File:Human week 10 fetus 06.jpg

Human Female Fetus - Midgut Herniation (10 week)

Large image version of plane D, close to midline (Stain - Haematoxylin Eosin) 0.5 mm scale bar

Gastrointestinal Development

The gastrointestinal tract has an epithelium and glands formed from endoderm, underlying submucosa and smooth muscle formed from splanchnic mesoderm and an enteric nervous system formed by neural crest.

Loops of the midgut can be seen lying outside the ventral body wall (midgut herniation) but still connected by their mesentery to the posterior body wall. Developing villi can be seen in cross-sections of the midgut. The extensive underlying submucosa is visible and the outer muscularis layer is developing.

Mesentery is seen attached to some of the midgut loops, but in fact forms a continuous connection to the length of the entire midgut, just not visible in this section. Note the may vessels lying within the mesentery.

Hindgut lying within the body peritoneal cavity has a different histological appearance from the mid-gut.

• Human Female Fetus (week 10)
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  Sagittal Section (plane D)

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  Pituitary and Lamina Terminalis

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  Olfactory Nerve

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  Atlas and Axis

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  Sacrum

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  Oral Cavity

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  Epiglottis

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  Heart

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  Spleen

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  Midgut Herniation

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  Midgut Herniation (label)

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  Pelvic Region

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  Pelvic Region (label)

Related Images

Fetus (week 10) Planes A (most lateral), B (lateral), C (medial) and D (midline) from lateral towards the midline.

• Human Fetus - most lateral | lateral | medial | midline

• Head - most lateral | lateral | medial | midline

• Cerebellum - most lateral | lateral | medial | midline

• Urogenital Unlabelled - most lateral | lateral | medial | midline

• Urogenital Labelled - most lateral | lateral | medial | midline

• Large Images - midline

Image Source: UNSW Embryology, no reproduction without permission.