Part 6/9:
- Autocrine signaling: Cells responding to signals they produce themselves.
These pathways coordinate the formation and positioning of tissues, ensuring proper organ development within the embryo.
Insights into the Germ Layers
Endoderm
The innermost germ layer, responsible for creating tissues lining internal organs. In vertebrates, it produces parts of the lungs (alveolar cells), the thyroid gland, and the pancreas.
Mesoderm
The middle layer gives rise to muscles—which include cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscles—as well as tissues within the kidneys and components of the circulatory system, such as red blood cells.