Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science, University, Jabalpur

College Of Veterinary Science And A.H. , Mhow

Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology

Unit-8 (EMBRYOLOGY)
Topic - General embryology

Course Instructors –
Dr. S.K.Gupta
Dr. S.K.Karmore
Dr. Alka Suman
Embryology
 The study of developmental events that occur during the prenatal
stage.
 The branch of biology concerned with the study ofembryos
and their development.
Ontogeny: all the developmental events that occur during the
existence of a living organism
Phylogeny: it pertains to the evolutionary history or development
of a group of organisms, such as a tribe or a racial group.
Phylogeny vs. ontogeny
 Both phylogeny and ontogeny deals with the origin and the
development of organisms. They are both concerned with the
developmental histories. However, ontogeny is different from
phylogeny in a way that it looks through the historical
development of an organism within its own timeline (e.g. from its
simplest to the most complex form) and not on its evolutionary
history. Thus, ontogeny is to the development of an individual
organism as phylogeny is to the evolution of a species.
BRANCHES OF EMBRYOLOGY-
 1. DESCRIPTIVE EMBRYOLOGY: This field of embryology is associated
with the morphological description of different embryonic stages in the
ontogenetic development of individuals of different species. This involves
the initial work of embryologists till 18th century.
 2. COMPARATIVE EMBRYOLOGY: It embraces the comparative study of
embryology of different animal groups.
 3. EXPERIMENTAL EMBRYOLOGY: It involves all those studies that
attempt to understand the various fundamental mechanism in the
development of different animals, like fertilization, Cleavage, Gastrulation,
Embryonic induction, determination and differentiation.
 4. CHEMICAL EMBRYOLOGY: This branch of embryology includes all
those studies which employ various biochemical, biophysical and
physiological techniques for understanding embryological events at
molecular level.
 5. TERATOLOGY: It is the branch of embryology concerned with the study
of malformations or birth defects. The substances that cause birth defects
are called tetratogens. Eg.Phocomalia (poorly developed arms child),
Ectomalia (arm less child)
History of embryology
 Embryonic development has been a source of
wonder…
 Aristotle’s (384-322 B.C.) studies – a shift from
superstitions to observation.
 Galen (130-200 A.D) – learned about advanced fetuses
but the minute dimensions resisted analysis
 De Graaf in 1672 – described ovarian follicle
 Hamm and Leeuwenhoek in 1677 – have seen the
sperm cells
 Theory of Preformation
 Spermists - sperm contained new individual in
miniature and only nourished in the ovum
 Ovists- thought the same and that the seminal
fluid only stimulates it.
 Bonnet (1745) – discovered eggs of some insects
undergoing parthenogenesis
 Spallanzani (1729-1799) – demonstrated that
both male and female sex products are
necessary for the initiation of development
 Wolff (1733–1794) – thesis on epigenesis
(embryological development occurs through progressive
 growth and differentiation)
-Von Baer (1828) – discovered mammalian egg, first
emphasized that the more general basic features of any
animal group appear earlier in the development than
do special features of different members of the group–
Von Baer’s law (Demonstrated existence of germ layers)
-The formulation of cell theory by Matthias
-Schleiden and Theodore Schwann laid down the foundation of
modern embryology as a science.
-Ernst Haeckel (1834 -1919) – drafted the Biogenetic Law of
Muller and Haeckel – Haeckel’s Law of Recapitulation
Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny Eg. Tail in vertebrates
Embryonic period vs. Foetal period in cattle
 Embryonic – first 2 months Development of the
three primary germ layers give rise to all
structures and Basic body plan takes shape
 Fetal period – remaining gestation period.
Structures and organs continue to grow and
develop.
Stages of Development
1. Fertilization
2. Cleavage
3.Gastrulation Embryogenesis
4.Organogenesis
5.Maturation
Fertilization:
 The process of fusion or union of the spermatozoon with the
mature ovum is known as conception /fertilizaiton/
impregnantation.
 Which produced the fertilized single mono-nucleated
cell called the zygote.
Embryogenesis: Theformation and development of anembryo.
1. Cleavage: is a series of rapidmitotic divisions (without
cellgrowth)
2. Gastrulation : is a phase early in the embryonic development
of most animals/human being, during which the single-
layered blastula is reorganized into a trilaminar ("three-
layered") structure known as the gastrula. These three germ
layers are known as the ectoderm, mesoderm,and endoderm.
3. Organogenesis: The production and development of the
organs of an animal.
Events of Fertilization:
 1. Attraction
 2. Penitration
 3. Conjugation
How fertilization occurs..?
 Following ovulation, the ovum is picked up by the tubal fimbriae
and is moved along by the cilia and by peristaltic movement of the
tube.
 At the time the cervix under the influence of estrogen, secretes a
flow of alkaline mucus that deposited in the vagina, only
thousands capacitated spermatozoa enter the uterine tube while
300-500 reach the ovum, and remainder are destroyed by the acid
medium of thevagina.
 It takes about 1 hour for sperm to reach thesite.
 The sperm release the enzyme, Hylluronidase which
allows penetration of the zona pellucida and the cell
membrane surrounding theovum.
 Many sperm are needed for this to take place but only
one will enter the ovum.
 After this the membrane is sealed to prevent entry of
any further sperm and the nucluei of the two cell fuse.
 The sperm and ovum contribute half (n) the
complement of chromosomes to make a diploid
number (2n).
 The sperm (n) and ovum (n) is known as the male and
female gametes and the fertilizedovum as the zygote
(2n)
. Fertilization
 Normal site for Conception..?
 The most common site of conception is the ampullary part
(Ampulla ) of the fallopian tube which is the widest part
located closed to theovary

 The sex of the new individual at the time of conception is

determined by sexchromosomes.
 Every cattle cell contains 60 chromosomes, which are made
up of 58 autosomechromosome and 2 sex chromosomes.
 The sex chromosome are X and Y .
 Woman have no Y chromosome and male has Y chromosome
(male 58+X+Y) (female 58+X+X).
 There for e, in mammals sex of young one isalways
determined by Sire (While reverse is found in case of Birds)
Development of fertilized ovum/Zygote
Morula:
1. After fertilization, the Zygote divides into 2 cells
(blastomere) (mitosis division)in about 30 hours
after fertilization.
2. The blastomeres continue to divide by binary
division through 4, 8, and 16 cell stage until a
cluster of cells is formed– Morula, resemblibg
a mulberry
3. The morula after spending about 3 days(72
hours) in the uterine tube enters the uterine
cavity through the narrow uterine ostium
(1mm) on the 4th day
Morula

Morula
Blastocyst:
 Morula, once entering the uterine cavity, floats
freely(next 2 days) and is covered byendometrial
fluid and mucus.
 This fluid is absorbed through the canaliculi of the
zona pellucida and Morula begins toaccumulate
fluid and forms a cavity between its cells.
 Once cavity appears, it is now called a blastocyst.
Blastocyst
 The zona pellucida
becomes stretched, thinned
and gradually disappear
soon prior to implantation.

 The cell of the outer cell

mass forms the wall of the
blastocyst and is known as
trophoblast.

 The inner cell mass is

concerned with the
development of the
embryo.
Two Distinct Cell Types

1. Trophoblasts – will form the invading

placenta
2. Inner cell mass – will form the embryo

Trophoblasts
 Blastocyst

Trophoblast Inner cell mass

Placenta Chorion Fetus Amnion umbilical cord

DEVELOPMENT OF PLACENTA
From zygote to the placenta formation
 DEVELOPMENT OF PLACENTA
➢ The placenta is a foetomaternal composite structure
formed by the association of embryo and extra embryonic
membrane with uterine tissue for exchange of food
materials , oxygen and waste materials
➢ Placenta develops from two sources:
Foetal part– From chorio-allantoic membrane
Maternal part– From Endometrium(decidua basils)
➢ Placenta begins to develop upon implantation of the
blastocyst into the maternal endometrium (That means
development of placenta starts when blastocyst attached to
the endometrium)
➢ Once blastocyst is embeded in the endometrial wall,
endometrium changed into Decidua and secretory activity
of endometrium started, glycogen and lipids are stored and
vacuole appear into the stroma
➢ Placenta grows throughout the pregnancy
 Decidua
➢ Decidua (cells loaded with lipid
and glycogen) is the term for the
uterine lining (endometrium)
during a pregnancy (endometrium
changes into functional part 1.
which is more vascular and more
functional called decidua)
➢ Three layer:
1. Decidua basalis : where the 3.
implantation takes place and the
basal plate is formed 2.
2. Decidua capsularis : lies like a
capsule around chorion
3. Decidua Parietalis/vera : on the
opposite uterus wall
 Implantation
➢ The embryo along with extra-embryonic membranes are called
Conceptus and attachment of conceptus to the endometrium is
Implantation
➢ Implantation occur in three phases:
Apposition
Adhesion and
Attachment
➢ Embryo got nourishment in uterine tube by its own yolk and
secretion from oviducts
➢ In uterus embryo derive nutrition from uterine fluid , uterine fluid
consists of cellular debries, extravasated poly-morphonucleocutes
and secretion of endometrial gland called uterine milk (histotrophs)
➢ Implantation is slow and gradual process in domestic animals
➢ There is marked species difference in time of implantation, gestation
period and litter size
 Time of Gestation
Species implantation (in period Litter size
days) (in days) (numbers)
Cow 28-35 282 01
(277-290)
Ewe 17-20 148 1-2
(144-152)
Sow 17-24 114 08-12
(110-116)
Mare 49-70 338 01
(330-345)
Bitch 14-21 61 06-10
(58-64)
Cat 14-21 64 04
(60-68)
 Types of Implantation
➢ Three types of Implantation:
1. Superficial/Centric: The
chorionic vesicle remain
within uterine cavity and
expands to fill its lumen
Ex. Domestic Animals
2. Eccentric : The chorionic
vesicle become partially
embedded in pockets of the
uterine wall
Ex. Rat , Squirrel
3. Interstitial: The blastocyst
penetrate into the wall of 1. 2. 3.
uterus and develops there
until parturition
Ex. Primates
Implantation
➢ At the time of implantation Zona pellucida becomes disappear
➢ The trophoblastic layer differentiates into two parts:
Inner layer - Cytotrophoblast
Outer layer - Syncytotrophoblast
➢ Syncytotrophoblast proliferates into multilayered, multinucleated
protoplasmic mass
➢ Cytotrophoblast differentiates into layer of primary mesoderm

Cytotophoblast Syncytotrophoblast
Primary
mesoderm

CHORION
➢ Inside syncytotrophoblast a number of lacunar spaces appear
and syncytial cells form cords between the lacunar space, called
Trabeculae
➢ Cords of cytotrophoblast invade the trabeculae and convert into
Primary chorionic villi , lacunar space are now called
intervillous space
➢ Primary chorionic villi are transformed into Secondary chorionic
villi when primary mesodermic layer invade into the primary villi
➢ Secondary villi are transformed into Tertiary villi when the foetal
blood vessels appear within primary mesoderm and their
branches project into secondary villi
➢ Later on within primary mesoderm vacuoles are appeared
subsequently they coalase to form extra-embryonic coelome
between amniotic cavity and primary mesoderm
➢ In Birds and in some Farm animals like Cattle, Sheep, Goat
and Pig the allantoic vesicle expands into the extraembryonic
coelom and surrounds the whole amniotic cavity
➢ It occupies the space between the amnion and the chorion
(serosa), the outer wall of amnion fuses with chorion and
therefore forms Chorioallantioic Type of Placenta
➢ The amniotic cavity contains Amniotic fluids within which
embryo becomes float. Amniotic fluid contains salt, water,
protein and sugar . It gives protection to the foetus by
neutralizing shock and pressure. It also acts as lubricants at the
time of birth
➢ At the time of birth the placenta is discarded along with the
amnion and referred as Afterbirth
➢ In Bovines, attachment between maternal and foetal
membranes occur throughout the endometrium of the horn in
the sporadic manner as per distribution of cotyledones
➢ In Sow and Mare the union of chorion and uterine wall is
superficial and their separation at the time of birth without
injury to maternal tissue this type of placenta is called
Deciduate placenta
➢ In Carnivores The villi occupy on the girdle like band around
the middle of chorionic sac
➢ In Humans, The chorionic villi develop rapidly at the
embryonic pole of blastocyst called chorionic frondosum
➢ In Primates The union between foetal and maternal tissue is
so intimate and damage of uterine tissue at the time of birth,
that's why there is extensive bleeding at the time of birth in
primates
➢ Exchange of metabolites occurs directly through foetal and
maternal blood circulation
➢ There is no direct mixing of foetal and maternal blood in
placenta
➢ The chorio-allantoic placenta directly absorb nutrition from
maternal blood is called Haemotrope
➢ Therefore placenta formation (contact between foetal
membrane and endometrium) occurs in various zones which
differs characteristically depending upon the species

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