The early development of the hypoglossal musculature in the chick

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Abstract
The hypoglossal downgrowth is initiated at about the twenty‐somite stage, as ventral extensions from the postotic (occipital) myotomes 3 and 4. At thirty somites, occipital myotomes 2, 3 and 4, and cervical 1 have developed ventral processes. These descending processes with contributions from posterior myotomes later form a common condensed area below myotomes 2 to 7, the submyotomic tract. There develops from this a cord of mesoderm, the hypoglossal cord or downgrowth.The anterior postotic myotomes are classed as indirect (numbers 1, 2, 6 and 7) or direct (numbers 3, 4 and 5) contributors to the hypoglossal downgrowth.Mechanical factors associated with this growth process are discussed.The hypoglossal nerve at 75 hours has six roots, four occipital (numbers 1 to 4) and two cervical. The first two occipitai roots fail to keep pace in development and are subsequently lost. A transïtory connection of the third cervical to the hypoglossal nerve is demonstrated at the age of 5 days. At 6 days the first occipital root is reduced to scattered fibers, the remaining occipital roots, numbers 2 to 4, increase in size, cervicals 1 and 2 join the hypoglossa.The correspondence of the myotomes providing the contributions to the hypoglossal cord and the nerves providing the major contributing roots of the hypoglossal nerve is commented on.

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