site of nutrient and gas exchange between fetus and mother
placenta and umbilical cord
fetal portion vs maternal portion of the placenta comes from
fetal; chorionic sac
maternal; decidua functionalis (functional layer of endometrium)
female and male reproductive tract embryonic structures “ultimate overview”
mesoderm (epithelium), mesenchyme and primordial germ cells
germ cells
develop wk 4 in yolk sac; migrate out of hindgut and get incorporated into primary sex cords at wk 6
into secondary sex cords into oogonia
oogonia get covered by cuboidal epithelium to become primary follicles
when do female characteristics start to develop in embryo
wk 7
paramesonephric ducts (mullerian ducts)
what do the distal and proximal ends become?
develop lateral to mesonephric kidneys from invaginations of mesothelium
distal ends fuse to form uterovaginal primordium (ultimately divide into uterus and vagina)
proximal ends form ovarian tubes
xx vs xy
xx= female
xy=male
primary sex cords in males during embyro- what happens
have outer cortex and inner medulla; cortex will regress and medulla becomes testicular tissue via the Y chromosome
when does testosterone start developing from testes in embryo to develop male genitals
wk 7
descent of testis in embryo
During embryonic development, the testes descend from the posterior abdominal wall through the inguinal canal into the scrotum, guided by the gubernaculum.
mesonephric kidneys atrophy at wk 7 and gubernaculum form (attached to developing testis)
gabernacula guide testes down through inguinal canals
fully descend into scrotum at or after birth
leydig cells and sertoli cells in embryo
leydig: devleop ot of seminiferous tubules; secrete testosterone
sertoli: produce mullein inhibiting substance to block formation of female structure
spermatogonia from primordial germ cells also develop
mesonephric ducts (wolffian ducts) in male embryo become what
proximal to distal: epididymis, vas deferens, ejactulatory duct
lateral outgrowth become seminal vesicles
many outgrowths form prostate
male vs female reproductive tract embryo
what are the 2 ducts
Both sexes start with two paired ducts: the mesonephric (Wolffian) and paramesonephric (Müllerian) ducts.
In males, testosterone promotes Wolffian duct development (into vas deferens, epididymis, seminal vesicles), while Müllerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS/AMH) causes regression of the Müllerian ducts.
In females, absence of AMH and testosterone allows Müllerian ducts to develop into the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and upper vagina, while the Wolffian ducts regress.
when does gonadal ridge form
wk 5
spermatogenesis steps
Spermatogenesis Steps:
1. Spermatogonia (diploid, 2n) — stem cells located in the basal layer of the seminiferous tubules undergo mitosis to maintain the stem cell pool and produce primary spermatocytes.
spermatogonia –> primary spermatocyte –> first meiotic division –> two secondary spermatocytes –> second meiotic division –> four spermatids –> four sperm or spermatozoa
steps of oogenesis
primary oocyte in primary follicle –> first meiotic division –> secondary oocyte in mature follicle and first polar body –> second meiotic division –> mature oocyte and second polar body
phases of the menstural cycle
Menstrual Phase (Days 1–5):
- Shedding of the functional layer of the endometrium → menstrual bleeding.
Follicular (Proliferative) Phase (Days 6–14):
- FSH stimulates growth of ovarian follicles.
- Developing follicles produce estrogen → rebuilds the endometrial lining.
- Estrogen peaks → triggers LH surge around day 14.
Ovulation (Day 14):
- LH surge causes release of the secondary oocyte from dominant follicle.
Luteal (Secretory) Phase (Days 15–28):
- Corpus luteum forms → secretes progesterone (and some estrogen).
- Progesterone maintains and thickens endometrium, preparing for implantation.
- If no fertilization → corpus luteum degenerates → drop in progesterone and estrogen → menstruation starts.
hormones of mensutaral cycle
FSH- from anterior pituitary; stimulate follicle growth
LH- from anterior pituitary; triggers ovulation and corpus luteum formation
estrogen- from developing follicles; proliferation of endometrium
progesterone- from corpus luteum; maintains secretory endometrium (will degrade to corpus albicans if not fertilized)
when does hCG take control to prevent corpus luteum from degeneration when fertilized
wk 20
fertilization
enzyme?
sperms acrosome; acrosome reaction
digests zona pellucida of ovum via hyaluroniadse released from the acrosome
sperm penetrates zona pellucida in zona reaction and egg becomes impermeable to another sperm
oocyte arrested in metaphase; completes second meiotic division to become mature oocyte with a second polar body
nucleus of mature oocyte becomes female proneuclaus and sperm also becomes a pronucleus and its tail degenerates
membranes of 2 pronuclei break down and chromosomes arrange for mitotic division/ 23 chromosomes in each pronucleus combine- zygote of 46 chromosomes
cleavage; to get blastomere
what happens to the oocyte when its fertilized by sperm
it was arrested in metaphase; so it completes its second meiotic division to become a mature oocyte with a second polar body
sperm fertilizes egg
🧬 Steps of Egg Fertilization:
1. Sperm Capacitation
Sperm undergoes biochemical changes in the female reproductive tract, gaining the ability to penetrate the egg.
blastomere
A blastomere is one of the early cells formed by cleavage (mitotic division) of the fertilized egg (zygote).
After fertilization, the zygote divides into 2, then 4, then 8, 16, etc.
Each of these resulting cells is called a blastomere.
Blastomeres are totipotent in the earliest stages (can become any cell type in the body or placenta).
They eventually compact and form the morula, then the blastocyst.
So in short:
➡️ Blastomeres = Early embryonic cells formed by cleavage of the zygote.
zygote
diploid cell from union of sperm and ovum