Some Aspects of Early Development of the Thymus: Embryological Basis for Ectopic Thymus and Thymopharyngeal Duct Cyst

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Some Aspects of Early Development of the Thymus: Embryological Basis for Ectopic Thymus and Thymopharyngeal Duct Cyst Early development of human thymus Rev Arg de Anat Clin; 2011, 3 (1): 22-31 __________________________________________________________________________________________ Original Communication SOME ASPECTS OF EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE THYMUS: EMBRYOLOGICAL BASIS FOR ECTOPIC THYMUS AND THYMOPHARYNGEAL DUCT CYST Ivan Varga 1, 2*, Paulina Galfiova1, 2, Veronika Jablonska-Mestanova 3, Stefan Polak 1, 2, Marian Adamkov 4 1 Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia, Europe 2 University Centrum of Reproductive Medicine of the 1st Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovakia, Europe 3 Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia, Europe 4 Institute of Histology and Embryology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia, Europe RESUMEN explicate some of the “forgotten” embryological terms with respect to their functions in thymic development, such as Introducción. El objetivo principal de nuestro trabajo es el “thymus secundus”, “descensus thymi” (an embryological estudio histológico del desarrollo del timo humano entre la 5ª basis for cervical thymus) and “ductus thymicus” (an y la 8ª semana de gestación. Describimos varios términos embryologic basis for a congenital anomaly called embriológicos poco usados como: timo secundus, descensus thymopharyngeal duct with possible thymic cyst). Material thymi (la base embriológica para situar el timo en la and methods. Our findings are based on the study of 18 garganta), ductus timicus (la base embriológica para el human embryos from 6th to 8th week of development. Results. defecto innato llamado conducto timofaríngeo con posibilidad The first primordia of the thymus and parathyroid glands de formar un quiste). Material y método. Nuestras within the endoderm of pharyngeal pouches can be seen in 8 observaciones se basan en la investigación de 18 embriones to 9 mm crown-to-rump-length stages. The most evident humanos entre la 6ª y la 8ª semana de gestación. epithelial proliferation is visible in the paired third pharyngeal Resultados. La base del timo es común con la base de las pouch (saccus pharyngeus tertius): the cranial dorsal part of glándulas paratiroideas. Es comparable con las bolsas pharyngeal pouch initiates the inferior parathyroid gland and faríngeas (saccus pharyngeus) en los embriones largos de 8 the caudal ventral part of the pouch gives rise to the epithelial a 9 mm. La proliferación endodermal del epitelio en el tercer thymus. We found an obvious endodermal epithelial foco faríngeo (focus faringeus 3) es muy visible. La parte proliferation also in the second pharyngeal pouch. Some craneal y la parte dorsal son la base de origen de las authors depict this proliferation as “thymus secundus”, but the glándulas paratiroideas inferiores. La parte caudal y la parte proliferation of endoderm close down and the functional ventral son la base para el timo. Hemos observado también second thymus does not develop in human embryos. la notable proliferación del epitelio en la segunda bolsa Conclusion. In our work we also review the clinical faríngea, llamado por algunos autores Timo secundus. En significance of early thymus development, as well as the most nuestra opinión, en el ser humano no se forma un timo common developmental anomalies of thymus. funcional en este lugar y la proliferación del epitelio en la mayoría de los casos, se detiene pronto. Conclusión. En Key words: thymus, pharyngeal pouches, ectopic thymus, este trabajo ofrecemos una vista general sobre la importancia thymopharyngeal duct clínica del desarrollo del timo y la descripción de los defectos __________________________________________ innatos más frecuentes del mismo. Palabras clave: timo, foco faríngeo, ectopía tímica, conducto timofaríngeo * Correspondence to: Dr. Ivan Varga, PhD., Deputy Head of Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Sasinkova Street 4, SK- 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia (Europe). ABSTRACT [email protected] Introduction. The aim of our morphological study is to describe the development of human thymus from 5th up to 8th Received: 16 January, 2011. Revised: 30 January, 2011. week after fertilization in the context of its phylogenesis. We Accepted: 20 February, 2011. 22 Todos los derechos reservados. Early development of human thymus Rev Arg de Anat Clin; 2011, 3 (1): 22-31 __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION studies on human embryos and fetuses are occasional (for example Repetto et al, 2010). The In vertebrates, the pharyngeal apparatus aim of our morphological study is to describe the develops from a transient series of segmental development of human thymus from 5th up to 8th structures appearing as bulges on the cranial week after fertilization in the context of its lateral side of the embryo, named the pharyngeal phylogenesis. We explicate some of the (phylogenetically so-called branchial) arches “forgotten” embryological terms with respect to (arcus pharyngei). The pharyngeal arches are their functions in thymic development, such as composed of tissues derived from all three “thymus secundus”, “descensus thymi” (an embryonic germ layers. Indeed, each arch is embryological basis for cervical thymus) and covered by ectoderm on the outside and “ductus thymicus” (ductus medullaris thymi; an endoderm on its inside. Its core is of mesodermal embryologic basis for a congenital anomaly origin and is surrounded by mesenchyme derived called thymopharygeal duct with possible thymic from neural crest (ectomesenchyme). As cyst). The paired epithelial primordia of thymus development proceeds, a lateral wall of the derived from the third pharyngeal pouch descend pharynx invades the arches forming an together with the inferior parathyroid primordia. endodermal out-pocketing known as the Influenced by “descensus thymi”, the epithelial pharyngeal pouch (saccus pharyngeus), whereas primordium detaches from the pharyngeal wall externally, the overlying ectoderm depresses and at the beginning of the 7th week, it may have forming a groove termed pharyngeal cleft (sulcus a fissure formed in the center which can be pharyngeus) (Grevellec and Tucker, 2010). The designated as “ductus thymicus”. question regarding the development of organs derived from the pharyngeal region in different vertebrates belongs to one of the most complicated embryological problems. A number of studies have tried to answer the question MATERIAL AND METHODS regarding the origin of structures of the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cavities, original Our findings are based on the study of 18 human pharyngeal arches, clefts and pouches as well as th th organs of head and neck (Pospíšilová and embryos from 6 to 8 week of development (six Slípka, 2000; Graham, 2001; Graham, 2003; embryos in each developmental week). The Gordon et al, 2004). The results of these studies studied embryos belong to the collections of the are sometimes considerably different, because Departments of Histology and Embryology of the during the early ontogenesis of vertebrates not Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in only the localization and function of pharyngeal Bratislava, Slovakia. We used serially sectioned arches, but also of ectodermal clefts and slides, in sagittal and transversal sections. endodermal pouches change substantially (Varga Paraffin sections (approximately seven micro- et al, 2008). Phylogenetically, the pharyngeal meters thick) were stained with hematoxylin and region was the place, where the gills of aquatic eosin and with Masson´s trichrome (staining for vertebrates developed. The respiratory and collagen fibers). The reticular fibers were osmoregulatory functions of gills have lost their visualized by using the modified Lillie´s importance in the process of evolutionary impregnation method (Lillie, 1965). The presence transition of animals from aquatic to terrestrial of glycogen was demonstrated by the way of life. The pharyngeal (branchial) region has combination of Periodoc Acid Schiff (PAS)- become adapted to the new endocrine reaction, Celestine blue and Orange G. (developing of parathyroid glands and calcitonin- producing cells of thyroid gland) and immune functions (thymus and palatine tonsil) (Slípka et al, 1998). One of the genetically determined consequences of a disrupted formation of RESULTS pharyngeal apparatus is the DiGeorge´s syndrome (aplasia thymoparathyroidea) caused The first primordia of the thymus and parathyroid by a multigene-deletion from chromosome 22 glands within the endoderm of pharyngeal (Wurdak et al, 2006). pouches can be seen in 8 to 9 mm crown-to- Majority of recently published manuscripts about rump-length stages. The most evident epithelial thymus development describe its development in proliferation is visible in the third pharyngeal mice (Müller et al, 2008; Foster et al, 2008; Itoi et pouch: the cranial dorsal part of the pharyngeal al, 2006), whereas classical morphological pouch initiates inferior parathyroid gland and the 23 Todos los derechos reservados. Early development of human thymus Rev Arg de Anat Clin; 2011, 3 (1): 22-31 __________________________________________________________________________________________ caudal ventral part of the pouch gives rise to the future parathyroid gland are larger and lighter epithelial thymus (see Fig. 1a and
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