Chorion (egg)

Chorion
Diagram showing the chorion of a chicken egg
Human fetus, enclosed in the amnion
Details
Identifiers
Latin	chorion
MeSH	A10.615.284.473
Code	TE E5.11.3.1.1.0.3
Anatomical terminology []

The chorion is the outermost fetal membrane around the embryo in mammals, birds and reptiles. It develops from an outer fold on the surface of the yolk sac, which lies outside the zona pellucida (in mammals), known as the vitteline envelope in other animals. In insects it is developed by the follicle cells while the egg is in the ovary.

In humans and other mammals (excluding monotremes), the chorion is one of the fetal membranes that exist during pregnancy between the developing fetus and mother. The chorion and the amnion together form the amniotic sac. It is formed by extraembryonic mesoderm and the two layers of trophoblast that surround the embryo and other membranes. The chorionic villi emerge from the chorion, invade the endometrium, and allow the transfer of nutrients from maternal blood to fetal blood.

The chorion consists of two layers: an outer formed by the trophoblast, and an inner formed by the somatic mesoderm; the amnion is in contact with the latter.

The trophoblast is made up of an internal layer of cubical or prismatic cells, the cytotrophoblast or layer of Langhans, and an external layer of richly nucleated protoplasm devoid of cell boundaries, the syncytiotrophoblast.