Medipol University

School of Dentistry
Histology and Embryology
Asım Savlu M.D
Formation of Body Cavities
Two month to birth: Fetal Period
• Simultaneous with neurulation
endoderm rolls down to form the
gut tube such that embryo
consists of a tube on top of a
tube

• Neural tube dorsally, gut tube

ventrally

• The middle layer mesoderm

holds the tubes together

• Lateral plate mesoderm splits to

visceral(splanchnic ) and parietal
(somatic) layers
• Parietal layer, together with
overlying ectoderm forms the
lateral body folds ventrally
• Lateral body folds move
ventrally and fuse in the
midline to close the ventral
body wall
• The space between visceral
and parietal layers is the
primitive body cavity
• This closure is aided by growth of
the head aand tail regions that
cause the embryo to curve into
the fetal position
• Ventral body wall is incomplete
in the region of connecting stalk
and gut tube closure is
incomplete with the vitelline
duct at midgut region
• Vitelline duct is incorporated into
the umblical cord and
degenerates with the yolk sac
between 2nd and 3rd months of
gestation
• [Link] Lateral plate mesoderm
become mesothelial and form
the parietal layer of serous
membranes while [Link] L.P.M
forming the visceral layer of
serous membranes covering the
abdominal organs
• Ventral and dorsal mesentry are
double layers of peritoneum that
provide a pathway for blood
vessels, nerves and the
lymphatics
Septum Transversum is thick
plate of mesodermal tissue
between the thoracic cavity
and stalk of yolk sac
It is derived from the visceral
mesoderm surrounding the
heart
S.T. does not separate the
abdominal and and thorasic
cavities completely but leave
large openings with on each
side pericardioperitoneal
canals of the foregut
Lung buds begin to grow and
expand within these canals
caudolaterally
Mesoderm of the body Wall splits
into definitive wall of thorax and
pleuropericardial membranes

Ventral and lateral expansion of

the lungs is posterior to
pleuropericardial folds

Descent of the heart and

positonal changes of sinus
venousus shift the common
cardinal vein toward midline

Finally pleuropericardial
membranes fuse with each other
and root of the lung and the
thorasic cavity is divided into the
definitive PERICARDIAL CAVITY
and PLEURAL CAVITY
Though pleural cavity is separate from
the pericardial cavity they remain in
open communication with the
abdominal cavity by way of pericardio
peritoneal canals

With further development this opening

is closed with pleuroperitoneal folds

Gradually these folds extend medially

and ventrally and fuse with mesentery
of the eusofagus and with septum
transversum

Further expansion of the pleural cavities

relative to mesenchyme of the body add
a rim to pleuroperitoneal membranes

Myoblasts penetrate the membranes to

form the muscular part of diaphragm
THE DIAPHRAGM IS DERIVED FROM THE FOLLOWING

Septum Transversum

The two pleuroperitoneal membranes

Muscular components of the cervical segment C3-5

Mesentery of the eusophagus

Third month to birth Fetus and
Placenta
• The period from the beginning of the 9th
wk to birth is FETAL PERIOD
• Characterized by the maturation of the
tissues and organs and rapid growth of the
body
• Th length of the fetus is indicated as the
CROWN RUMP length : measurement of
vertex of the skull to the heel
• Growth in length is striking in 3rd 4th and
5th months, but weight increase is most
prominent in last two months of the
gestation
 Monthly Changes
• Relative slowdown in growth of the
head compared with rest of the
body is the most striking change in
FETAL PERIOD
• At he beginning head is half of the
CRL , one third at 5th month, one
4th at birth
• DURING 3RD MONTH: Face
becomes more human looking
The eyes initially directed laterally
move to the ventral aspect of face
Ears come close to their definitive
position
Lower limbs are shorter and less
developed than upper extremities
Monthly Changes
• Primary ossification centers are present in long bones by 12th wk
• External genitalia are developed enough to determine the sex of the fetus by
12th months
• Intestinal loops have withdrawn into the abdominal cavity which have been
herniated to umblical cord by 12th month
• At the end of the third month reflex activity can be evoked in abortus fetuses
indicating muscular activity
Monthly Changes
• During fourth and fifth months, fetus lengthens rapidly and at the end
of half of intrauterine life CRL is app. 15 cm..
• Weight also increases but by the end of fifth month is still less than
500 g
• The fetus is covered with fine hair: Lanugo hair
• During the fifth month movements of the fetus can be felt by the
mother
Monthly Changes

• In the second half of the uterine life weight

increases considerably. Particularly during the last
2.5 month 50% of the full term weight is added
• During sixth month skin of the fetüs is reddish and
has a wrinkled appearance because of the lack of
underlying connective tissue
• Fetus born in 6th month hardly survives because
though the organ systems are developed their
maturation and coordination is not well
established yet
• By 7 months fetüs has CRL of about 25 cm and
weighs app 1100 g, If born at this time infant has
a chance of 90% survival
Time of Birth

The date of birth is mostly accurately indicated as days or 38 weeks after

fertilization

If they are born much earlier they are categoriazed as premature, if born
later postmature

Ultrasound measurements of CRL during 7h t0 14th weeks can also help

for determining fetus age and delivery time

An accurate determination of the fetal size ana age is important for

managing pregnancy especially for the mother with a small pelvis
 FETAL MEMBRANES AND PLACENTA
• The fetal component of the placenta is
derived from the trophoblast-
extraembryonic mesoderm, maternal
component from endometrium
• By the beginning of the second month
the trophoblast is characterized by a
great number of secondary and
tertiary villi with a radial appearance
• Stem or anchoring villi extend from
the mesoderm of the chorionic plate
to the Cytotrophoblast Shell
• The surface of the villi is formed by
the syncytium resting on a layer of
cytotrophoblasts that cover a core of
vascular mesoderm
• Maternal blood is delivered to the
placenta by spiral arteries of the
uterus
• Cytotrophoblasts released from the
anchoring villi invade and erode the
terminal ends of spiral arteries
• They replace with maternal endothelial
cells in the vessels wall creating hybrid
vessels consisting of maternal an fetal
cells. These hybrid vessels have a low
resistance and bring more blood to
maternal sinusoids
• In the following months new free villi
floating in sinusoid appear as
extensions from existing stem villi
• During proggress from smaller to larger villi cytotrophoblasts
disappear and they do not participate in exchange between
maternal and fetal circulations
CHORION FRONDOSUM AND DESIDUA BASALIS
• In the early weeks villi cover the entire
surface of chorion
• As pregnacy advances villi on the
embryonic pole grow and expand giving
rise to Chorion frondosum (bushy
chorion)
• Villi on the abembryonic pole degenerate
and by the third month this side of
chorion is called chorion laeve (smooth)
• Similar difference in decidua:
Large decidual cells over chorion frondosum
are abundantly filled with lipid and gycogen:
Desidua basalis

Desidua capsullaris is over the abembryonic

pole and this layer becomes streched and
gegenerates as the chorionic vesicle grows
• Only portion of the chorion participatingin the exchange process is chorion frondosum
and together with decidua basalis they make up the placenta
• Fusion of the amnion and and chorion to form the amniochorionic membrane obliterates
the chorionic cavity. It is this membrane ruptures during labor (breaking of the water)
Structure of the Placenta
By the beginning of the 4th month plasenta has two components
Fetal Portion :Chorion Frondosum
Maternal portion: Decidua basalis
Junctional zone between decidual plate and chorionic plate where the trophoblasts and decidual
cells intermingle is characterized by decidual and syncytial giant cells
By this time most cytotrophoblasts have degenerated
Between the chorionic plate and decidual plate are the intervillous spaces filled with maternal
blood
• During fourth and fifth months decidua forms the decidual septa
• They project into thre intervillous spaces but do not reach the chorionic plate
• These septa have core of maternal tissue but their surface is covered by a layer of syncytial cells
so that at all times a syncytial layer separates maternal blood from the fetal tissue of the villi
• These placenta compartments formed by the endometrial septa are called cotyledons
• Cotyledons recieve
their blood through 80
to 100 spiral arteries
that pierce the
decidual plate and
enter the intervillous
spaces
• Blood from the
intervillous lakes drains
back to endometrial
veins
• Intervillous spaces of
mature placenta
contain 150 ml of
blood
FUNCTIONS OF PLACENTA
• Exchange of Gases : is accomplished by simple diffusion. At term fetus extracts
20 to 30 ml of O2 per minute from the maternation
• Exchange of Nutrients and Electrolytes: amino acids, free fatty acids,
carbohydrates, vitamins
• Transmission of Maternal Antibodies: Immunoglobulins consist of entirely IgG
which begins tobe transported from mother to fetüs at app 14th wk. In this
manner fetüs gains passive immunity against various infectious diseases
• Hormone Production: By the end of the fourth month placenta produces
progestrone in sufficient amounts to maintain pregnancy.
Estradiol is produced till the end of gestation
During the first 2 months of pregnancy syncytial trophoblasts produce hCG human
chorionic gonadotropin which maintains corpus luteum. This hormone is secreted
in mothers urine and in early stages of gestation it is used as the indicator for
pregnancy