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Mnemonic to memorize Endoderm/Ectoderm/mesoderm?


KTWD

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Really?? I have done all the tests and feel like I have seen it a few times!

 

Aw man that reminds me of another thing I have to learn...

 

I can't say I've ever seen that come up on any of the kaplan/tpr/free mcat #3 before though lol

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It's not really that hard if you just remember which is on the outside and inside and middle. (I don't think a mnemonic is necessary for this one...)

 

mymcat has a tutorial on embryogenesis here.

 

 

ectoderm -> outside -> basically skin (and thus hair and nails as an extension)

endoderm -> inside -> lining of the large tubes that go through your body (not the blood vessels, rather urinary, lung, and digestive tubes)

mesoderm -> everything in the middle! circulatory system, bones.

 

The one special thing to remember is that the neural system (brain+spinal cord + nerves) all originate from ectoderm, because there is an initial phase where some ectoderm gets pinched into forming the notocord. (Its not that hard to remember once you visualize the tube forming from the ectoderm pinching inwards).

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Kaplan has a mnemonic that seems incredibly lame, but at the same time is really memorable

 

Ectoderm = "attract"-oderm: contains things that many people find attractive (hair, skin, eyes, brain... mammary glands)

 

Mesoderm = "means to get you around"-oderm: Kind of a stretch with the wording, but essentially it's the main things you need for movement, including a cardiovascular system, a skeleton and skeletal muscles

 

Endoderm = "endternal organs" -oderm: most of the internal organs, i.e. most organs of the thoracic and visceral cavities.

 

There are a few exceptions to these categories (for example, the entire urinary system has both endo and meso components), but for the most part, they should be pretty helpful in answering MCAT questions.

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ECtoderm leads to Epithelial and Communication systems (nervous system)

 

Mesoderm is Moving structures (muscle, bone, ligament, cartilage, blood)

 

Endoderm is for Excretory structures (GI, respiratory and urinary)

 

Credits to the Gold Standard Step 1 USMLE audio anatomy prep

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