GENERAL EMBRYOLOGY SAMPLE QUESTIONS

SECTION A (OBJ)
A) Gastrulation
1. During which stage does fertilization typically occur?
B) Cleavage
A) Zygote
C) Implantation
B) Blastocyst
D) Neurulation
C) Morula
Answer: B) Cleavage
D) Ovulation

Answer: D) Ovulation
6. Which part of the blastocyst will ultimately form the embryo?

A) Trophoblast
2. What is the term for the cell resulting from the fusion of the
sperm and egg? B) Inner cell mass

A) Zygote C) Zona pellucida

B) Blastomere D) Blastocoel

C) Blastocyst Answer: B) Inner cell mass

D) Morula

Answer: A) Zygote

7. What is the function of the zona pellucida during early

embryonic development?
3. Where does fertilization of the egg by the sperm typically
occur? A) Nutrient storage

A) Fallopian tube B) Protection of the embryo

B) Ovary C) Formation of the blastocyst

C) Uterus D) Maternal hormone secretion

D) Cervix Answer: B) Protection of the embryo

Answer: A) Fallopian tube

8. Which hormone is responsible for signaling the completion of

meiosis in the secondary oocyte?
4. What is the term for the solid ball of cells formed after several
rounds of cleavage divisions? A) Estrogen

A) Blastocyst B) Progesterone

B) Blastomere C) Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

C) Morula D) Luteinizing hormone (LH)

D) Trophoblast Answer: D) Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Answer: C) Morula

5. Which process describes the early division of the zygote into

smaller, identical cells?

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9. What structure does the blastocyst form before implantation Answer: C) Cleavage
into the uterine wall?
14. What is the name for the fluid-filled cavity that forms within
A) Amnion the morula?

B) Chorion A) Blastomere

C) Decidua B) Blastocyst

D) Trophoblast C) Trophoblast

Answer: D) Trophoblast D) Blastocoel

Answer: D) Blastocoel

10. Which of the following is necessary for the blastocyst to

implant into the uterine wall?
15. Which structure surrounds the developing embryo and
A) Gastrulation provides protection during early development?

B) Blastulation A) Zona pellucida

C) Trophoblast invasion B) Trophoblast

D) Formation of the yolk sac C) Inner cell mass

Answer: C) Trophoblast invasion D) Blastocoel

Answer: A) Zona pellucida

11. What is the term for the outer layer of cells that will
eventually contribute to the placenta?
16. What is the function of the zona pellucida during fertilization?
A) Inner cell mass
A) Facilitates implantation into the uterine wall
B) Zygote
B) Prevents polyspermy
C) Trophoblast
C) Provides nutrients to the developing embryo
D) Blastocoel
D) Forms the placenta
Answer: C) Trophoblast
Answer: B) Prevents polyspermy

12. Which process involves the division of the zygote into smaller
cells without an increase in size? 17. Which hormone triggers the release of the secondary oocyte
from the ovary during ovulation?
A) Gastrulation
A) Estrogen
B) Cleavage
B) Progesterone
C) Differentiation
C) Luteinizing hormone (LH)
D) Neurulation
D) Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Answer: B) Cleavage
Answer: C) Luteinizing hormone (LH)

13. During which phase of development does the morula form?

18. What structure forms as a result of the fusion of sperm and
A) Fertilization egg nuclei during fertilization?

B) Blastulation A) Zygote

C) Cleavage B) Blastomere

D) Implantation C) Blastocyst

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D) Morula 23. Which hormone is primarily responsible for maintaining the
uterine lining during early pregnancy?
Answer: A) Zygote
A) Estrogen

B) Progesterone
19. Which event occurs first during embryonic development after
fertilization? C) Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

A) Cleavage divisions D) Luteinizing hormone (LH)

B) Formation of blastocyst Answer: B) Progesterone

C) Implantation into uterine wall

D) Formation of inner cell mass 24. What is the name of the process by which the trophoblast
differentiates into cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast?
Answer: A) Cleavage divisions
A) Gastrulation

B) Differentiation
20. What is the term for the period of rapid cell division that
occurs after fertilization? C) Trophoblast invasion

A) Cleavage D) Syncytialization

B) Implantation Answer: D) Syncytialization

C) Blastulation

D) Gastrulation 25. Which part of the blastocyst will eventually form the fetal
membranes?
Answer: A) Cleavage
A) Inner cell mass

B) Cytotrophoblast
21. During which week of development does implantation
typically occur? C) Syncytiotrophoblast

A) First week D) Amniotic cavity

B) Second week Answer: C) Syncytiotrophoblast

C) Third week

D) Fourth week 26. During which week does the formation of the bilaminar
embryonic disc occur?
Answer: B) Second week
A) First week

B) Second week
22. What is the term for the structure formed by the trophoblast
penetrating the endometrium? C) Third week

A) Zygote D) Fourth week

B) Blastocyst Answer: B) Second week

C) Chorion

D) Decidua 27. What are the two primary layers formed during the bilaminar
embryonic disc stage?
Answer: C) Chorion
A) Ectoderm and mesoderm

B) Endoderm and mesoderm

C) Ectoderm and endoderm

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D) Mesoderm and trophoblast [Link] is the function of the syncytiotrophoblast during early
embryonic development?
Answer: C) Ectoderm and endoderm
A) Secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

B) Formation of the amniotic cavity

28. Which structure secretes human chorionic gonadotropin
(hCG) to maintain the corpus luteum during early pregnancy? C) Differentiation into embryonic germ layers

A) Amnion D) Protection of the embryo

B) Syncytiotrophoblast Answer: A) Secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

C) Bilaminar embryonic disc

D) Decidua 33. During which process does the blastocyst penetrate the
uterine epithelium and begin to embed into the endometrial
Answer: B) Syncytiotrophoblast stroma?

A) Cleavage

29. What is the name of the cavity that forms within the bilaminar B) Gastrulation
embryonic disc?
C) Syncytialization
A) Amniotic cavity
D) Implantation
B) Yolk sac
Answer: D) Implantation
C) Chorionic cavity

D) Blastocoel
34. Which hormone is responsible for preventing menstruation
Answer: A) Amniotic cavity and maintaining the corpus luteum during early pregnancy?

A) Estrogen

30. Which process involves the differentiation of the hypoblast B) Progesterone

and epiblast layers within the bilaminar embryonic disc?
C) Luteinizing hormone (LH)
A) Gastrulation
D) Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
B) Neurulation
Answer: B) Progesterone
C) Implantation

D) Syncytialization
35. What is the function of the hypoblast layer within the
Answer: A) Gastrulation bilaminar embryonic disc?

A) Formation of the amnion

31. Which structure initially forms as a result of trophoblast B) Contribution to the placental development
differentiation and later contributes to the formation of the
placenta? C) Differentiation into extraembryonic mesoderm

A) Amnion D) Protection of the embryo

B) Chorion Answer: C) Differentiation into extraembryonic mesoderm

C) Decidua

D) Yolk sac 36. Which structure forms as a result of fluid accumulation

between the amnion and the trophoblast?
Answer: B) Chorion
A) Yolk sac

B) Chorionic cavity

C) Decidua

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D) Blastocoel 41. During which week of development does gastrulation typically
occur?
Answer: B) Chorionic cavity
A) First week

B) Second week
37. What is the name of the structure that eventually connects
the embryo to the placenta for nutrient exchange and waste C) Third week
removal?
D) Fourth week
A) Amnion
Answer: C) Third week
B) Chorion

C) Yolk sac
42. What is the term for the process during which the three
D) Umbilical cord primary germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm) form?

Answer: D) Umbilical cord A) Cleavage

B) Implantation

38. Which event marks the transition from the bilaminar to the C) Gastrulation
trilaminar embryonic disc?
D) Syncytialization
A) Formation of the chorionic cavity
Answer: C) Gastrulation
B) Formation of the amniotic cavity

C) Gastrulation
43. Which structure forms from the invagination of the
D) Neurulation ectodermal layer during gastrulation?

Answer: C) Gastrulation A) Notochord

B) Neural tube

39. What is the term for the membrane that surrounds the C) Neural crest cells
embryo and helps prevent dehydration?
D) Somite
A) Chorion
Answer: B) Neural tube
B) Amnion

C) Yolk sac
44. What is the name of the structure that forms from the
D) Decidua mesodermal layer during gastrulation and gives rise to skeletal
muscle and dermis?
Answer: B) Amnion
A) Notochord

B) Neural tube
40. During which process do the cells of the inner cell mass
differentiate into the three primary germ layers (ectoderm, C) Somite
mesoderm, endoderm)?
D) Neural crest cells
A) Cleavage
Answer: C) Somite
B) Gastrulation

C) Neurulation
45. Which hormone, produced by the developing embryo,
D) Syncytialization maintains the corpus luteum to support early pregnancy?

Answer: B) Gastrulation A) Estrogen

B) Progesterone

C) Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

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D) Luteinizing hormone (LH) 50. Which germ layer gives rise to the epithelial lining of the
respiratory tract, digestive tract, and associated organs?
Answer: C) Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
A) Ectoderm

B) Mesoderm
46. During which process do neural crest cells migrate to different
regions of the embryo to form various structures? C) Endoderm

A) Gastrulation D) Notochord

B) Neurulation Answer: C) Endoderm

C) Somitogenesis

D) Neural crest formation 51. Which structure forms from the endodermal layer during
gastrulation and gives rise to the epithelial lining of the
Answer: D) Neural crest formation respiratory and digestive tracts?

A) Notochord

47. Which structure develops from the ectodermal layer and B) Neural tube
eventually forms the brain and spinal cord?
C) Somite
A) Notochord
D) Gut tube
B) Neural tube
Answer: D) Gut tube
C) Neural crest cells

D) Somite
52. During which process does the mesoderm differentiate into
Answer: B) Neural tube paraxial mesoderm, intermediate mesoderm, and lateral plate
mesoderm?

A) Gastrulation
48. What is the name of the transient structure that forms along
the midline of the embryo and induces neural tube formation? B) Neurulation

C) Somitogenesis

A) Notochord D) Mesenchyme formation

B) Neural crest cells Answer: C) Somitogenesis

C) Somite

D) Mesoderm 53. Which event marks the formation of segmented blocks of

mesoderm that will develop into the vertebrae and skeletal
Answer: A) Notochord
muscle?

A) Neurulation
49. Which event marks the beginning of organogenesis, where
B) Gastrulation
organs start to develop from the three germ layers?
C) Somitogenesis
A) Gastrulation
D) Organogenesis
B) Neurulation
Answer: C) Somitogenesis
C) Somitogenesis

D) Organogenesis

Answer: D) Organogenesis

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54. What is the name of the transient structure that forms within 58. Which structure forms from the ectodermal layer and
the embryonic mesoderm and serves as a scaffold for the eventually develops into the central nervous system (brain and
developing nervous system? spinal cord)?

A) Notochord A) Notochord

B) Neural tube B) Neural tube

C) Somite C) Neural crest cells

D) Neural crest cells D) Somite

Answer: A) Notochord Answer: B) Neural tube

55. Which process involves the formation of neural crest cells, 59. What is the name of the process by which the three primary
which migrate to various locations to form peripheral nerves and germ layers further differentiate into specific tissues and organs?
other structures?
A) Gastrulation

B) Neurulation
A) Gastrulation
C) Somitogenesis
B) Neurulation
D) Organogenesis
C) Somitogenesis
Answer: D) Organogenesis
D) Neural crest formation

Answer: D) Neural crest formation

60. Which germ layer gives rise to the epithelial lining of the skin
and nervous system?

56. Which germ layer gives rise to the musculoskeletal system, A) Ectoderm
including bones, cartilage, and connective tissues?
B) Mesoderm
A) Ectoderm
C) Endoderm
B) Mesoderm
D) Notochord
C) Endoderm
Answer: A) Ectoderm
D) Notochord

Answer: B) Mesoderm

57. During which process does the neural plate fold and fuse to
form the neural tube?

A) Gastrulation

B) Neurulation

C) Somitogenesis

D) Organogenesis

Answer: B) Neurulation

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 SECTION B ESSAY

1a. Describe the events leading to the formation of the zygote.

1b. Define fertilization. Add note on the site, phases and the result 9b. define uterine cycle and add a short note on the phases of
of fertilization. uterine cycle

1c. with the aid of well labelled diagram, describe the morphology
of secondary oocyte.

1d. write a short note on blastocyst formation.

2a. Define gametogenesis.

2b. with the aid of well labelled diagram, Describe the processes
of spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Use this sample questions to revise what you read!!!

2c. write a short note on maturation and capacitation of ALL THE BEST MY FELLOW STUDENTS
spermatozoa.

2d. Differentiate btw spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis

3a. what is decidua? Add note on the parts of decidua.

3b. what is ectopic pregnancy? Explain in detail the types of

ectopic pregnancy.

3c. what is placenta previa? List 2 clinical effects of placenta

previa on the baby. Add note on its types.

4a. what is the clinical application of syncytiotrophoblast?

4b. Define gastrulation and describe the series of events that

occur during gastrulation.

4c. write on the formation of notochord and list 3 functions of

notochord.

4d. Decribe the series of events involved in the development of

trophoblast.

5a. list 5 functions of villi.

5b. list the derivatives of the following germ layers

(i) endoderm (ii) ectoderm (iii) mesoderm

5c. list the derivatives of neural crest

6a. what is cell cycle? List the phases of cell cycle.

6b. with the aid of well labelled diagram, describe the events that
take place in mitosis.

6c. with the aid of well labelled diagram, differentiate btw mitosis
and meiosis.

7a. what is teratology?

7b. list the Jim Wilson's 6 principles of teratology.

8a. Differentiate btw monozygotic and dizygotic twins.

8b. write a short note on Conjoined monozygotic twin.

9a. Define ovulation and write a short note on the phases of

ovarian cycle.