Cytotrophoblast

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Cytotrophoblast
File:Gray36.png
Primary chorionic villi. Diagrammatic.
File:Gray37.png
Secondary chorionic villi. Diagrammatic.
Gray's	subject #6 47
Carnegie stage	5a
Days	8
MeSH	Trophoblasts
Dorlands/Elsevier	c_73/12278820

The cytotrophoblast (or layer of Langhans) is the inner layer of the trophoblast, interior to the syncytiotrophoblast in an embryo. It serves to anchor the embryonic chorion to the maternal endometrium.

Cytotrophoblasts are stem cells in the chorionic villi. During differentiation, mononuclear cytotrophoblast fuse together into the multinucleated syncytiotrophoblasts.

Invading cytotrophoblasts

These cells invade maternal uterine tissues and thus are in direct contact with maternal stroma and immune cells.

Additional images

Gray12.png

Section through embryonic area of Vespertilio murinus to show the formation of the amniotic cavity.

External links

Histology at Boston University 19908loa - "Female Reproductive System: placental villi"
Diagram at McGill

This developmental biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

v • d • e Developmental biology > Human embryogenesis (development of embryo) and development of fetus (some dates are approximate - see Carnegie stages and a timeline)
Week 1	Fertilization - Egg activation - Zygote - Cleavage - Morula - Blastula (Blastomere) - Blastocyst - Inner cell mass
Week 2	Bilaminar disc (Hypoblast, Epiblast)
Week 3 (Trilaminar embryo, germ layers)	Archenteron/Primitive streak (Primitive pit, Primitive knot/Blastopore, Primitive groove) - Gastrula/Gastrulation - Regional specification Ectoderm: Surface ectoderm - Neuroectoderm - Somatopleure - Neurulation - Neural crest Endoderm: Splanchnopleure Mesoderm: Chorda- - Paraxial (Somite/Somitomere/Sclerotome/Myotome/Dermatome) - Intermediate - Lateral plate (Intraembryonic coelom, Splanchnopleure/Somatopleure)
Extraembryonic/uterus	Trophoblast (Cytotrophoblast, Syncytiotrophoblast) Blastocoele - Yolk sack/exocoelomic cavity - Heuser's membrane - Extraembryonic coelom - Vitelline duct Umbilical cord (Umbilical artery, Umbilical vein, Wharton's jelly) - Allantois Placenta - Decidua (Decidual cells) - Chorionic villi/Intervillous space - Gestational sac (Amnion/Amniotic sac/Amniotic cavity, Chorion)
Histogenesis	Programmed cell death - Stem cells - Germ line development
Organogenesis	Limb development: Limb bud - Apical ectodermal ridge/AER other structures: Eye development - Cutaneous structure development - Heart development - Development of the urinary and reproductive organs