Embryonic Development and Organogenesis Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key embryonic structures, organs, and developmental processes mentioned in the lecture text.

Amniotic fluid

A liquid in a protective sac that regulates temperature and provides a cushion to protect the fragile organism from damage.

Placenta

An organ connecting the mother and the organism where nutrients and waste are exchanged across close but non-touching blood vessels, while also filtering out large molecules such as many bacteria.

Umbilical cord

A soft structure connecting the embryo to the placenta that maintains strong artery-like pressure, keeping it taut and usually preventing tangles.

Organogenesis

The process occurring during the embryonic period (up to eight weeks of life) in which all major organs develop in a rudimentary form.

Blastocyst

A ball with differentiated types of cells that flattens out into a disc during embryonic development.

Neural tube

A tubular structure formed when the flattened embryonic disc rolls over on itself and zips up, serving as the rudimentary brain at its top and spinal cord along its long part.

Embryonic period

The initial development stage lasting up to eight weeks of life, by the end of which the organism is about an inch long.