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allantois
EntityQ1364012· pop 31· linked from 75 articles

The allantois ( ; : allantoides or allantoises) is one of the four membranes of the extraembryonic tissue arising from the yolk sac. It is a hollow sac-like structure filled with clear fluid that forms part of the developing conceptus in an amniote that helps the embryo exchange gases and handle liquid waste. The other extraembryonic membranes are the yolk sac, the amnion, and the chorion. In mammals these membranes are known as fetal membranes.

Key facts

Embryology.Caption
Diagram illustrating a chicken egg in its 9th day with all extraembryonic membranes
Embryology.Image2
FetalMembranes1L.jpg
Embryology.Caption2
Allantois and other fetal membranes shown at end of second month of human pregnancy
Embryology.Days
16
Embryology.Pronunciation
,
Embryology.Name
Allantois
Embryology.Latin
allantois
Embryology.Image
Chicken egg diagram.svg

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

2,136 papers

via PubMed

~4 min read

Encyclopedic overview

8 sections
Contents
  • Function
  • In mammals
  • In marsupials
  • In reptiles and birds
  • Clinical significance
  • Additional images
  • References
  • External links

The allantois ( ; : allantoides or allantoises) is one of the four membranes of the extraembryonic tissue arising from the yolk sac. It is a hollow sac-like structure filled with clear fluid that forms part of the developing conceptus in an amniote that helps the embryo exchange gases and handle liquid waste. The other extraembryonic membranes are the yolk sac, the amnion, and the chorion. In mammals these membranes are known as fetal membranes.

The allantois, along with the amnion, chorion, and yolk sac (other extraembryonic membranes), identify humans and other mammals, birds, and reptiles as amniotes. These extraembryonic membranes that form the embryo have aided amniotes in the transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments. Fish and amphibians are anamniotes, lacking the allantois.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “allantois” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (2)