Have Grown Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mesoderm

The skin has epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissues as its main layers. The epidermis originates from the ectoderm and the dermis & subcutaneous tissues originate from the mesoderm and the neural crest. The ectoderm gives rise to the epidermis which includes the hair and nails.

The dermis is a deeper layer of the skin and contains blood vessels, nerve aggregations and other structures.

Answer: Mesoderm

The heart is one of the first organs to develop in the foetus. It develops from a part of the mesoderm called splanchnic mesoderm, from a structure called the primitive heart tube. All parts of the heart develop through this mechanism. The heart begins to beat by the third week of pregnancy.

The human has four chambers - two atria and two ventricles. There are a number of valves inside the heart that regulate blood flow.

Answer: Ectoderm

The retina is the part of the eye which forms an image. It is basically a set of neural receptors with its own image processing system. It develops from a part of the ectoderm called the neuroectoderm. By seven months of pregnancy, the eyes of the foetus are usually fully developed. Other parts of the eye include the cornea, sclera, lens and optic nerve.

Answer: Endoderm

The pancreas develops from a part called the endoderm. Two pancreatic buds fuse during development that become different parts of the pancreatic organ. By the 12 to 13th week of pregnancy, the pancreas is usually fully physically formed in the foetus.

There are specific cells in the pancreas like the islet cells that are involved in the secretion of important hormones in the body such as insulin.

Answer: Ectoderm

Appendages of the skin (adnexa) include hair, nails, sweat glands and sebaceous glands. The nails are derived from epidermal cells (of the epidermis), which in turn are derived from the ectoderm. Nails begin to appear in the foetus by around the tenth week of pregnancy. Hair follicles tend to appear around the ninth week. Sweat glands and sebaceous glands also originate from the ectoderm.

Answer: Mesoderm

The kidneys develop from a part of the mesoderm referred to as the intermediate mesoderm. There are three stages in the development - pronephros, mesonephros and metanephros. Usually, the kidneys are fully developed by the 36th week of pregnancy. The main cell of the kidney is called a nephron. The kidney is involved in the filtration of blood to produce urine.

Answer: Endoderm

Alveoli are the cells of the lungs that enable respiration. This is where gaseous exchange happens in the body. Alveoli and other parts of the lungs are trachea are derived from the endoderm. The respiratory tree includes the trachea, the bronchi, bronchioles and the lungs. Maturation of the lungs happens even after birth but development begins very early in the pregnancy.

Answer: Endoderm

The liver develops from a part of the endoderm called the foregut. The cells of the liver are called hepatocytes. The development of the liver begins around three to four weeks into the pregnancy. The liver starts to produce blood cells by the sixth week.

The specialised cells of the liver are important in metabolising a lot of substances in the body and also for the production of digestive enzymes.

Answer: Mesoderm

Ovaries arise from a part of the mesoderm called the intermediate mesoderm. Development starts around the fifth week of pregnancy. Although the ovaries are physically complete at birth, maturation and functions change throughout life. Other parts of the female reproductive system include the uterus, vagina and fallopian tubes.

The testis in males also originates from the intermediate mesoderm.

Answer: Ectoderm

The brain develops from a structure called the neural tube, which itself originates in the ectoderm. It starts three to four weeks into the pregnancy. By birth, the brain is fully structurally developed with all its parts - cerebrum, cerebellum and medulla oblongata.

But functions improve even after birth. The spinal cord, another part of the central nervous system along with the brain, also develops from the ectoderm.