Where Does the Mesoderm Come from?

The mesoderm is a germ layer

that arises during gastrulation, and is present between the ectoderm, which will turn into skin and central nervous system cells, and the endoderm, which will produce the gut and the lungs (4).

How is the mesoderm formed?

Gastrulation is an early stage of development during which an embryo, then a single-layered ball of cells called a blastula, reorganizes itself into a three-layered ball of cells, called a gastrula. During this process, the primary germ layers, endoderm and ectoderm, interact to form the third, called mesoderm.

Is mesoderm derived from endoderm?

The endoderm produced during gastrulation will form the lining of the digestive tract, as well as that of the lungs and thyroid. For animals with three germ layers, after the endoderm and ectoderm have formed, interactions between the two germ layers induce the development of mesoderm.