24 Hour Chick Embryo Proamnion
- Region anterior to the developing avian embryo,
Whole Mount
Area opaca
- Peripheral region of the chick blastodisc surrounding the
area pellucida and in direct contact with the yolk
- Peripheral region of the blastoderm where the cells are
continuous with the underlying yolk that renders the area
opaque
In early development , it is differentiated into three zones:
1) A peripheral zone, known as the margin of growth,
where the cells have proliferated over the yolk
without becoming adherent to it
2) A zone junction, an intermediate region where the
cells cut free from the yolk and are added to the area
pellucida
3) An inner zone, known as the germ wall, whose cells
originated from the zone junction, thus containing
yolk granules. This region marks the transition from
the area opaca to the area pellucida. This area
develops into two regions:
a) Area opaca vasculosa inner region of the area
opaca where thickenings of the splanchnic
mesoderm for bloodi isalnds
b) Area opaca vitelline outer region of the area
opaca which initially lacks any blood islands or
blood vessels
Area pellucida
- Central region of the blastodisc where the primitive streak
forms
- Lies directly over the subgerminal cavity and under the
microscope, appears translucent
- Ovwed to the thinness of the blastoderm which consist of
an outer layer of epiblast, from which ectoderm and
mesoderm will later differentiate, and an inner layer of
hypoblast
Primitive streak
- Longtidunal cleft formed on surface of amniote blastodisc
by a convergence of cells
- Gastrulation begins as epiblast cells migrate towards and
into the streak
o Primitive groove
Central furrow of the thickening
o Primitive ridges
Margins of the primitive streak flanking the
primitive groove on either side
o Primitive pit
Indented region of the blastoderm at the
anterior end of the primitive streak
o Hensens node
Thickened area at the anterior end of the
primitive streak through which cells invaginate
to form the notochord. It is homologous to the
dorsal lip of the blastopore in amphibian
embryos. Syn: primitive knot
surrounding the head; contains only endoderm and
ectoderm
- It will later become invaded with mesoderm and become
incorporated into the amnion
Neural folds
- Margins of the neural late that are about to fuse at the
mid-dorsal region of the developing embryo
Neural groove
- A median longitudinal groove which is formed by the
rolling up the neural plate
Head fold
- Folded region of the blastoderm, represented by a dark
crescentic line that marks the boundary of the heads of
the embryo
Notochord
- Longitudinal bands of cells extending caudal from the
regional of the neural folds to the Hensens node
Foregut
- First part of the digestive tract with a definite floor
composed of the endodermal cells.
- Appears as a dome-shaped structure
Anterior Intestinal portal
- Opening of the foregut in developing amniote embryos
- Appears like prominent arched line beneath the neural
folds
- Actually continuous with the lateral walls of the foregut
- As the development progresses and the gut elongates, the
opening moves posteriorly and ultimately becomes part of
the yolk stalk
Mesenchyme of the head
- Lose network of cells occupying the space between the
foregut and the ectoderm of thead
Mesoderm
o Anterior border of the mesoderm
Faint line extending across the area pellucida at
the level of the anterior end of the notochord
o Thickened splanchnic mesoderm
Darker line each of the lateral border of the
anterior intestinal portal. Formed by the
delamination of the lateral plate mesoderm.
Later forms the heart, part of circulatory system
and many other structures.
Somite
- Apparent division of the dorsal mesoderm into somites
can be observed
- Three of four pairs of somites maybe seen lying
immediately lateral to the neural folds
Unsegmented mesoderm Splanchnopleure
- Undivided region of the mesoderm posterior to the - Cellular layer consisting of the splanchnic mesoderm and
somites endoderm
Form: part of the body wall in the embryo as well as the
yolk sac and allantois

Transverse Section Coelom

- The body cavity formed when the somatic mesoderm and
Section through the pharyngeal membrane the mesoderm separates from each other

Head ectoderm Subgerminal cavity

- Layer of cuboidal cells enclosing the head - The space beneath the hypoblast within the area pellucida
- Cells are cuboidal in origin Form: midgut

Neural folds
- Margins of the neural epithelium that have yet fused at Section through the anterior intestinal portal
the midline In this section, note that the neural folds have come together to form
the neural tube. This section Is also at the level of the open foregut.
Anterior neuropore
Note that the endoderm of the foregut is continuous with the rest of
- Temporary external opening of the neurocoel
the endoderm. Examine the thickened, splanchnic mesoderm on each
Neural groove side of the anterior intestinal portal. This region of thickened,
- A median longitudinal groove which splanchnic mesoderm is prospective cardiac mesoderm.
- formed by the rolling up of the neural plate
Neural tube
Prechordal plate - A tube of tissue
- a mass of chordamesodermal cells located anterior to the - Formed by a thickening and rolling up of the neural plate
notochord which will form head mesenchyme during embryonic neurulation
Form: brain and spinal cord of the animal
Notochord
- a small medial mass of cells between the foregut and the
Neural crest
neural plate
- A group of cells found at the edges of the neural plate and
Foregut lying above the neural tube after its formation
- a dorsoventral flattened tube with endodermal cells - Migrate throughout the embryo to
making up its wall Form: ganglia, pigment cells, part of gill arches, etc.
- located beneath neural plate
Head fold
Oral plate - Marked by the downward bend of the membranes around
- region where the floor of the foregut is in contact with the the head region of the developing embryo
neural ectoderm of the head
- In lateral development this structure will break open to Anterior intestinal portal
form the mouth - Opening of the foregut in developing amniote embryos
Syn: oropharyngeal membrane - As development progresses and the gut elongates, the
opening moves posteriorly and ultimately becomes part of
Mesenchyme
the yolk stalk.
- Loosely scattered cells filling up the spaces between the
foregut and the neural plate
Amnio-cardiac vesicle
Proamnion - The region of the coelom that will
- Region of the blastoderm beneath the embryos head Form: amnion and the heart
- Composed of the ectoderm and endoderm layer - Thickened splanchnic mesoderm making up the proximal
wall of the semi-cardiac vesicle is the forerunner of the
Subcephalic pocket heart
- The cavity formed beneath the embryonic head as the - On the hand, the dorsal wall of the vesicle, composed of
head fold develops the somatopleure, is involved in the formation of the
amnion.
Somatopleure
- The membrane composed of the ectoderm and somatic
mesoderm
Forms: part of body wall as well as the chorion and
amnion
 Section through the midgut
The middle part of the gut that has the yolk for the floor of its cavity
is called the midgut. In this section, find the endoderm and the
midgut. Keep in mind that the embryo was removed from the yolk
for the fixation and sectioning. If the yolk was present in the section,
it would fill the bottom part of the picture.
Midgut
- Floorless region of the gut
- Posterior to the anterior intestinal portal
Section through the somite
In this section through a pair of somites, the neural folds have not
yet closed together. The somites developed from dorsal mesoderm
(D) and are located on each side of the neural folds and notochord.
Lateral and adjacent to the somites is a small region of mesoderm
known as the intermediate mesoderm (I). The intermediate
mesoderm will develop into the kidneys. Lateral to the intermediate
mesoderm, is the lateral plate mesoderm (L), which will delaminate
to form the somatic and splanchnic mesodermal layers.
o Primitive pit
A depression, slightly deeper than the primitive
groove and situated posterior to the Hensens
node, thus, section through the anterior region
of the primitive streak will show the Hensens
node, while more posteriorly the sections may
pass through the primitive pit.
o Primitive groove
Sections cut more posterior to the primitive pit
will reveal a central furrow, the primitive groove.
o Primitive ridges
Thickened margins on each side of the primitive
groove.

Somites
- Segmented mesodermal blocks
- Located on either side of the developing spinal cord
- Arise from the dorsal mesoderm

Nephrotome
- A stalk-like connection between somites and lateral plate
mesoderm
Form: pronephros (anteriorly), mesenchyme (posteriorly)
Mesenchyme -> mesonephros and metanephros
Syn: intermediate mesoderm, mesomere and
nephromere

Hypomere
- Region of the mesoderm distal to the nephrotome
- Subdivided into two layers:
a) Somatic mesoderm
b) Splanchnic mesoderm

Section through the primitive streak

In this centre of the picture, note the primitive streak which consists
of the primitive groove and the two primitive ridges. Note the
ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm.

Primitive streak
- Longitudinal cleft formed at the surface of amniote
blastodisc by a convergence of cells
Gastrulation begins as the epiblast cells migrate towards
and into the streak.
o Hensens node
Thickened area at the anterior end of the
primitive streak through which cells invaginate
to form the notochord. It is homologous to the
dorsal lip of the blastopore in amphibian
embryos. Syn: Primitive knot