Lecture 6: Development of Body cavities

Learning Objectives

• By the end of the session the students should be able to:

a. Discuss formation of body cavities.b. Describe formation of serous membranes.c. Identify clinical applications

Reference: Langman's Medical Embryology, 12th Edition Page 87– 95

Body cavities

• Three:– Pleural– Pericardial– Peritoneal

• All these cavities are formed within the intra-embryonic ceolom.

• But how come this intra-embryonic ceolom comes into existence.

• At the end of Week 3:• Intra-embryonic mesoderm differentiates into:– Paraxial mesoderm– Intermediate mesoderm– Lateral plate mesoderm

• Soon after small clefts appear within lateral plate mesoderm which coalesce to split the solid layer into two:– Parietal (somatic) intra-embryonic mesoderm– Visceral (splanchnic) intra-embryonic mesoderm

• The space between these two layers is the primitive body cavity (intra-embryonic ceolom)

• It is initially a large continuous space extending from the thoracic to the pelvic regions.

• To form adult pericardial, pleural and peritoneal cavities, two partitions to develop:– A pair of pleuro-pericardial membrane– Diaphragm

• We stop it here and go first to the SEROUS MEMBRANES.

• Cells of the somatic and visceral mesoderm lining the intra-embryonic cavity become mesothelial and form:– the parietal layer of serous membrane (lining the

outside of the peritoneal, pleural and pericardial cavities)– and visceral layer(covering abdominal organs, lungs and

heart.– Both these layers are continuous with each other as the

dorsal mesentry which suspends gut tube in peritoneal cavity and is running from the caudal limit of the foregut to end of the hindgut.

– Ventral mesentry exists only from the caudal limit of the foregut to upper portion of duodenum.

– Mesentries are double layers of peritoneum that provide a pathway for blood vessels, nerves and lymphatics to the organs.

Coming back to the cavities again

• Thoracic cavity:– The septum transversum-a thick plate of mesoderm

does not separate thoracic and abdominal cavities completely and leaves large openings peicardio-peritoneal canals on each side of foregut.

– Lung buds growing and expanding in the canals making them smaller-then extending into body wall

– Pleuropericardial folds appear as small ridges and project into undivided thoracic cavity.

contd

– With further expansion of lungs, body wall mesoderm splits into:• Definitive wall of the thorax• Pleuropericardial membranes (extension of P.P.folds)

– Pleuropericardial membranes fuse with each other and with the root of the lungs, and the thoracic cavity is divided into pericardial cavity and two pleural cavities.

• Pleural cavities and the pericardial cavities have been formed and what is left?– PERITONEAL CAVITY

• Peritoneal cavity:– Pleural cavities are separate from pericardial cavity but

are in open communication with peritoneal cavity because of incomplete diaphragm.

– At week 5, pleuro-peritoneal folds appear, extend into the gap, fuse with the septum transversum and mesentry of the oesophagus (week 7)

– The connection between the pleural and the peritoneal portion of the body cavity due to incomplete diaphragm is closed by pleuro-peritoneal membranes.

Clinical Correlates

• Body wall defects– Cleft sternum– Omphalocele– Gastroschisis

• Diaphragmatic hernias– Congenital