What do occipital somites become?

Occipital somites (1-5 in human) fuse at an early stage of embryonic development and do not contribute to segmented skeletal structures. They incorporate into the occipital area of embryonic skull, give rise to the tongue muscles and also condense to contribute to the basi-occipital and exo-occipital cartilages.

What is a somite in embryology?

Somites are blocks of mesoderm that are located on either side of the neural tube in the developing vertebrate embryo. As the somite matures, the outer cells transform from mesenchymal to epithelial cells, creating a distinct boundary between individual somites.

What is derived from the somite?

Out of the somites arise the sclerotome, forerunner of the bodies and neural arches of the vertebrae; the dermatome, precursor of the connective tissue of the skin; and the myotome, or primitive muscle, from which the major muscles of vertebrates are derived.

How many occipital somites are there?

4 occipital
In total, ca. 38 or 39 somite pairs (4) are formed (4 occipital, 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbal,5 sacral and 4 or 5 coccygeal somite pairs, whereby not all of them are present at the same time.

What does the notochord become?

In all vertebrates other than hagfish, the notochord develops into the vertebral column, becoming vertebrae and the intervertebral discs the center of which retains a structure similar to the original notochord.

What is the function of somites?

Somites give rise to the cells that form the vertebrae and ribs, the dermis of the dorsal skin, the skeletal muscles of the back, and the skeletal muscles of the body wall and limbs.

What are the three types of somites?

In the developing vertebrate embryo, somites split to form dermatomes, skeletal muscle (myotomes), tendons and cartilage (syndetomes) and bone (sclerotomes).

What structures develop from somites?

How does the somite formation occur describe and illustrate?

It is formed when a dermamyotome (the remaining part of the somite left when the sclerotome migrates), splits to form the dermatome and the myotome. The dermatomes contribute to the skin, fat and connective tissue of the neck and of the trunk, though most of the skin is derived from lateral plate mesoderm.

What is difference between somites and Somitomeres?

is that somitomere is in the developing vertebrate embryo, one of the loose masses of paraxial mesoderm derived cells that form along each side of the neural tube towards the end of the third gestational week while somite is (embryology) one of the paired masses of mesoderm distributed along the sides of the neural …

What are the developmental dynamics of occipital and cervical somites?

Developmental dynamics of occipital and cervical somites “Development of somites leading to somite compartments, sclerotome, dermomyotome and myotome, has been intensely investigated. Most knowledge on somite development, including the commonly used somite maturation stages, is based on data from somites at thoracic and lumbar levels.

Where are the somites located in the embryo?

Somites are blocks of mesoderm that are located on either side of the neural tube in the developing vertebrate embryo. Somites are precursor populations of cells that give rise to important structures associated with the vertebrate body plan and will eventually differentiate into dermis, skeletal muscle, cartilage, tendons, and vertebrae.

What kind of data is used for somite maturation?

Most knowledge on somite development, including the commonly used somite maturation stages, is based on data from somites at thoracic and lumbar levels. Potential regional differences in somite maturation dynamics have been indicated by a number of studies, but have not yet been comprehensively examined.

Why are somites important to the developing body plan?

Because the somites are an essential part of the developing body plan of vertebrates, any disruption in the cycle of formation or segmentation can result in anomalies such as congenital vertebral defects.