EMBRYOLOGY


 PHARYNGEAL ARCHES
 ILOS

By the end of this lecture you should
1- Define the pharyngeal arches
2- Enumerate the derivatives of each
pharyngeal arch
3- Outlined the derivatives of each
pharyngeal pouch
4- listed the derivatives of each pharyngeal
cleft and its congenital anomalies
 
- The human embryo up to this
time has no neck.
- Its cranial end has two
swellings only; the heart and the
brain separated by the oral
membrane
 PHARYNGEAL ARCHES

brain

Oral
membrane
Heart
At the beginning of the fourth week
neural crest cells invade the mesoderm

in the region of the primitive pharynx

 stimulate its proliferation which forms

six pairs of C-shaped mesodermal
masses along the sides and the front of
the primitive pharynx (but not behind).
 
- These mesodermal masses are
called branchial or pharyngeal arches.

They are numbered from one to six in a

cranio-caudal sequence.
 
PHARYNGEAL ARCHES or
BRANCHIALARCHES ????????
Branchial is derived from the Greek
word branchia or gill.
 

Each pharyngeal arch consists of a core of mesoderm

(derived from neural crest cells) and covered on
outside by ectoderm and on inside by endoderm.
Each pharyngeal arch has its blood and nerve supply.
 

- Hence there are four pharyngeal clefts and four pouches,

Also a fifth rudimentary pharyngeal pouch may be present. If
present it is called ultimo-branchial body
 Mesodermal Derivatives of
pharyngeal arches

-The mesoderm of each

arch gives rise to several
structures.
 Bone, ligaments and cartilage

Muscles.

An artery to supply its structures

-Each arch is invaded by a nerve from

the hind brain to supply its structures
- The artery of the 5th arch is
rudimentary so the fifth arch atrophies
and disappears. 
- The remaining arches are the 1st,
2nd, 3rd, 4th and the 6th.

The branchial or pharyngeal arch

system is formed at the 5 mm embryo
stage, in week 4, with its 5 arches, 4
pharyngeal clefts, and 4 pharyngeal
pouch
 FIRST PHA. ARCH

Maxillary process Mandibular process

• Mallus
• Maxill • Incus
• Zygoma • Mandible
• Part of temporal bone • Sphenomandibular
ligament

 The muscle derivatives of 1st arch are:
1. Muscles of mastication
2.
3.
Anterior belly of digastric
Mylohyoid

4. Tensor palati
5. Tensor tympani

The nerve of 1st arch is mandibular nerve

The artery is 1st aortic arch which disappears
except a small portion forming maxilllary artery.
Second PHA .ARCH

Skeletal
derivatives of
2nd arch are: 
1. Stapes
2. Styloid process of
temporal bone
3. Stylohyoid ligament
4. Lesser horn of hyoid
bone
5. Upper part of body of
hyoid bone

 Muscle derivatives of 2nd arch are:
1. Muscles of expression
2. Occipitofrontalis
3. Muscles of the auricle
4. Platysma
5. Posterior belly of digastric
6. Stylohyoid
7. Stapedius of middle ear
Nerve of 2nd arch is Facial
nerve (seventh)
The artery is 2nd aortic arch
which disappears except a
small portion forming
stapedial and hyoid arteries.
 Fate of Pharyngeal arches
Derivatives arc
muscles .Lig nerve bone h
 .No

• Muscles of • Spheno- • Mandib • Maxilla 1

mastication mand ular • zygoma
• Anterior belly of
digastric mand
5
• Tempro- th nerve • palatine
• Mallus&incus
• Mylohyoid • Ant .lig of
• Tensor palati • mandible
mallus
• Tensor tympani
• Muscles of • Stylohyoid • Facial • Stapes. 2
expression ligament
• Occipitofrontalis
7th nerve • Styloid process.
• stylomandib • Lesser horn and
• Muscles of the ular upper 1/2 of hyoid
auricle ligament. bone
• Platysma
• Posterior belly of
digastric
Third PHA .ARCH

 

The third pharyngeal arch.

Stylopharyngeus
is the only muscle
develops from 3rd
arch. 
Nerve of 3rd arch is
glossopharyngeal nerve.
Artery is 3rd aortic arch that
persists to form common
carotid artery and stem
(proximal part) of internal
carotid artery.
Fourth PHA .ARCH

The fourth pharyngeal arch

Its cartilage forms

thyroid cartilage.

Cricothyroid is the
only muscle.
Nerve supply is superior laryngeal
nerve from vagus nerve (tenth

cranial nerve). Its external branch
supplies cricothyroid.
Artery is 4th aortic arch that
persists:
On left side forms main part of
arch of aorta
On right side forms stem of right
subclavian artery
 

The sixth pharyngeal arch:

Its cartilage forms cricoid, arytenoid, corniculate and cuniform
cartilages.
Its muscles are intrinsic muscles of larynx.
Nerve supply is recurrent
laryngeal branch of vagus
nerve.
Vesseles of the sixth arch are
1- Pulmonary arteries on both
sides.
2- Ductus arteriosus on left side
 Fate of Pharyngeal arches
Derivatives arc
muscles .Lig Nerve bone h
 .No

• Stylo-pharyngeus • --------- • Glossopharyn • Lower 1/2 and 3

muscle geal nerve greater horns of
hyoid bone
9 th

• Cricothyroid • --------- •vagus nerve • Laryngeal 4

muscle --- cartilages,
•Upper 1\3 of
10th thyroid- cuniform-
epiglottis

All muscles of the •---------- •vagus nerve •Lower 1 /3 of the

6
larynx except thyroid cartilage,
circothyroid Cricoid, arytenoid
Derivatives of the•
pharyngeal clefts

The 1st pharyngeal cleft:
- It forms the skin of the
external auditory canal
and part of the tympanic
membrane
 
- A mesodermal core from the
second pharyngeal arch descends
covered by an ectodermal flap. It covers
the next arches and the clefts in
between
The ectodermal flap fuses with the
ectoderm covering the 6th arch.

The inner layer of the ectodermal flap
fuses with the ectoderm of the arches.
Finally they degenerate and the
mesodermal core fuses with the
underlying mesoderm to form a
smooth neck
 Pharyngeal pouches
- 
The pharyngeal pouches develop in a
craniocaudal sequence between the arches,
pouch 1 lies between first and second arches.
- There are 4 well-developed pairs of
pouches.
- The pharyngeal pouches give origin to
the important T structures; the tongue, tonsils,
tube (eustachian), thyroid, thymus, and
parathyroids,

- First pharyngeal pouch elongates to
form the tubotympanic recess .

Its distal portion dilates to form the
tympanic cavity and mastoid antrum.
The proximal part forms the eustachian
tube, which opens into the pharynx
Apposition of the ectoderm and the
endoderm. These two layers enclose
mesoderm in between which forms the
fibrous layer of ear drum
Second pharyngeal pouch forms the

palatine tonsil. The endodermal
epithelium swells and invades the
surrounding mesenchyme to form the
crypts of tonsil.
During the 3rd to the 5th months the
tonsil is infiltrated by lymphatic tissue
which forms lymph nodules
Third pharyngeal pouch:

It is divided into dorsal

and ventral wings.
in the 5th week,
endoderm of dorsal

wing forms inferior
parathyroig gland
(Parathyroid III).
Endoderm of ventral
wing forms most of
thymus gland.
Fourth pharyngeal pouch:

It is divided into dorsal and

ventral wings.
Endoderm of dorsal wing
forms superior

parathyroid (parathyroid
IV).
Endoderm of ventral wing
forms ultimo- branchial
body and rudimentary
thymus.
 Fate of Pharyngeal pouches
Derivatives Pouch
.No
• Middle ear cavity
•Eustachian tube  1
•Tympanic membrane

•Palatine tonsillar fossa 2

•Dorsal wing: Inferior parathyroid gland 3
•Ventral wing: Primordium of thymus

•Dorsa wing: Superior parathyroid glang 4

•Ventral wing:-Ultimobranchial body to form
parafollicular cells in thyroid or
degenerates.
- Rudimentary thymus (soon disappears)
 ILOS

By the end of this lecture you should
1- Define the pharyngeal arches
2- Enumerate the derivatives of each
pharyngeal arch
3- Outlined the derivatives of each
pharyngeal pouch
4- listed the derivatives of each pharyngeal
cleft and its congenital anomalies