Rat Development Stages
Witschi Rat Stages
Shown below are the Witschi standard stages of development[1] and the timing and specific features that identify each stage. See also the Rat Timeline which gives a day by day sequence and adds additional research findings on rat development.
1 | 1 | 0.07 | 1 cell (in oviduct) |
2 | 2 | 0.08 x 0.06 | 2 cells (in oviduct) |
3 | 3 | 0.08 x 0.05 | 4 cells (in oviduct) |
4 | 3.25 | 8-12 cells (in oviduct) | |
5 | 3.5 | 0.08 x 0.04 | Morula (in uterus) |
6 | 4 | (0.08 x 0.03) | Early blastocyst (in uterus) |
7 | 5 | (0.12 x 0.05) | Free blastocyst (in uterus) |
8 | 6 | (0.28 x 0.07) | Implanting blastocyst, with trophoblastic cone and inner cell mass; outgrowth of endoderm (hypoblast) |
9 | 6.75 | Diplotrophoblast; inner cell mass (pendant), covered with endoderm | |
10 | 7.25 | (0.3 x 0.1) | Near complete implantation; pendant begins differentiation into embryonic and extra-embryonic parts |
11 | 7.75 | (0.5 x 0.1) | Completion of implantation; primary amniotic cyst; ectoplacental cone |
12 | 8.5 | (1.04 x 0.26) | Connecting ectochorionic and amniotic cavities; rudiments of amniotic folds; primitive streak; start of 3rd layer formation; blastemas of heart and pericardium |
13 | 9 | 1.0 | Presomite neurula; fusion of chorio-amniotic folds, chorio-amniotic stalk; neural plate; embryo bent dorsally; bud of allantoic stalk |
14 | 9.5 | 1.5 | Somites 1-4 (occipital); pendant with 3 cavities: ectochorionic cyst, exocoelom, and amniotic cavity; ectochorionic cyst collapsing; allantoic stalk projects into exocoelom; embryo bent dorsally |
15 | 10 | 2 | Somites 5-12 (cervical); 1st visceral arch; ectochorionic cyst fused with ectoplacenta and with allantoic stalk; regression of peripheral (distal) yolk sac and trophectoderm (diplotrophoblast); Reichert's membrane; gonia in endoderm; embryo bent dorsally |
16 | 10.5 | 2.4 | Somites 13-20 (upper thoracic); 2 visceral arches; disc and yolk sac placentas; appendicular folds; embryo reverses, curves ventrally |
17 | 11 | 3.3 | Somites 21-25 (lower thoracic); yolk stalk closes at level of 15th somite; primary gonia in mesentery; primitive streak disappears; tail bud becomes organized; arm and leg buds recognizable |
18 | 11.5 | 3.8 | Somites 26-28 (upper lumbar); 3 visceral arches; arm buds recognizable |
19 | 11.75 | 4.2 | Somites 29-31 (lower lumbar); visceral arches I-IV; cervical folds; appendicular folds and buds |
20 | 11.875 | 5 | Somites 32-33 (upper sacral) |
21 | 12 | 5.1 | Somites 34-35 (lower sacral); deep cervical sinuses |
22 | 12.125 | 5.2 | Somite 36 (1st caudal); olfactory pits |
23 | 12.25 | 5.6 | Somites 37-38 (caudal); start of umbilical herniation |
24 | 12.375 | 6 | Somites 39-40 (caudal) |
25 | 12.5 | 6.2 | Somites 41-42 (caudal); occipital somites dispersing; 4 visceral arches; deep cervical sinuses; arm buds at somite levels 8-14, about as high as long; leg buds at somite levels 28-31, smaller; body forms a spiral of about 11/2 turns, the left face and trunk applied to yolk sac, the right side turned toward placenta; tail and allantoic stalk rise to the placenta |
26 | 12.75 | 7 | Somites 43-45 (caudal); mandibular, maxillary, and frontonasal processes; cervical sinuses closing; mammary welts; differentiaion of handplates; arm buds vascularized, brachial nerves entering; beginning of umbilical hernia |
27 | 13 | 8 | Somites 46-48 (caudal); prominent facial processes and clefts; nose-snout projecting; cervical sinuses closed; primordia of mammary glands; round handplates and footplates; larger umbilical hernia |
28 | 13.5 | 8.5 | Somites 49-51 (caudal); 1st visceral cleft transforms into external ear duct; precartilaginous condensations in handplates |
29 | 14 | 9.5 | Somites 52-55 (caudal); auricular hillocks on visceral arches I and II |
30 | 14.5 | 10.5 | Somites 56-60 (caudal); body uncoils; mandibular precartilage; nearly round opening of external ear duct; pleuroperitoneal canal has become very narrow |
31 | 15 | 12 | Somites 61-63 (caudal); facial clefts closed; pleuroperitoneal canal closed; complete diaphragm |
32 | 15.5 | 14.2 | Somite 64 (caudal); pinna turns forward; maximal size of umbilical hernia |
33 | 16 | 15.5 | Somite 65 (usually this is last caudal); snout lifts off chest; last stage of metamorphosis |
34 | 17-18 | 16-20
|
1st fetal stage: rapid growth of eyelids (eyes entirely covered at end of 18th day); palate complete; pinna covers ear duct; umbilical hernia withdraws |
35
ante-natal |
19-22 | 20-40
|
2nd fetal stage: sealed eyelids; fetal membranes and placentas reach peak of development; tail grows to 10mm;
Birth occurs (22nd day in rat, 19th day in mouse) |
35
post-natal |
1-16 post-partum | 40-1001 | After birth, fetus becomes a breathing and suckling nestling2; during 1st 16 days (22 to 38 days total age), eyelids remain sealed and external ear ducts plugged with periderm |
36
post-natal |
17+ post-partum | 100+1 | Periderm seals of ears and eyelids vanish; active feeding begins within next 3 days and weaning after 1 week (total weaning age, 45-48 days for rats and mice) |
* Age (days)- days after fertilization
* Size (mm)- largest and smallest dimensions
Table Data
The main table data is modified from [1] and other sources as listed within the table.
Species Stages Comparison
The table below gives an approximate comparison of human, mouse and rat embryos based upon Carnegie staging.
Species | Stage | |||||||||||||||
Human [2] | Days | 20 | 22 | 24 | 28 | 30 | 33 | 36 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 48 | 52 | 54 | 55 | 58 |
Mouse [3] | Days | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 13.5 | 14 | 14.5 | 15 | 15.5 | 16 |
Rat [1] | Days | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 13.5 | 14 | 14.5 | 15 | 15.5 | 16 | 16.5 | 17 | 17.5 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Witschi, E. (1962) Development: Rat. In: Growth Including Reproduction and Morphological Development. Altman, P. L. , and D. S. Dittmer, ed. Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol., Washington DC, pp. 304-314.
- ↑ <pubmed>400868</pubmed>
- ↑ The House Mouse: Atlas of Mouse Development by Theiler Springer-Verlag, NY (1972, 1989). | online book
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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, June 20) Embryology Rat Development Stages. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Rat_Development_Stages
- © Dr Mark Hill 2024, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G