مقدمة في علم الأجنة الطبية

Medical Embryology - Course Introduction

• Course Title: Medical Embryology, Theory Section
• University: Tishreen University, Faculty of Medicine
• Department: Cell, Tissue, and Embryology Department
• Instructor: Dr. Flora Youssef Miheb
• Academic Year: 2025/2024

Importance of Medical Embryology

• Understanding Pre-natal Origins: Explores the origins and natural developmental processes of a human.
• Mechanism of Congenital Abnormalities: Explores how common developmental disorders arise.
• Multidisciplinary Application: Crucial in biology, medicine, and various health sciences.

Medical Applications

• Understanding Human Anatomy: Aids in comprehending human body structure.
• Connecting Basic and Clinical Sciences: Links fundamental anatomical knowledge to clinical specialties including obstetrics, pediatrics, and surgery.
• Patient Counseling: Provides information for patient consultation on topics like natural conception, assisted reproduction technologies, contraception, pregnancy progression, childbirth, congenital abnormalities, stem cell research, and cloning.
• Foundational Science: Embryology is a crucial basis for a thorough understanding and practice of medicine, offering fundamental insights into developmental biology, pediatrics, and adult diseases.

Embryonic Development Stages

• Three main stages:
  • Pre-embryonic stage (Period of the egg): Begins with fertilization and continues to the end of the third week.
  • Embryonic stage (Embryonic period): From the start of the fourth week to the end of the eighth week.
  • Fetal stage (Fetal period): From the start of the ninth week (or beginning of the third month) until birth.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Fetal Development: The process of an embryo developing into a fetus.
• Contraception Methods: Techniques used to prevent pregnancy.
• Medically Assisted Reproduction Techniques: Methods to facilitate conception.
• Parturition (Birth): The process of giving birth.
• Cloning: Creating genetically identical copies.
• Fertilization: Fusion of sperm and ovum.
• Zygote: A fertilized egg.
• Medical Embryology: The branch of science studying the developing embryo.
• Reproduction: The process of producing offspring.
• Pregnancy: The period from fertilization to birth.
• Congenital Malformations: Birth defects.
• Intrauterine Life: Life within the uterus.
• Embryo: The developing organism from fertilization until approximately the ninth week.
• Fetus: The developing organism after the ninth week until birth.