THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
• HUMAN EMBRYOLOGY
• DEVELOPMENT OF THE
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
•
-
Dr. Mukape Mukape
UNZA (BSc.HB, MBChB, MSc in Progress)
ZIDIS (Diplomatic Practice and Public
Relations)
Senior Resident Medical Officer (SRMO) at
Ministry of Health, Zambia
Staff Development Fellow (SDF), SOM, UNZA.
7/27/18
Dr. Mukape Mukape
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Formation of Lung Buds
• When the embryo is approximately 4 weeks old,
the respiratory diverticulum (lung bud) appears
as an outgrowth from the ventral wall of the
foregut
• The appearance and location of the lung bud are
dependent upon an increase in retinoic acid (RA)
produced by adjacent mesoderm
• This increase in RA causes upregulation of the
transcription factor called T-box 4 (TBX4)
expressed in the endoderm of the gut tube at the
site of the respiratory diverticulum
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Formation of Lung Buds
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Formation of Lung Buds
• TBX4 induces formation of the bud and the
continued growth and differentiation of the
lungs
• Hence, the epithelium of the internal lining of
the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, as well as that
of the lungs, is entirely of endodermal origin
• The cartilaginous, muscular, and other
connective tissue components of the trachea
and lungs are derived from splanchnic
mesoderm surrounding the foregut
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Formation of Lung Buds
• Initially, the lung bud is in open communication with
the foregut
• When the diverticulum expands caudally, however,
two longitudinal ridges, the tracheoesophageal
ridges, separate it from the foregut
• Subsequently, these ridges fuse to form the
tracheoesophageal septum
• The septum then divides the foregut into:
- Dorsal portion: the oesophagus
- Ventral portion: the trachea and lung buds
• The respiratory primordium maintains its
communication with the pharynx through the
laryngeal orifice
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Formation of Lung Buds
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Tracheo-oesophageal Fistulas
(TOFs)/Oesophageal Atresia
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Development of the Larynx
• Epithelium of the larynx originates from endoderm
• Cartilages and muscles originate from mesenchyme
of the 4th and 6th pharyngeal arches
• As a result of rapid proliferation of this mesenchyme,
the laryngeal orifice changes in appearance from a
sagittal slit to a T-shaped opening
• Subsequently, when mesenchyme of the two arches
transforms into the thyroid, cricoid, and arytenoid
cartilages, the characteristic adult shape of the
laryngeal orifice can be recognized
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Development of the Larynx
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Development of the Larynx
• At about the time that the cartilages are formed, the
laryngeal epithelium also proliferates rapidly,
resulting in a temporary occlusion of the lumen
• Subsequently, vacuolization and recanalization
produce a pair of lateral recesses called laryngeal
ventricles
• These recesses are bounded by folds of tissue that
differentiate into the false (vestibular) and true
vocal cords
• The false vocal cords are superior to the true vocal
cords
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Development of the Larynx
• Since musculature of the larynx is derived from
mesenchyme of the 4th and 6th pharyngeal
arches, all laryngeal muscles are innervated by
branches of the 10th cranial nerve (Vagus nerve)
- The superior laryngeal nerve, a branch of the
vagus nerve innervates derivatives of the 4th
pharyngeal arch
- The recurrent laryngeal nerve, another branch of
the vagus nerve innervates derivatives of the 6th
pharyngeal arch
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Development of the Larynx
• All the muscles of the larynx except the cricothyroid
muscle are innervated by the recurrent laryngeal
nerves
• The superior laryngeal nerve gives 2 branches:
- External laryngeal nerve to supply the cricothyroid
muscle
- Internal laryngeal nerve to supply the internal lining
(epithelium) of the larynx above the vocal cords
- The epithelium of the larynx below the vocal cords
is innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
• During its separation from the foregut, the lung
bud forms the trachea and two lateral
outpocketings, the bronchial buds
• At the beginning of the 5th week, each of these
buds enlarges to form right and left main bronchi
- Right then forms 3 secondary bronchi,
foreshadowing the 3 lobes of the right lung
- Left forms 2 secondary bronchi thus
foreshadowing the two lobes on the left
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
• With subsequent growth in caudal and lateral
directions, the lung buds expand into the body
cavity
• The spaces for the lungs are called the
pericardioperitoneal canals
- They are narrow and lie on each side of the foregut
- Gradually are filled by the expanding lung buds
- Consists of two layers:
1. Splanchnic mesoderm layer (inner layer)
2. Somatic mesoderm layer (outside layer)
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
• Ultimately:
1. The pleuroperitoneal folds separates the
pericardioperitoneal canals from the peritoneal
cavity
2. The pleuropericardial folds separates the
pericardioperitoneal canals from the pericardial
cavities
3. The remaining spaces form the primitive pleural
cavities
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
• The splanchnic mesoderm layer, covers the outside
of the lung and develops into the visceral pleura
• The somatic mesoderm layer, covers the body wall
from the inside and becomes the parietal pleura
• The space between the parietal and visceral pleura is
the pleural cavity
• During further development, secondary bronchi
divide repeatedly in a dichotomous fashion, forming
10 tertiary (segmental) bronchi in the right lung and
8-10 in the left, creating the bronchopulmonary
segments of the adult lung
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
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Development of Trachea, Bronchi and Lungs
• By the end of the 6th month, approximately 17
generations of subdivisions have formed
• Before the bronchial tree reaches its final shape,
however, an additional 6 divisions form during
postnatal life
• The lungs assume a more caudal position, so that
by the time of birth the bifurcation of the
trachea is opposite the disc between T4/T5
thoracic vertebrae (sternal angle of Louis)
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Maturation of the Lungs
• The lungs undergo 4 phases/periods in
development:
1. Pseudoglandular (5-16 weeks)
2. Canalicular (16-26 weeks)
3. Terminal sac (26-birth)
4. Alveolar (8 months to childhood)
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Maturation of the Lungs
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Maturation of the Lungs
• Up to the 7th prenatal month, the bronchioles divide
continuously into more and smaller canals (canalicular
phase) and the vascular supply increases steadily
• Terminal bronchioles divide to form respiratory
bronchioles and each of these divides into three to six
alveolar ducts
• The ducts end in terminal sacs (primitive alveoli) that
are surrounded by flat alveolar cells in close contact
with neighboring capillaries
• By the end of the seventh month, sufficient numbers
of alveolar sacs and capillaries are present to
guarantee adequate gas exchange, and the premature
infant is able to survive
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Maturation of the Lungs
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Maturation of the Lungs
• During the last 2 months of prenatal life and for
several years thereafter, the number of terminal
sacs increases steadily
• In addition, cells lining the sacs, known as type I
alveolar epithelial cells, become thinner, so that
surrounding capillaries protrude into the alveolar
sacs
• This intimate contact between epithelial and
endothelial cells makes up the blood–air barrier
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Maturation of the Lungs
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Maturation of the Lungs
• Mature alveoli are not present before birth
• In addition to endothelial cells and flat alveolar
epithelial cells, another cell type develops at the
end of the 6th month called type II alveolar
epithelial cells
• These produce surfactant, a phospholipid-rich
fluid capable of lowering surface tension at the
air– alveolar interface
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Maturation of the Lungs
• Before birth, the lungs are full of fluid that contains
a high chloride concentration, little protein, some
mucus from the bronchial glands and surfactant
from the alveolar epithelial cells (type II)
• The amount of surfactant in the fluid increases,
particularly during the last 2 weeks before birth
• Fetal breathing movements begin before birth and
cause aspiration of amniotic fluid
• These movements are important for stimulating
lung development and conditioning respiratory
muscles
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Maturation of the Lungs
• When respiration begins at birth, most of the lung
fluid is rapidly resorbed by the blood and lymph
capillaries, and a small amount is probably expelled
via the trachea and bronchi during delivery
• When the fluid is resorbed from alveolar sacs,
surfactant remains deposited as a thin phospholipid
coat on alveolar cell membranes
• With air entering alveoli during the first breath, the
surfactant coat prevents development of an air-water
(blood) interface with high surface tension
• Without the fatty surfactant layer, the alveoli would
collapse during expiration (atelectasis)
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Maturation of the Lungs
• Respiratory movements after birth bring air into
the lungs, which expand and fill the pleural cavity
• Growth of the lungs after birth is due primarily to
an increase in the number of respiratory
bronchioles and alveoli
• It is estimated that only one-sixth of the adult
number of alveoli are present at birth
• The remaining alveoli are formed during the first
10 years of postnatal life through the continuous
formation of new primitive alveoli
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The End!
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