Somite

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Somite

Somite (pronunciation: /ˈsəʊmaɪt/) is a term used in Embryology to describe the division of the body of an embryo into a series of similar segments.

Etymology

The term "somite" is derived from the Greek word "soma", meaning body. This is in reference to the role somites play in forming the body structure during embryonic development.

Definition

A somite is a segmental mass of mesoderm along the notochord of a vertebrate embryo, giving rise to the vertebral column and segmental musculature.

Development

In the early stages of Embryonic Development, the embryo is organized into a series of somites. These somites are blocks of mesoderm that are located on either side of the neural tube in the developing Vertebrate embryo.

Function

Somites eventually differentiate into dermomyotome and sclerotome, which form the skin and skeletal muscle, and vertebrae and rib cage, respectively.

Related Terms

  • Mesoderm: One of the three primary germ layers in the very early embryo.
  • Notochord: A flexible rod made out of a material similar to cartilage. If a species has a notochord at any stage of its life cycle, it is, by definition, a member of the phylum Chordata.
  • Dermomyotome: A structure in a somite that gives rise to both muscle (myotome) and dermis (dermatome).
  • Sclerotome: Part of a somite in a vertebrate embryo, giving rise to the vertebrae and rib cage.

External links

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