3 rd Week of Development
3rd Week of Development
Gastrulation
Neurulation
Development of Chorionic Villi
Development of Placenta
3rd Week of Development
Gastrulation
Primitive Stalk formation
Primitive Node formation
Trilaminar Disk formation
Notochordal process
Notochord
Oropharangeal & Cloacal membrane
Gastrulation, the process that
establishes all three germ layers in
the embryo.:
A - Ectoderm
B - Mesoderm
C – Endoderm
Gastrulation begins with formation of
the primitive streak on the surface of
the epiblast.
15- to 16-day embryo, it is clearly
visible as a narrow groove with
slightly bulging regions on either side
Primitive node, at The cephalic end
of the streak.
Invagination.
Cells of the epiblast migrate toward the
primitive streak
detach from the epiblast, and slip beneath it .
some displace the hypoblast, creating the
embryonic endoderm.
and others come to lie between the epiblast
and endoderm form mesoderm.
Cells remaining in the epiblast form
ectoderm.
The buccopharyngeal membrane
at the cranial end of the disc
small region of tightly adherent
ectoderm and endoderm cells .
Prechordal plate
itself forms between the tip of the
notochord and the buccopharyngeal
membrane and is derived from some of
the first cells that migrate through the
node in a cephalic direction.
Trilaminar Disk formation
Differentiation of Primary Germ Layers
(from the gastrula)
Ectoderm Mesoderm Endoderm
Nervous system Skeleton Digestive tract
Epidermis of skin Muscles, Dermis Respiratory
of skin system, Bladder
Ear, lens, cornea Circulatory system Liver, pancreas
Salivary & Pituitary Gonads Epithelial lining of
gland Cowper’s,
parathyroid
glands, pancreas
Formation of the Notochord
MESODERM CELL migrate
beyond the margin of the
disc and establish contact
with the extraembryonic
mesoderm covering the
yolk sac and amnion. In the
cephalic
direction, they pass on each
side of the The prechordal
plate.
Surface
Ectoderm
Caudal (posterior)
Prenotochordal cells invaginating in the
primitive pit move forward cephalad
until they reach the prechordal plate
notochordal plate
These prenotochordal cells become intercalated
in the hypoblast.
definitive notochord
solid cord of cells form by proliferatation and
detachment of the notochordal plate.
extend cranially to the prechordal plate (an area
just caudal to the buccopharyngeal membrane)
and caudally to the primitive pit.
Neurenteric canal temporarily connects the
amniotic and yolk sac cavities
The cloacal membrane is formed at the caudal end of
the embryonic disc, consists of tightly adherent
ectoderm and endoderm cells with no intervening
mesoderm. When the cloacal membrane appears,
allantoenteric diverticulum in the posterior wall of the
yolk sac that extends into the connecting stalk.
(allantois)
Establishment of the Body Axes
• During the period of gastrulation.
• The anteroposterior axis is signaled by cells at the
anterior (cranial) margin of the embryonic disc. This
area, the anterior visceral endoderm (AVE), expresses
genes essential for head formation,
• The primitive streak itself is initiated and maintained
by expression of Nodal genes regulate formation of
dorsal and ventral mesoderm .
• Left-right sidedness, also established early in
development, is orchestrated by a cascade of genes.
When the primitive streak appears.
Fate Map Established During
Gastrulation
Regions of the epiblast that migrate and ingress through the primitive streak
have been mapped and their ultimate fates determined
For example,
• cells that ingress through the cranial region of the node become
notochord;
• migrating at the lateral edges of the node and from the cranial end of
• the streak become paraxial mesoderm
• cells migrating through the midstreak region become intermediate
mesoderm
• those migrating through the more caudal part of the streak form lateral
plate mesoderm
• and cells migrating through the caudal-most part of the streak contribute
to extraembryonic mesoderm
3rd Week of Development
Development of Chorionic Villi
Development of Placenta
Further Development of the
Trophoblast
Secondary villus By the beginning of the third week, the
trophoblast is characterized by primary villi that consist
of a cytotrophoblastic core covered by a syncytial layer
During further development, mesodermal cells penetrate
the core of primary villi and grow toward the decidua.
Tertiary villus
By the end of the third week,
mesodermal cells in the core of the
villus begin to differentiate into blood
cells and small blood vessels, forming
the villous capillary system.
or definitive placental villus.
Capillaries in tertiary villi make contact
with capillaries developing in
mesoderm of the chorionic plate and
in the connecting stalk These vessels,
in turn, establish contact with the
intraembryonic circulatory system,
connecting the placenta and the
embryo
Outer cytotrophoblast shell
cytotrophoblastic cells in the
villi syncytium until they reach
the maternal endometrium.
This shell gradually surrounds
the trophoblast entirely and
attaches the chorionic sac
firmly to the maternal
endometrial tissue (Fig. 4.17).
Anchoring villi. through which
exchange of nutrients and
other factors will occur.
• The chorionic cavity,
meanwhile, becomes
larger, and by the 19th or
20th day, the embryo is
attached to its
trophoblastic shell by a
narrow connecting stalk.
The connecting stalk later
develops into the
umbilical cord, which
forms the connection
between placenta and
embryo.
Summary
The most characteristic event occurring during the third week is
gastrulation, which begins with the appearance of the primitive streak,
which has at its cephalic end the primitive node. In the region of the
node and streak, epiblast cells move inward (invaginate) to form new cell
layers, endoderm and mesoderm.
Hence, epiblast gives rise to all three germ layers in the embryo. Cells of the
intraembryonic mesodermal germ layer migrate between the two other
germ layers until they establish contact with the extraembryonic mesoderm
covering the yolk sac and amnion
Prenotochordal cells invaginating in the primitive pit move forward until
they reach the prechordal plate. They intercalate in the endoderm as the
notochordal plate With further development, the plate detaches from the
endoderm, and a solid cord, the notochord, is formed. It forms a midline axis
which will serve as the basis of the axial skeleton.
SUMMARY
Cephalic and caudal ends of the embryo are established before the
primitive streak is formed. Thus, cells in the hypoblast (endoderm) at
the cephalic margin of the disc form the anterior visceral endoderm
that expresses head-forming genes. Nodal, a member is then
activated and initiates and maintains the integrity of the node and
streak., in the presence of FGF, ventralizes mesoderm during
gastrulation so that it forms intermediate and lateral plate mesoderm.
expression on the left side transcription factor responsible for left
sidedness.
Epiblast cells moving through the node and streak are predetermined
by their position to become specific types of mesoderm and
endoderm. Thus, it is possible to construct a fate map of the epiblast
showing this pattern.
SUMMARY
By the end of the third week, three basic germ layers, consisting of
ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm, are established in the head
region, and
the process continues to produce these germ layers for more caudal
areas of the embryo until the end of the 4th week. Tissue and organ
differentiation has begun, and it occurs in a cephalocaudal direction as
gastrulation continues. In the meantime, the trophoblast progresses
rapidly.
Primary villi obtain a mesenchymal core in which small capillaries
arise. When these villous capillaries make contact with capillaries in
the chorionic plate and connecting stalk, the villous system is ready to
supply the embryo with its nutrients and oxygen.
