Fetal Membranes and Placenta

Fetal membranes and Placenta
The fetal or extra – embryonic membranes serve as protection, a means of getting nutrients
from the dam to the fetus, in carrying for fetal waste products and synthesis of enzymes and
hormones. The latter are necessary for the maintenance of pregnancy in most domestic animals.
The fetal membranes consist of:-
1- Primitive yolk sac

2- Amnion
3- Allantois
4- Trophoblast or chorion, which when combined with the allantois from the chorio –
allantois.
The trophoblast is the most important single tissue of the fetal membranes and placenta as it
has functions of absorbing, transmitting and handling nutritive and waste products.
The needs of the embryo and fetus are supplied and carried for as follows:
Water, oxygen and nutrient are taken from the maternal structures as the uterus and, after
placental attachment has occurred, the maternal blood carried, to developing embryo and fetus
by the yolk sac, the amniotic, chorion and the chorio - allantois.
The first two structures develop early in the life of the embryo of domestic animals and only
function a short period of several weeks until the chorio-allantois develops. Waste products
from the embryo such as CO2 and urea are eliminated by same structures.
The allantoic cavity stores much waste material from the fetal kidney. The large intestine and
rectum of the fetus store waste products from the digestive tract as meconium.
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The amniotic cavity may play an early role in the care of some waste products. The fetal fluids
permit the growth and movement of the fetus by distending the uterine lumen. Protection of the
embryo and fetus is performed principally by the amnion, although the allantois, uterus and
maternal body assist in this function.
1- Yolk sac
Is a primitive structure developing early in the embryonic period from the endoderm and
disappearing after a short period of time in ruminates and swine but persisting for 4-6 weeks in
horse?
Period to the formation of the amnion or balstodermic vesicle and then the yolk sac or vitelline
sac perform limited placental functions of providing nutrients and care of waste for the early
embryo.
The endometrial or uterine gland under the influence of progesterone from corpus luteum,
produce a secretion called ((uterine milk)). This contains a protein, fat globules, organic and
inorganic solid and possible other nutrients. This uterine secretion is absorbed by blastocyst and
yolk sac for the nutrition of early embryo and latter by chorioallantois for early fetus.
2- The amnion
The amnion forms about 13 to 16 days after conception in sheep and cows. And slightly earlier
in the pig, dog, and cat. It is double- walled sac that completely surrounds the fetus except at the
umbilical ring. When this sac is completely is filled with amniotic fluid suspending the embryo
and this a mechanical protection to the fetus. Amniotic fluids also prevent adhesion between the
soft developing tissues of the embryo and the surrounding membranes which might cause
malformation. The amniotic fluid is clear, colorless, and mucoid in nature and contains the
following substance: pepsin, a lipolyic ferment, protein, fructose, fat and salt. It is bactericidal
and prevents adhesion. The source of amniotic fluid:
1- From the amniotic epithelium
2- From the fetal urine
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3- Saliva and secretion of the nasopharynx of the fetus.
3- The allantois
The allantois which is an outgrowth of the embryonic high gut spreads out into the chorionic
vesicle and as a protruding sac. The allantois is completely formed in the large domestic
animals by 24 – 28 days after conception and extends the entire length of fetal membranes.
4- Chorioallantois
Is formed by the fusion of the outer layer of the vascular allantois and the trophoblast. This
structure richly supplied with blood vessels communicating with the fetus and in intimate
contact with the endometrium is designed to carry of the:
1- Metabolic interchanges of gases
2- Nutrient
3- Waste products between fetal and maternal circulation.
Placenta
The placenta is composed of two parts: the fetal placenta or allantois chorion and the maternal
placenta or endometrium. For a few weeks in the early embryonic period the yolk sac and
amniotic chorion act as a primitive placenta. During the first month or more of gestation the
blastocyst becomes attached to the endometrium and the fetal membranes including the
allantois chorion develops. At this time the villiform projections of the chorion and the
maternal crypts in the endometrium into which they extend, are rudimentary, small, and friable.
Anatomically the placenta of animals may be divided into 4 general types based on their
shape:-
1- The diffuse type: In the horse and pig the entire surface of the allantois chorion is covered with
villi and microvilli that project into crypts or pockets in the endometrium. The entire
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endometrium and chorion take part in the placentation except over the opening of the uterine
glands.
2- The cotyledonary or multiplex type:

In ruminants including the cow, sheep and goat, only a portion of the maternal placenta or the
endometrial caruncles and portions of the allantois chorion or cotyledons which closely appose
each other to form placentome, take part in the placental function. In these structures the villi,
secondary villi and microvilli of the cotyledone fit together closely with the maternal crypts and
microvilli in a more complex arrangement than in diffuse type of placenta. In ruminants’ uterus,
the caruncles are arranged in 4 rows, 2 ventral and 2 dorsal, the length of each uterine horn.
There are between 75 and 120 placentomes in the pregnant uterus of the cow, and about 80 -90
in the ewe.
3- Zonary type
In the dog and cat the placenta forms a Zonary band or girdle about 2.5 – 7.5 cm. 1 -3 inches in
width around the circumference of the uterine lumen in the middle of the oval chorion sac.
4- The discoidal type

This type is not seen in domestic animals but is present in primates and rodents.

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Fetal membranes and Placenta

The fetal membranes consist of:-

1- Primitive yolk sac

2- The cotyledonary or multiplex type:

4- The discoidal type

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