GASTRULATION Meaning and
Definition
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Gastrulation is a critical biological process that occurs during the early stages of embryonic development in animals. It refers to the formation and rearrangement of cells in the gastrula, a multi-layered embryonic structure. This process transforms the simple hollow ball of cells, known as the blastula, into a more complex structure with distinct germ layers, which eventually give rise to different tissues and organs.
During gastrulation, cells move and migrate, dramatically reshaping the embryo. The two main processes involved in gastrulation are invagination and involution. Invagination occurs when a group of cells at the surface of the blastula folds inward, forming a small cavity known as the archenteron. This cavity becomes the future digestive tract or gut. Involution refers to the inward movement of cells from the blastula's surface into the interior, contributing to the formation of the germ layers.
The three primary germ layers derived from gastrulation are the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The ectoderm gives rise to the skin, nervous system, and other related structures. The mesoderm develops into muscle, bone, kidneys, and reproductive organs. The endoderm forms the lining of the digestive system, respiratory system, and associated organs.
In summary, gastrulation is a crucial phase in embryonic development that establishes the basic body plan and gives rise to the germ layers. It involves cell movements and rearrangements, resulting in the formation of the archenteron and the subsequent development of different tissues and organs.
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The invagination of the blastula wall, forming the gastrula.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for GASTRULATION
- fastrulation
- vastrulation
- bastrulation
- hastrulation
- yastrulation
- tastrulation
- gzstrulation
- gsstrulation
- gwstrulation
- gqstrulation
- gaatrulation
- gaztrulation
- gaxtrulation
- gadtrulation
- gaetrulation
- gawtrulation
- gasrrulation
- gasfrulation
- gasgrulation
Etymology of GASTRULATION
The word "gastrulation" is derived from the Greek terms "gastēr" meaning "stomach" and "gastér" meaning "belly". The term was coined by the Austrian anatomist Christian Heinrich Pander in the 19th century, who used it to describe the process of embryonic development in which the three primary germ layers form in the early stages of an embryo. This involved the folding and invagination of the embryonic cells to create the different tissue layers that ultimately develop into various organs.
Similar spelling word for GASTRULATION
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