies

 DES was used in the treatment of abortions, preeclampsia, DM….

 May cause clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and T- shaped uterus anomalies
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B. Atresia of the vagina

 The vaginal lumen is blocked due to a failure of the vaginal plat to canalize
and form a lumen.
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Thank you!!

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