Two major blood vessels which form ventral to the neural tube become the left and right dorsal aortae. In the mesenchyme adjacent to the truncus arteriosus, another series of paired aortic arch arteries develop that join the dilated end of the truncus arteriosus with the dorsal aortae. Branches of the dorsal aortae, the intersegmental arteries, supply the developing somites. Additional branches supply the yolk sac through the vitelline arteries and the umbilical arteries supply the allantois. On each side of the developing embryo, the cranial and caudal cardinal veins fuse forming the common cardinal veins which enter the sinus venosus. At this stage of morphogenesis, the developing mammalian cardiovascular system and the fully formed circulatory system of the fish are very similar to each other. | Two major blood vessels which form ventral to the neural tube become the left and right dorsal aortae. In the mesenchyme adjacent to the truncus arteriosus, another series of paired aortic arch arteries develop that join the dilated end of the truncus arteriosus with the dorsal aortae. Branches of the dorsal aortae, the intersegmental arteries, supply the developing somites. Additional branches supply the yolk sac through the vitelline arteries and the umbilical arteries supply the allantois. On each side of the developing embryo, the cranial and caudal cardinal veins fuse forming the common cardinal veins which enter the sinus venosus. At this stage of morphogenesis, the developing mammalian cardiovascular system and the fully formed circulatory system of the fish are very similar to each other. |