Ear Embryology: Otolaryngology
Ear Embryology: Otolaryngology
Ear Embryology: Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology
ISSN 2474-7556
Ear Embryology
*Ghada M Wageih Felfela
Doctor of Audiology-Health Insurance, Cairo University, Egypt
Submission: February 04, 2017; Published: February 20, 2017
*Corresponding author: Doctor of Audiology-Health Insurance, M Sc of Audio-Vestibular medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
Embryology
It is the study of the origin and development of single
individual (embryo) in prenatal period.
Embryonic period
i. First 8 weeks (56 days).
b. Bony labyrinth: from mesoderm (Figure 2). Figure 4: Inner Blastocyst cavity.
At the end of the 6th day, blastocyst then hatches from the pellucid forming mesodermal layer and endoderm too (Figure 8).
zone à and moves until it embeds in the endometrium.
iii. After the 19th day, at the anterior end, a groove forms in
the ectoderm -> primitive groove. The cranial region ->forms
Figure 5: Inner cytotrophoblast. the primitive pit.
Blastocyst is now completely implanted within the endometrium. iv. The head of the embryo will form at the extremity of
Amniotic cavity begins to develop within epiblast cells zone. the embryonic disk near the primitive pit.
Hypoblast cells begin to multiply (Figure 6). Previous v. The notochord is formed through mesoderm and
Embryoblast determines the longitudinal axis of the embryo à future
vertebral body (Figures 9 & 10).
002 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627
Global Journal of Otolaryngology
Figure 11:
a. In the 6th week of development: saccular lower pole ->
the cochlear duct -> penetrates surrounding mesenchyme
in a spiral fashion -> completed 2.5 turns at the end of the
8th week. And the ductus reuniens connects the saccule with
utricle.
003 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627
Global Journal of Otolaryngology
h. The epithelial cells of the cochlear duct form two f. Impulses generated in sensory cells of the cristae and
ridges: maculae as a result of a change in body position à the brain
by vestibular fibers of VIII cr n.
i. The inner ridge, the future spiral limbus,
g. The statoacoustic ganglion forms during formation
j. The outer ridge which forms the sensory hair cells
of the otic vesicle à The ganglion splits into cochlear and
a) *One inner row, vestibular portions (Figure17).
004 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627
Global Journal of Otolaryngology
a. Innervated by CN IX
a. Innervated by CN VII
Figure 21: Pharyngeal arch muscles and their innervation- Laryngeal cartilages.
005 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627
Global Journal of Otolaryngology
Middle Ear development contact with the floor of the first pharyngeal cleft.
i. The middle ear cavity and the auditory tube arise from iii. The distal part -> forming the tubotympanic recess.
-> first pharyngeal pouch called the tubotympanic sulcus, so
iv. The proximal part -> the auditory tube (Eustachian
-> lined with an endoderm.
tube) (Figure 22).
ii. This pouch expands in a lateral direction and comes in
v. Later, the endodermal epithelium of the tubotympanic dorsally by vacuolization of surrounding tissue to form
sulcus becomes close to the ectoderm lining the first the tympanic antrum. And After birth, epithelium of the
pharyngeal cleft, separated by mesoderm. This complex tympanic cavity invades bone of the developing mastoid
forms the tympanic membrane (eardrum). During fetal life, process. Later, most of the mastoid air sacs come in contact
a prominent ring-shaped, called the tympanic ring, supports with the antrum and tympanic cavity.
the tympanic membrane. Later, the tympanic ring becomes
Development of the External Ear
absorbed into the temporal bone.
i. The external auditory meatus à first pharyngeal cleft.
vi. Just dorsal to the end of the tubotympanic sulcus,
a condensation of mesenchyme -> appears at 6th weeks -> ii. At the 3rd month, epithelial cells at the bottom of the
form the middle ear ossicles. The malleus and incus arise meatus proliferate, forming a solid epithelial plate, the
from mesenchyme of the 1st pharyngeal arch, whereas the meatal plug.
stapes -> from 2nd arch. The tensor tympani muscle, which
iii. In 7th month, this plug dissolves and the epithelial
is attached to the malleus -> from first-arch mesoderm, so
lining of the floor of the meatus participates in formation of
->innervated by trigeminal nerve (cr n V). The stapedius
the definitive eardrum.
muscle -> is of second-arch origin, and is innervated by the
facial nerve (cr n VII). iv. Occasionally the meatal plug persists until birth,
resulting in congenital deafness (Figure 23).
vii. Ossicles -> lie in a bed of very loose embryonic
connective tissue; extend from the inner layer of the tympanic
membrane to the oval window of the inner ear. The future
middle ear cavity remains filled with loose mesenchyme
until late in pregnancy.
viii. During the 8th and 9th months, programmed cell death
and other resorptive processes -> clear the middle ear
cavity and leave the auditory ossicles suspended within it.
Free movement of the auditory ossicles is acquired within 2
months after birth.
Figure 24: The first and second arches in pharyngeal region.
ix. During late fetal life, the tympanic cavity expands
006 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627
Global Journal of Otolaryngology
Figure 26: Exposure to excess retinoic acid or derivatives commonly results in anomalies of the external ear.
007 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627
Global Journal of Otolaryngology
b. Abnormalities of the middle ear ossicles or ligaments, b. Auricular appendages, or sinuses, low set ear, Bat ear,
which can be associated with anomalies of the 1st and 2nd accessory auricle.
arches.
c. May be associated with other developmental anomalies,
c. Mutants, such as those of Pax-3 causing variants of such as malformations of the kidneys and pharyngeal arches.
Waardenburg’s syndrome, can affect development at levels Exposure to excess retinoic acid or derivatives commonly
ranging from gross morphogenesis of the ear to specific results in anomalies of the external ear (Figure 26).
cellular defects in the cochleosaccular complex.
008 How to cite this article: Ghada M W F. Ear Embryology. Glob J Oto 2017; 4(1): 555627. 10.19080/GJO.2017.04.555627