Human Embryology Flashcards

1
Q

Why is embryology studied?

A
  • history of prenatal origin
  • understand birth defects
  • to understand adult anatomy
  • understand adult illness’s and origins
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the embryological periods?

A

1st, 2nd, 3rd trimesters and pre-embryonic period

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the embryonic period? (organogenesis)

A

beginning of 4th week to end of 8th week

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the 3 germ layers and what do they give rise to

A

Ectoderm, Mesoderm, Endoderm

give rise to specific tissues and organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the period of the foetus?

A

beginning of 3rd month to birth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is gametogenesis?

A

process of production of male and female gametes from the primordial germ cells (PGC) via meiotic cell divisions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are male and female gametogenesis called?

A

male - spermatogenesis

female - oogenesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the principal goals of gametogenesis?

A

reduces chromosomal number of gametes from 46 (paired) to 23 (unpaired)

enhance genetic variability

starts at puberty in males and from fetal life in females

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What do chromosomal abnormalities lead to?

A

birth defects, spontaneous abortions, fertility

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is fertilisation?

A

process of male and female gametes fuse to form a zygote

restores diploid number of chromosomes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is capacitation?

A

a sperm conditioning process within the female reproductive tract in preparation for fertilisation - only capacitated sperm can pass corona cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is acrosome reaction?

A

release of enzymes needed to penetrate the zona pellucida (layer of ovum)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is the cortical reaction?

A

the oocyte releases lysosomal enzymes from cortical granules making the plasma membrane impenetrable to other sperm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is the zona reaction?

A

structure and composition of the zona pellucida is altered preventing polyspermy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what causes male infertility?

how can it be treated?

A

quality and quantity of spermatozoa

assisted reproductive technology (ART)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what causes female infertility?

A

multiple physiological and anatomical factors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is and when does cleavage happen

A

within week of fertilisation

rapid repeated mitotic cell division of zygote to produce blastomeres

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what is the purpose of cleavage?

A

form multicellular embryo (morula) from the single large zygote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is the process of compaction

A

inner (embryoblast) and outer (trophoblast) cell masses forming and polarity being established

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is the blastocyst (inner mass) (2nd week)

A

the fully developed morula wi/ fluid filled cavity

21
Q

what is the bilaminar embryonic germ disc?

A

a cluster of embryonic cells

inner cell mass (hypoblast) becomes embryo

outer cell mass (epiblast) becomes placenta and other fetal membranes

defines dorsal-ventral axis

22
Q

Stem cell definition

A

undifferentiated cell that can form specialised cell types

can be either embryonic (pluripotent) or adult stem cell (multipotent)

23
Q

Pluripotent cell definition

A

can form all mature cell types in body (other than placental & extraembryonic cells)

24
Q

Multipotent cell definition

A

can form more than one closely related mature cell type in body

25
Q

Totipotent cell definition

A

can form all differentiated cells types in body

26
Q

what is the primitive streak?

A

transient thickening longitudinal midline structure forms on day 15 in the bilaminar embryonic germ disc

27
Q

what is gastulation?

A

process of epiblastic cell movements (ingression or invagination) through the primitive streak the leads to formation of the trilaminar germ disc

28
Q

what is the principle goal of gastrulation

A

establish all major body axes, (cranio-caudal, medio-lateral, dorso-vental, left-right)

29
Q

clinical implications of errors of gastrulation

A

caudal dyslasia (caudal regression syndrome), caudal or sacral agenesis

dextrocardia (right side heart)

heart/septal defects

atrial/ventricular isomerism’s/inversions

30
Q

what does the ectodermal germ layer give rise to?

A

organs and structures that maintain contact with the outside world eg, skin, teeth, ear, nose, mouth

31
Q

what does the mesodermal germ layer (paraxial) give rise to?

A

cranial connective tissue

somitomeres (somites) develop with neural tube (segments of spine) can be counted according to age of embryo

32
Q

what are the 3 parts of the mesodermal germ layer?

A

paraxial mesoderm

intermediate mesoderm

lateral plate mesoderm

33
Q

what does the mesodermal germ layer (intermediate) give rise to?

A

urogenital system - primordial germ cells, gametes, gonads

34
Q

what does the mesodermal layer (lateral plate) give rise to?

A

splits in 2 - parietal = cavity walls
visceral - wall of gut tube

dermis of skin, limbs, bones, connective tissue, muscle

35
Q

what does the endodermal germ layer give rise to?

A

epithelial lining of GI tract

36
Q

what is morphogenesis?

A

shape forming of embryo controlled by cell behaviours (shape, size, position, number)

interference with this process can result in birth defects

37
Q

what is dysmorphogenesis

A

abnormal foetal development (outside the norm of form and function)

38
Q

birth defect definition

A

structural, behavioural, functional, metabolic disorder present at birth

can be caused by malformations and deformations

39
Q

what is malformation

A

primary morphologic defects in a organ or body part (results from disturbed developmental events or process during formation of structure)

40
Q

what is deformation

A

secondary morphological defects causes by prolonged mechanical force being applied eg clubfeet due to compression in amniotic cavity

41
Q

what is disruption

A

morphological alterations of already formed structures due to destructive processes

42
Q

Malformation syndrome - down syndrome cause and effects

A

missing chromosome

flat face, small nose
reduced muscle
eye slants
hyper flexibility

43
Q

Malformation syndrome - alcohol foetal syndrome effects

A

small eye openings
smooth philtrum
thin upper lip
brain damage

44
Q

what is teratology?

A

the study of birth defects

a teratogen causes a birth defect

45
Q

what determines the capacity of a teratogen

A

genotype of conceptus & maternal genome

Development stage at the time of exposure to teratogens

dose and duration of exposure

mechanism & actions of teratogen

46
Q

what is pathogenesis

A

abnormal development that leads to dysmorphogenesis

can involve cell death, decreased proliferation

47
Q

what can abnormal development cause?

A

death, malformation, growth retardation, functional disorders

48
Q

congenital malformations statistics

A

birth defects - 25% of infant deaths (leading cause)

3% infants have structural anomalies

birth defect frequency’s are non-discrimatory (similar levels globally)

40-45% of defect have unknown cause

genetic factors account for 28% birth defects

49
Q

what can minor anomalies help detect

A

major anomalies in infants as they are common in those that already show minors