Anatomy and Embryology of the Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Systems

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the embryological development and anatomical structures of the human gastrointestinal and endocrine systems based on lecture notes.

First pharyngeal arch

Also known as the mandibular arch; it is the most cranial arch and forms the upper and lower jaw and middle ear.

Stomodeum

The primitive mouth located above the first pharyngeal arch.

Sinus cervicalis

A temporary cavity formed when the second, third, and fourth pharyngeal grooves are overgrown during development.

Meckel's cartilage

Found in the mandibular process of the first arch; it eventually forms the malleus (hammer) and incus (anvil).

Processus styloideus

A structure connected to the hyoid bone during development; the cartilage disappears leaving the stylohyoid ligament.

Tuba auditiva

Also known as the Eustachian tube; it originates from the first pharyngeal pouch (recessus tubotympanicus).

C-cells

Parafollicular cells originating from the fourth pharyngeal pouch (corpus ultimobranchiale) that produce calcitonine.

Otocyst

A vesicle formed from the invagination of the ectodermal placode that develops into the inner ear.

Foramen cecum

The point on the midline of the tongue where the thyroid gland begins its development and descent.

Ductus thyreoglossus

The temporary connection between the descending thyroid gland and the tongue; if it fails to disappear, it can form thyroglossal cysts.

Odontoblasts

Cells derived from the neural crest (mesenchyme) that produce dentine (ivory) in teeth.

Ameloblasts

Cells derived from the ectoderm that produce tooth enamel; they disappear once the tooth erupts and the enamel cannot be restored.

Glandula parotis

The parotid gland; an ectodermal salivary gland originating from the stomodeum.

Ductus vitellinus

The narrowing connection between the primitive gut and the yolk sac at the level of the navel.

Truncus coeliacus

The primary artery supplying derivatives of the foregut.

Arteria mesenterica superior

The primary artery supplying derivatives of the midgut.

Arteria mesenterica inferior

The primary artery supplying derivatives of the hindgut.

Omentum minus

The double-layered peritoneum (meso) connecting the liver to the stomach (lig. hepatogastricum) and duodenum (lig. hepatoduodenale).

Bursa omentalis

A space in the peritoneal cavity located behind the stomach, formed during stomach rotation.

Foramen epiploicum of Winslow

The opening that connects the bursa omentalis with the main peritoneal cavity.

Pylorus

The sphincter muscle of the stomach that can narrow due to hypertrophy.

Ligamentum teres hepatis

The remnant of the umbilical vein found within the falciform ligament of the liver.

Porta hepatis

The hilum of the liver containing the portal vein ($3/4$ of blood supply), hepatic artery ($1/4$ of blood supply), and common hepatic duct.

Triangle of Calot

An anatomical space defined by the cystic duct, the common hepatic duct, and the inferior margin of the liver; it contains the cystic artery.

Sphincter of Oddi

The muscle regulating the flow of bile and pancreatic juice into the duodenum at the papilla duodeni major (Vater).

Duct of Wirsung

The main pancreatic duct that joins the common bile duct to empty into the duodenum.

Ligament of Treitz

Also known as the m. suspensorius duodeni; it marks the transition from the retroperitoneal duodenum to the intraperitoneal jejunum.

Peyer's patches

Submucosal lymphoid follicles characteristic of the ileum.

Valva ileocaecalis of Bauhin

The valve at the junction of the ileum and the cecum that prevents bacteria from the colon from entering the small intestine.

Taeniae coli

Three longitudinal bands of smooth muscle in the colon wall (libera, omentalis, and mesocolica).

McBurney's point

The location of the base of the appendix, found halfway on a line between the navel and the SIAS (superior inferior iliac spine).

Hirschsprung's disease

A congenital condition where neural crest cells fail to migrate to the colon wall, leading to an aganglionic segment and megacolon.

DiGeorge syndrome

A chromosomal deviation (chromosome 22) affecting neural crest cell migration, leading to facial, parathyroid, thymus, and cardiovascular defects.

Rathke's pouch

An ectodermal outpocketing from the roof of the stomodeum that forms the adenohypophysis (anterior pituitary).

Infundibulum

The downward growth from the diencephalon that forms the neurohypophysis (posterior pituitary).

Zona glomerulosa

The outermost layer of the definitive adrenal cortex.

Papillae filiformes

Tongue papillae that do not contain taste buds but are responsible for touch and temperature sensation.

M. genioglossus

A fan-shaped extrinsic tongue muscle responsible for sticking out the tongue and moving it caudally.

N. hypoglossus (XII)

The nerve that innervates all muscles of the tongue except for the m. palatoglossus.

Torus tubarius

A mucosal elevation in the pharynx caused by the cartilage of the auditory tube.

M. cricopharyngeus

The portion of the m. constrictor pharyngis inferior that forms the upper esophageal sphincter.

Achalasia

A pathology where the lower esophageal sphincter fails to open properly due to a lack of parasympathetic ganglia.

Area nuda

The 'naked' area of the liver that is not covered by visceral peritoneum and is in direct contact with the diaphragm.

White pulp

The immunological portion of the spleen containing lymphoid tissue.