18 HOUR WHOLE MOUNT

Disc (discoid type)

Area pellucida clear area
Area opaca surrounding are pellucida; dark area
Primitive streak elongated structure in the center of area pellucida
Hensens node upper end of the streak has a thickening
o Landmark to keep in mind in this stage of the mebryo
Body of chick embryo will form above the streak

Head process on the top of the Hensens node

o Made of dorsal mesodermal cells
o Will form notochord
o As the heads process forms, primitive streak shortens posteriorly
Proamnion above the head process, lighter area that is crescent shaped
o Composed of ectoderm and endoderm
Germinal crescent above the proamnion; band of cells
o No particular germ cell origin
o destined to form the primordial germ cells (will migrate to the gonads)
Neural folds 2 thick folds arise above the head process
o Precursors to the central nervous system
o Formed from the neural plate
Head fold as the embryo elongates, the head starts rise above the yolk forming the
head fold
o Double-layered-ecto and endoderm
o Results in 2 new cavities: subcephalic pocket and foregut
Subcephalic pocket lined by ectoderm and denotes the head raised above the yolk
Foregut lined by endoderm; newly formed gut

Primitive blood islands at the boundary of the area opaca and area pellucida are
structures with mottled appearance
o Source of future blood cells and blood vessels
o Derived from splanchnic mesoderm
Somite pairs above and lateral to Hensens node; Maybe 1 or 2
o Separated by the intersomatic furrow
o Derived from paraxial mesoderm/ segmental plate mesoderm/ somatic
mesoderm/ epimere
o Develop from anterior to posterior

SUMMARY:

Entire body of the chick embryo is developing above the Hensens node
First part of the body to form is the head
First organ system to form is the central nervous system
 Comparison between 24 hr VS 18 hr

Increased formation of new structures and presence of folds and somites

Hensens node has now regressed greatly to the posterior part of the body
Below is a shorted primitive streak
Paraxial mesoderm band of mesoderm between the last somite pair and the primitive
streak
o Give rise to more somites as the embryo develops

24 HOUR WHOLE MOUNT

Neural folds 2 thick bands above the first somite pair; these folds go all the way to the
most anterior tip of the embryo, terminating in the central neuropore
Neural groove space in between the neural folds
o Indicates that the neural tube is open dorsally
Notochord rod-like structure in the middle of the neural groove
o Induce the formation of the diencephalon, rhombencephalon and spinal cord

Head of the embryo

Skin ectoderm top of the head is covered with skin ectoderm.

o Follow the side of the head until they terminate in a fold or angle
Subcephalic pocket the head at this point has elevated some more above the yolk, and
the space beneath it is the subcephalic pocket
Head is shaped like a cresent or a cone
The head interior is filled with head mesenchyme
Lateral margin of foregut following the curvature of the sides of the head but extend
further posterior beyond the posterior boundary of the subcephalic pocket
Cranial intestinal portal medial crescent or downward facing concave
o Opening of the gut tube which opens toward the caudal direction
o Gut opens into the yolk

24 HOUR SERIAL SECTION

Ectodermal derivatives

Follow the neural tube anterior to posterior

From a closed tube to an open one, then to an almost flat neural plate near the posterior
Neural tube develops in a cranial to caudal direction
Neural plate is continuous with the skin ectoderm
o Neural tube has not yet divided into the brain vesicles
In the subcephalic pocket level, the head is enclosed in ectoderm while the proamnion
has an upper ectodermal layer.
Skin ectoderm will have a fold on both sides which indicates the lateral body folds
o This is the transition from head to body and reflects also the elevation of the body
from the yolk
o At this level, skin ectoderm is adjacent to an inner somatic mesoderm
o Together this is the somatopleure

Endodermal derivative
 Foregut will gradually expand and open ventrally as the cranial anterior portal
Gut open directly above the yolk. After this point, the gut becomes the midgut and it
gradually disappears
Endoderm is adjacent to an outer layer, splanchnic mesoderm. Together this is the
splanchnopleure
Mesodermal derivative

The coelom is formed by the splitting of the lateral plate mesoderm, the hypomere, into
the somatic and splanchnic mesoderms.
Lateral plate mesoderm is always inner to the ectoderm and endoderm
Splanchnic mesoderm thickens as you proceed posteriorly indicating cardiac primordia.
Coelom is now the future pericardial cavity
The cardiac primordia are separated from each other
Somites form as a result of an epithelial to mesenchymal transition of the paraxial
mesoderm
24 HOUR VS 33 HOUR

The head elongates significantly and the foregut is elongated concomitantly.

Number of somites increased.
Neural tube has begun to close p as a true neural tube
Heart has begun to form just ventral to the foregut

33 HOUR WHOLE MOUNT

Ectodermal derivatives
Prosencephalon cranial most telencephalon and the diencephalon
The diencephalon has 2 lateral evagination:
o optic vesicle induce the formation of the lens vesicle from the skin ectoderm,
which will induce the optic vesicle to form the optic cups.
o Infundibulum lateral evagination; faint shadow in the middle on the
diencephalon
Midbrain/ mesencephalon - below the diencephalon; separated by the narrowing of the
neural tube; expansion of the neural tube
The brain cavities anterior to posterior are
o Prosocoele
o Mesocoele
o Rhombocoele
Subcephalic pocket has lengthened

Endodermal derivatives
Foregut has lengthened and extends caudally near the end of the myelencephalon
The lateral borders of the foregut are just medial to the head skin ectoderm
Cranial intestinal portal a concave line facing posterior

Mesodermal derivatives
 Area opaca is now divided into an area vasculosa and an area vitelline
o Area vasculosa contains the blood islands which will give rise to the blood cells
and vessels
Sinus terminalis blood vessel; surrounding the area vasculosa
First 5 somites are head somites
Last somites are not fully formed yet
The notochord is in the middle of the neural tube
o Notochord extends from the infundibulum to the primitive knot

Cardiac primordia has fused medially into a single heart tube

o Ventricle of the heart - heart tube has bulged to the right
o Sinoatrial region posterior to the ventricle;will form the sinus venosus and the
atrium of the heart which is temporary
o Adult heart will have the atria superior to the ventricles
o Vetelline veins feeding the sinoatrial region; drain blood from the area
vasculosa and area vitelline, and bring the nutrients from the yolk to the
circulation of the embryo
33 HOUR SERIAL SECTION
Ectodermal derivatives

Telencephalon most anterior part

The brain expands and the optic vesicle with the diencephalon becomes visible
As the optic vesicles fade, the floor of the diencephalon evaginates to form the
infundibulum.
Skin ectoderm surrounds the head and the ectoderm of the proamnion lines the
subcephalic pocket
Infundibulum vanishes, the mesencephalon comes in view
Mesencephalon, the brain is quite round or oval
o Mesencephalon is at the level of the foregut
o Metencephalon is at the level of the contruncus
o Myelencephalon are the otic placodes; thicker
Above the myelencephalon identify the neural crest cells
The spinal cord takes the place of the brain when the walls become thicker than the roof
and the floor.
Another landmark is the spinal cord being at the level of the somites.
Closed spinal cord will open in more posterior sections.

Endodermal derivatives

Foregut will make close contact with the skin ectoderm in the oral membrane which will
ruptre to form the mouth
Thyroid - thickening in the middle of the floor of the foregut
Cranial intestinal portal floor will eventually open as the cranial intestinal portal

Mesodermal derivatives
 The coelom formed by the somatic mesoderm and splanchnic mesoderm
Head mesenchyme is formed from mesoderm and neural crest
Intersomitic furrows separate the somites
Nephrotome (mesomere) is located inbetween the somite and the coelom
Pronephric cord forms above the nephrotome
As you go posterior the notochord gets wider
Heart splanchnic mesodermal derivative
Posterior region where you can see the vitelline veins continuous with the sinoatrial
region
Move anterior and see the heart transition to the ventricle
Conus splits into 2 blood vessels
o Ventral aorta becomes continuous dorsally with the aortic arch
o Aortic arch is also continuous dorsally with the dorsal aorta

33 hr vs 48 hr

Increase in the complexity of the head

Has begun to go through a torsional movement causing the left side of the body to lie on
the yolk
o Torsion twisting of the embryo along its cranio-caudal axis
Due to the development of the very large brain, the head has begun to flex
Head flexes so much that it comes to lie under the anterior end of the postcranial region
o Flexion bending of the embryo in the dorso-ventral acis

Nervous and Sensory

Mesencephalon (LANDMARK) round vesicle of the brain

o Most anterior part of the embryo
o Cranial to the diencephalon then to the telecephalon
Isthmus deep indentation separating the mesencephalon from the metencephalon
Metencephalon rood thins
Roof white are above the darker floor
Myelencephalon - thinness
Brain bent C shape as the forebrain pushes forward
Cranial flexure the flecure at the floor of the mesencephalon

Optics

Eye cup formed from the diencephalon & induced lens is visible
Optic fissure ventral gap in the optic cup
o Partially envelope the hyaloid artery which will supply the embryonic eye
o Also extend partially along the optic stalk which will become optic nerve.
Myelencephalon is landmarked by the otics
Otic placodes have now invaginated as the otocysts

Gut

Pharynx largest, longest and most spacious division

 o Direct bearing on the development of the vascular and nervous systems, the
lower part of the face, ear and the next and certain endocrine organs
o Visceral cleft and arches - Most conspicuous differentiation of the pharynx
Stomodeum will give rise to the mouth and oral cavity; formed as a pocketlike ingrowth
toward the pharynx
o Located in between the cranial maxillary process and the caudal mandibular
process. Together constitute as the first branchial arch/ mandibular arch
LANDMARK THE FIRST ARCH AND STOMODEUM
o Posterior to this is the pharyngeal grooves
Branchial cleft when the ectodermal pharyngeal groves meet the endodermal
diverticula of the lateral walls of the pharynx
First pharyngeal groove first of the three whitish lines dorso-caudal to the stomodeum
Second branchial arch - arch like thickening just posterior to the first groove
Midgut is characterized by the lack of cellular floor; open gut
Cranial intestinal porta beginning; a ventral facing concave line just below the heart
o Liver diverticulum one of the pair
Hindgut posterior swelling, the tail bud, contains sacklike hindgut, open into the midgut
through the posterior intestinal portal
Circulatory system

Heart functioning as a blood pump

o Splanchnic derived thick walled tube curved outward toward the right
o No valves but has grown
o Not able to extend anteriorly
o Looping twisting upon itself
Atrial region is forced to the left
Conus is twisted to the right and dorsally across the atrium
Ventricle becomes the loop itself; caudal to atrium
Sinus venosus continuous with the atrium which leads to the ventricle

72 hr vs 48 hr

More somites; around 35

Head is flexed even more with the tip of the nose almost touching the heart
Major diverticula (outgrowths) of the endodermally derived gut including lung buds, part
of the liver, dorsal part of pancreas, cloaca and part of the allantois
72 HOUR WHOLE MOUNT
Endodermal derivatives

Mouth is open
In the region of the foregut, liver diverticulum has developed in the ventral mesentery
Foregut become the stomach and part of the duodenm
Long bud has developed; connected to the esophagus
Tail bud has developed
Hindgut expand at the anus as a cloaca
o Gives rise to the allantoic diverticulum.
 3 regions to the gut
o Foregut
Pharynx, esophagus, stomach, first half of duodenum
Midgut
Hindgut

Mesodermal derivatives

Intermediate mesoderm segmented like the somites; small knot just lateral to them
o Will give rise to the kidneys
Notochord can be seen running the length of the body
Mesodermally lined coelom has developed to surround the gut and heart with a
pericardial sac
Dorsal and ventral mesenteries developed to suspend the gut tube

Ectodermal derivatives

Segmental nerves - will supply sensory innveration have begun to form

Neural Crest Derivation

Neural crest is earliest seen on the 72 hour stage

o Forms at the junction of the neural and epidermal ectoderm
o Segmentally arranged and streams down and laterally into the body
o Giving rise to the dorsal root ganglia of spinal nerves

General external morphology

Dramatic increase of torsion and flexion

Tail region remains untwisted
o Will be twisted at 96 hr
2 additional flexures
o Dorsal flexure 10th to 12th somite
o Caudal flexure cervical region and midbrain are nearly bent 90 degrees.
th
4 pharyngeal groove has been added to the 72 hr
o More distinct because the branchial arches are now thicker and more prominent
Increased size of somites anteriorly
Heart is wedged between the lower part of the forebrain and body wall
Limb buds level 16th 20th somites
Leg buds 25th 32nd somites
Allantois very small diverticulum of the hind gut behind caudal intestinal portal
o Obscured by the leg bud
o Much bigger at 96 hr

Brain
Telencephalon

Most anterior region

LANDMARK nasal pits
 2 lateral expansions, the cerebral hemispheres
Lumen has 3 divisions left ventricle I, right ventricle II, and median ventricle III which
communicates with I and II through the formina of Monro
Diencephalon

Epiphysis medial evagination int her ood of the diencephalon

Velum transversum imaginary line between di and telencephalon
Infundibular depression can be found in the floor and is very close to the Rathkes pouch
Ventricle is III, destined to contain the choroid plexus
Optic cup, optic fissure and lens vesicle

Mesencephalon

Round & very prominent part of the brain

Bent downwards and slightly below the rhombencephalon
Tuberculum posterior -imaginary line between mesencephalon and diencephalon
Ventricle also known as cerebral aqueduct or aqueduct of Sylvius
Adult corpora quadrigemina dorsal walls of the mesencephalon
o Superior colliculi for visual reflexes; anterior pair
o Inferior colliculi for auditory reflexes; posterior pair
Crura ceribri floor of the mesencephalon
o Main pathway of fiber tracts which connect the cerebral hemispheres with the
posterior brain and spinal cord
Metencephalon

Isthmus deep dorsal fold that marks the boundary between mes and metencephalon
Lateral walls will give rise to pons and cerebellar peduncles
Roof will give rise to the cerebellum
Ventricle is IV

Myelencephalon

LANDMARK auditory vesicles

Medulla oblongata formed by ventral and lateral walls
Choroid plexus of ventricle IV formed by the roof

Cranial nerves

Ganglia of cranial nerves formed from the cephalic neural crest cells
5th trigeminal cranial nerve largest ganglion, semilunar or Gasserian, will give rise to
the ophthalmic (eye), maxillary (upper jaw), mandibular (lower haw)
LANDMARK acoustic vesicle
Cranial to acoustic vesicle is the acoustic ganglion (CN VIII, auditory) and geniculate
ganglion (CN VII, facial)
o Together called acousticofacialis ganglion
Posterior to the acoustic vesicle, find the superior ganglion (CN IX, glossopharyngeal).
A bit more posterios (jugular ganglion (CN X, vagus)
96 WHOLE MOUNT

Features almost completely the same with 72 hr

At 4 days, entire body has been turned and so entire left side is facing the yolk
Body folds have undercut the embryo, lifting the body above the yolk except for the yolk
stalk
Branchial arches thicken even more and more defined groove
Allantois is more enlarged and is a balloon-like structure attached to cloaca
Number of somites increased to 41
Conus is now in very close proximity to the atrium
Atrium and ventricle have a faint depression & groove to mark future chambers