Neurulation, Formation of the

Nervous System, Sense Organs,

Skin and other Ectodermal
Derivatives

Lydia R. Leonardo, DrPH

 Organogenesis
• Ectoderm the epidermis of the skin, nervous
system, sense organs and a few other cell types.
• Endoderm  tissues that line the digestive tract
and organs that develop as outgrowths of the
digestive tract (including the liver, pancreas, and
lungs).
• Mesoderm  skeletal, muscle tissues and
circulatory, excretory and reproductive systems.
Morphogenetic Processes in Embryogenesis

1. biochemical patterning of the embryo

2. mechanical morphogenetic movements that
geometrically shape the embryo
 Embryonic Organization
• Allocation or differentiation processes to
various areas of the embryo, is laid down in its
general feature by the polarity of the egg cell
or by an interplay of factors derived from the
egg polarity, sometime after fertilization.
• Realization of the plan of organization is
dependent upon multitude of epigenetic
events occurring in the later stages
 Action of the “Organizer”
• Most important of these events.
• Function of the organizer is to initiate directly
or indirectly many of the differentiation
processes in other areas of the embryo
(induction)
• To initiate in its own area a number of
differentiation processes leading to the
formation of the essential part of the axial
system of the embryo
 Embryonic Induction
• response of cells to the chemical signals
released by adjacent cells
• process by which the identity of certain cells
influences the developmental fate of
surrounding cells
• consists of an interaction between inducing
and responding tissues that brings about
alterations in the developmental pathway of
the responding tissue.
 Inductive Stimuli
• Operate only at certain stages, as a rule,
during early development, and they are
normally ineffective unless there is an intimate
contact between inducing and reacting
tissues.
• Once stimulated, the cells proceed along their
new course of differentiation independently of
a continued application of inducing stimulus.
 Spemann-Mangold Organizer

• The Spemann-Mangold organizer, also known

as the Spemann organizer, is a cluster of cells
in the developing embryo of an amphibian
that induces development of the central
nervous system.
• induction is the process by which the identity
of certain cells influences the developmental
fate of surrounding cells.

Ribatti, Domenico (2014)

 Display full size

Figure 1. A portrait of Hans Spemann and his assistant Hilde Pröscholdt

Mangold.

Ribatti, Domenico (2014)

The Spemann-Mangold organizer experiment

Display full size

Ribatti, Domenico (2014)

 Transplantation Experiment of Spemann
and Mangold
• Has shown that the cells in the DLB have an extraordinary role
in the formation of the dorsal mesoderm, particularly the
notochord and some pharyngeal endoderm.
• Cells of the DLB have been referred to as the Spemann
organizer since the cells here induces the formation of the CNS.
• One important chemical that was later known to be the cause of
the induction of the CNS is chordin (encoded by the gene
chordin).
• Before the CNS is induced to form, chordin is a protein that
dorsalizes early vertebrate embryonic tissues binds to bone
morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) that may be involved also in
organogenesis

Ribatti, Domenico (2014)

 Neurulation
• first induction event in animal development
• The organs first formed in the early vertebrate
embryos are the notochord, brain and spinal
cord.
• The notochord is first formed from the
mesodermal cells of the DLB or the
mesodermal cells of the Hensen’s node of
amniotes called the chordamesoderm.
 Counterpart of the DLB
• Further movement (by ingression) of the cells from the
surface epiblast results to a thickened structure at the anterior
end of the primitive streak called the Hensen’s node.
• The aggregate of cells in this thickened knot are destined to
form the notochord. Notochord, if you recall, is made of
cartilage-like cells that serves as a flexible axial support in all
chordate embryos. It grows forward along the length of the
embryo as a cylindrical rod of cells.
• At this point, we can generalize that where the DLB in
amphibians or the Hensen’s node in amniotes, establishes the
posterior end of the embryo since the notochord develops
anterior to these structures.
 NEURULATION
• Is defined as the process which gives rise to
the neural tube in the development of the
embryo

• The neural tube gives rise to the central

nervous system

• Also gives rise to the neural crest cells, which

migrates from the dorsal side of the tube to
give rise to different cell types
NEURULATION
• First in neurulation is the
formation of the neural plate

• The neural plate is a result

of the dorsal thickening of
the ectodermal cells

• Folding begins in the neural

plate (formation of neural
folds)
NEURULATION
• The subsequent folding of
the neural plate gives rise to
the neural tube

• The neural tube pinches off

the ectodermal cells to
become a separate structure

• Neural crest cells form a

layer between them
 NEURULATION
• The ectodermal cells are subdivided into the
epidermal ectoderm and the neural ectoderm
cells

• Derivatives of the epidermal ectoderm include:

• Epidermis and appendages (hair, glands, nails)
• Cornea
• Otocyst (inner ear cell)
• Lining of outer part of both ends of gut (anus and
mouth linings)
• Ameloblasts (makes tooth enamel)
• Tongue covering
• Part of salivary gland
EURULATION
• The neural crest cells are
sometimes termed as the “4th
germ layer” because of its
abundance of derivatives

• These derivatives include:

• PNS ganglia
• Myenteric and submucosal
plexus in GI tract
• Schwann cells (myelination of
PNS)
• Adrenal Medulla (part of
kidney)
• Odontoblasts (production of
dentin)
• Melanocytes (pigment cells)
• CT-type derivatives in head
and neck
Later Development of the Brain
 Derivatives of the Three Primary Vesicles

Primary Vesicles Secondary Vesicles Neural Derivatives Cavity Derivatives

Cerebral
Telencephalon hemispheres and Lateral ventricle
globus pallidus
Prosencephalon
Thalamus,
Diencephalon hypothalamus, and Third Ventricle
epithalamus
Mesencephalon Mesencephalon Midbrain Cerebral aqueduct
Pons and Upper part of
Metencephalon cerebellum 4th ventricle
Rhombencephalon Lower part of
Myelencephalon Medulla 4th ventricle/centra
l canal
Clinical Relevance: Defects in Neural Tube Formation
Anencephaly results from failure of the neural tube to close at the
cephalic end, leading to the partial absence of the brain and skull. The
lack of crucial brain structures mean that this is a lethal condition, and
newborns with this congenital abnormality typically do not survive longer
than a few hours or days after birth.

Spina bifida results from incomplete closure of the neural tube at the
caudal end (most commonly in the lumbar region). There are three main
types of spina bifida, of increasing severity:

Spina bifida occulta – the mildest form, is characterized by an incomplete

closure of the vertebrae, without protrusion of the spinal cord. Most people
with this form of spina bifida are unaware of having it, and its discovery is often
incidental.

Meningocele (meningeal cyst) – where the meninges protrude between the

vertebrae posteriorly, but the spinal cord is undamaged.

Myelomeningocele – the most severe form, where a portion of the spinal cord
remains unfused and protrudes posteriorly through an opening between the
vertebrae, in a sac formed by the meninges. This is associated with severe
disability.
By OpenStax College [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Thank you.