Atlas of Human Prenatal Morphogenesis

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-X

   PDF

2. Material and Methods

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 1-2

3. External Form of the Embryo and Developmental Stages

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 3-21

4. Placenta and Placental Membranes

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 23-32

5. Germ Layers

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 33-37

6. Mesenchymal and Mesodermal Organs

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 39-84

7. Organs with Endodermal Components

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 85-97

8. Organs with Ectodermal Components

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 99-119

9. Orofacial Development

   • Jan E. Jirásek

   Pages 121-132

10. Back Matter

    Pages 133-157

    PDF

A little picture is worth a million words. Chinese proverb Prenatal human development is an extremely complicated process related to genetics, biochemistry, anatomy, and physiology. There are no developmental changes, either chemical or morphologic, without simultaneous changes in molecular organization. The astonishing buildup ofbiostructures always precedes their proper function. The development of an embryo is genetically coded and is based on interactions related to the selective switching on and off of genes. Interactions are cell-to-cell mediated, mediated by extracellular fluids, or mediated by special pathways. Every substance involved in developmental is to be recognized by its target. interactions, before triggering a metabolic or a morphogenic event, Complex physical and immunologic recognitions are involved in the process of differentiation. Small pieces of evidence are collected to create a mosaic picture elucidating the development. This picture is fascinating and represents the biggest biological puzzle: the puzzle of development. There is no doubt that analysis of human prenatal development is a basis for understanding normal and pathologic relationships between structure and function. Today, there are approximately 2000 different inborn congenital anomalies and syndromes. This book attempts to present a complete realistic account of human morphogenesis, the differentiation of structures, using direct photographs of normal specimens obtained from legal medical abortions of unwanted pregnancies. Emphasis has been placed on contemporary techniques: histochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. The text is as simple as possible; meticulous detailed anatomic descriptions have been omitted.

• brain
• central nervous system
• development
• embryo
• nervous system
• placenta
• skeleton
• skin
• spinal cord

• Institute of the Care of Mother and Child, Prague, Czechoslovakia

  Jan E. Jirásek

• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

  Jan E. Jirásek

Policies and ethics