ORGANOGENESIS

4.2 Development of the frog embryo

4MM FROG EMBRYO

Whole Mount
- characterized by the presence of tail, neural tube, notochord, segmented
mesoderm (somite), and fin folds
- Neural system differentiated into (1) prosencephalon, (2) mesencephalon,
and (3) rhombencephalon
Epiphysis- mid-dorsal evagination of the brain vesicle
o will become the pineal body in the adult
Olfactory placodes- thickenings on the lateral surface of the head anterior
o evagination will form cavities called olfactory pits
Lens placode- anterior to olfactory placode
o paired thickenings of head ectoderm
o evagination will form the lens vesicle, then eye lens
Otic placode- evagination will form the otic vesicle
Notochord- extends from midbrain to posterior end of the body
Somites- on each side of the notochord subdivided into segments
Stomodeum- ectodermal rudiment of the mouth
o formed by the invagination of the antero-ventral ectoderm of the head
Oropharyngeal membrane- separates the endodermal foregut and stomodeum
o will rupture to form the mouth
Suckers- ectodermal thickenings ventrolateral to the oral region
Mesodermal cells- beneath the floor of the foregut anterior to the yolk
o will form the heart
Liver diverticulum- median posteroventrally directed diverticulum of the foregut
o forerunner of the liver
Proctodeum- ectodermal invagination at the base of the tail
o will break open as anus

Transverse Section

LEVEL OF THE PROSENCEPHALON AND NASAL RUDIMENTS

Prosencephalon- embryonic derivative of neuroectoderm (?)

o function
Prosocoel- cavity of prosencephalon; formerly the neurocoel (?)
o function
Mesenchyme- embryonic CT derived from mesoderm and neural crest cells
o forms predominantly CT but also epithelial, muscular and nervous tissues
Head mesenchyme- between skin ectoderm and walls of prosencephalon derived
from mesoderm and neural crest
o function
Olfactory placodes- pigment invaginations on either side of prosocoel
o found in head mesenchyme
 o aka nasal placodes
Epidermis- outermost skin layer derived from ectoderm

LEVEL OF THE MESENCEPHALON AND OPTIC CUPS

Mesencephalon- dorsal to the infundibulum

Mesocoel- cavity of mesencephalon
Infundibulum- depression in the floor of the prosencephalon
o precursor to the posterior portion of the pituitary gland
Hypophysis- ventral to infundibulum
o grows as a growing cord of ectoderm from the stomodeum
o fill form the anterior portion of the pituitary glands
Optic cups- with lens vesicle on the left side
Oral cavity- ventral to the infundibulum and hypophysis
o wall surrounding the cavity composed of endodermal cells
o cavity at the cranial end of the alimentary canal
Oral plate- region where the cranial end of the alimentary canal comes in contact
with the head ectoderm
o aka pharyngeal plate
Stomodeum- ectodermal rudiment of the mouth formed by invagination of
ectoderm