M&H

Introduction to Embryology INTRO

Embryology
❖ Is the discipline of anatomy that concerned with the study of the development of the embryo from a fertilized egg
cell

❖ We will talk about the main steps in human development:

1. Gametogenesis

2. Fertilization

3. Gastrulation; Cleavage

4. Differentiation

5. Organogenesis

Gemetogenesis
❖ Defenition: Maturation of two highly specialized cells (spermatozoa in males & ovum in females).

Oogenesis
❖ In female gonad, the Germ Cells/ Oogonia undergo rapid mitotic division

and differentiate into primordial follicles

❖ primordial follicles enter into prophase of first meiotic division and formed

primary oocytes

❖ After puberty primary oocytes undergoes first meiotic division and formed

secondary oocyte & first polar body

❖ Ovulation occurs soon after the formation of the secondary oocyte

❖ Secondary oocyte completes the second meoitic division after fertilization

by the sperm in falliopian tube and formed ovum & second polar body.
In absence of fertilisation
Primary oocytes do
not the secondary oocyte
does
finish the first meiotic Oogenesis:
development not complete the second
division until puberty is
of meiotic and degenerate
reached
mature ovum

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INTRO

Ovulation
❖ Release Secondary oocyte from ovary into the fallopian tube, following rupture of mature graaafian follicle

and become available for conception.

❖ In relation to the menstrual period event occurs about 14th day of menstrual cycle.

❖ Only one secondary oocyte is likely to rupture in each ovarian cycle which starts at puberty & end in menopause

Spermatogenesis
❖ Spermatogonia (the male Germ cell) undergo mitotic division to give rise to primary spermatocytes (46XY)

which remain in the stage of prophase of the first meiotic division.

- With completion of first meiotic division-two

secondary spermatocytes are formed (23X or 23Y)

- Immediately follows the second meiotic division- 4

spermatids are formed, containing haploid number of chromosomes

- Spermatids undergo extensive morphological changes to convert them into

spermatozoa.

The difference between Male & Female; the male born with stem cell

FERTILIZATION
❖ Is the process of fusion of the spermatozoa with the mature

ovum.

❖ The common site of fertilization is in the ampulla (part of

uterine tube)

❖ Ovum, following ovulation is picked by (Sucked in) tubal

fimbriae and is transported to the ampullary part.

❖Out of the hundreds of millions sperm deposited in vagina at single ejaculation, only thousand

capacitated spermatozoa enter the tube while only 300-500 reach the ovum

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INTRO
❖ Completion of the second meiotic division of the oocyte immediately
follows resulting in the female pronucleus (23X) & 2nd polar body

❖ At the same time the head of the spermetazoa separates from middle piece and tail and transforms into male

pronucleus (23X or 23Y)

❖ Male and Feamale pronucleus unite at the centre resulting in formation of zygote (46XX or 46XY)

❖ Sex of the child will depend on the pattern of sex chromosome supplied by the sperm.

Gastrulation/Cleavage
❖ Cleavage consists of repeated mitotic divisions of the zygote, resulting in a rapid increase in the number of cells.

- The resulting cells from this process are called blastomeres.

❖ Division of the zygote begins about 30 hours after fertilization

❖ These blastomeres become smaller with each cleavage division

since in the cleavage the cells divide.

❖ Cleavage occurs as the zygote passes along the uterine tube to the uterus.

❖ Cell stage is called morula (it is 16 cells formed about 3 days after fertilization and enters the uterus).

- Internal cells of morula, inner cell mass, are surrounded by a layer of cells that form the outer cell mass.

- Outer cell layer later give rise to trophoblast and inner cell mass give rise to embryo proper.

Implantation
❖ The process by which the developing mass gets embedded within the uterine wall into the Endometrium to

reach blood supply of branches of uterine arteries.

❖ The blastocyst attaches to the endometrial epithelium.

❖ The blastocyst goes deeper and deeper into the uterine mucosa till whole of it comes to lie with in the thickness of
the endometrium

❖ By the of 7th day, the blastocyst gets implanted in the superficial compact layer of endometrium and derives its
nourishment from the eroded endometrium .

❖ By 10th day it is completely buried within the “Functional layer”