Mesenchyme

Mesenchyme refers to loosely organized connective tissue present in the embryo regardless of origin.Sadler, T.W. (2006). Langman\'s Medical Embryology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp. 68-70. ISBN 0-7817-9485-4.  Viscous in consistency, mesenchyme contains collagen bundles and fibroblasts. Mesenchyme later differentiates into blood vessels, blood-related organs, and connective tissues.^{[citation needed]}

Embryonic connective tissue (mesenchyme):

• Derives from the embryonic mesoderm
• Consists of loosely-packed, unspecialized cells set in a gelatinous extracellular matrix
• Develops into other types of tissues: connective, bone, cartilage
• Develops into other types of structures and systems: blood cells, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, circulatory system, lymphatic system.

All organs in the body contain mesenchyme.

Ectomesenchyme

Ectomesenchyme has similar properties to mesenchyme. The major difference is that ectomesenchyme is usually considered to arise from neural crest cells,Weston JA, Yoshida H, Robinson V, Nishikawa S, Fraser ST, Nishikawa S (2004). "Neural crest and the origin of ectomesenchyme: neural fold heterogeneity suggests an alternative hypothesis". Dev. Dyn. 229 (1): 118–30. doi:10.1002/dvdy.10478. PMID 14699583.  which are a critical group of cells that form in the cranial region during early vertebrate development. Thus, ectomesenchyme plays a critical role in the formation of the hard and soft tissues of the head and neck such as bones, muscles and most importantly the branchial arches.^{[citation needed]}

References

External links

• Overview at University of Edinburgh

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