ANAT3411 Neuroanatomy

Introduction

Course convenor: Dr. Elizabeth Tancred

The aim of this course is to provide students in the BSc and BMedSc programs with a basic understanding of the structural organisation of the human central nervous system in sufficient depth to form the basis for further clinical or research studies of the nervous system.

The following images are prepared for Dr Tancred's Neurodevelopment class from UNSW Embryology. The listed cross-sections are recommended to be viewed in the order in which they are shown below. A direct link ANAT3411 to this current page appears on the lefthand menu of every embryology page.

Begin with a simplified introduction by looking through Brain Awareness Week.
Then return to this page for the remainder of the class.

UNSW Embryology Textbooks
UNSW Students have online access to the these embryology textbook chapters through UNSW Library subscription (with student Zpass log-in).
APA Citation: Moore, K.L., Persaud, T.V.N. & Torchia, M.G. (2015). The developing human: clinically oriented embryology (10th ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders. Nervous System
APA Citation: Schoenwolf, G.C., Bleyl, S.B., Brauer, P.R., Francis-West, P.H. & Philippa H. (2015). Larsen's human embryology (5th ed.). New York; Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. Development of the Central Nervous System Development of the Peripheral Nervous System

Stage 22 Spinal Cord

Cross-section of the human embryonic spinal cord (end of week 8).

Virtual Slide

Stage 22 - Spinal Cord (rotated)

‎‎Mobile | Desktop | Original

Stage 22 | Embryo Slides

These listed features link to zoomed views of the virtual slide with the named feature generally in the centre of the view.

Use the (-) at the top left of the screen to see where this feature is located.

Spinal Cord Features

Other Features

dorsal root ganglion | dorsal root ganglion
dorsal root | dorsal root
spinal nerve | spinal nerve
dura mater
ventral spinal artery (showing fetal nucleated red blood cell)
notochord (lying in the centre of the vertebral body)
vertebral body (cartilage stage)
vertebral arch root (cartilage stage)
dorsal uniting ligament (lying dorsal to the spinal cord and under the periderm)

Embryo Stage 13

Carnegie stage 13 Week 4 (6 mm Embryo)

Series	Section Plane	Unlabeled	Labeled
G6L Midline longitudinal
G7L Lateral longitudinal
A3L Rhombomeres and otic vesicle
B4L Spinal cord and optic vesicle
B5L Spinal cord and diencephalon

Human Embryo (Stage 13)

Ventral view of upper half of embryo	Early spinal cord regions
Carnegie stage 13 occurs in week 4 to week 5, 28 - 32 days. The embryos have a crown rump length (CRL) of 4 - 6 mm and somite number 30 pairs. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Embryo Stage 22

Carnegie stage 22 Week 8 (27 mm Embryo)

Series	Section Plane	Unlabeled	Labeled
A1L
A3L
A4L
A6L
B1L
B2L
B3L
B4L
B5L
B6L
B7L
C1L
C2L
C3L

Late Embryo Cortex

Carnegie stage 22 Week 8 (27 mm Embryo)

Additional Information

Additional Information - Content shown under this heading is not part of the material covered in this class. It is provided for those students who would like to know about some concepts or current research in topics related to the current class page.

Links: Neural Histology

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Stage 10 - Neural Groove
	This is a dorsolateral view of the embryo. The amniotic sac has been removed to show the still open neural groove. Neural groove forming from neural plate on upper surface. large brain fold region to left of image. narrow spinal cord region to right of image. Heart bulge can be seen on lower ventral surface. Connecting stalk to the right of image. Amniotic membrane cut edge shown at edge of developing embryo.
	This is a dorsal view of the same embryo with the future head, and brain, now shown at the top of image.
	This is a lateral view of a later embryo showing the neural groove closing to form the neural tube. Note the still open cranial (top) and caudal (bottom) neuropores. These are the last parts of the tube to close.

Stage 11 - Cut through the neural tube

This slightly older embryo has been broken in half close slightly away from the midline to show features of the neural tube.

At the level of the hindbrain and spinal cord - (right of image) the floor, wall and roof of the neural tube can be seen. Notice also the rhombomere bulges at the level of the hindbrain.
In the head region - (top of image) part of the lateral wall of the neural tube remains, at the level of midbrain. A segment of the forebrain has been removed to show the internal surface of this region.

Timeline Events

Simplified overview table showing broad events of neural development classified by proliferation, migration, differentiation and metabolism. Note the long time course of development and that it continues into the postnatal period.