<P> The endoderm consists at first of flattened cells, which subsequently become columnar . It forms the epithelial lining of the whole of the digestive tract except part of the mouth and pharynx and the terminal part of the rectum (which are lined by involutions of the ectoderm). It also forms the lining cells of all the glands which open into the digestive tract, including those of the liver and pancreas; the epithelium of the auditory tube and tympanic cavity; the trachea, bronchi, and alveoli of the lungs; the bladder and part of the urethra; and the follicle lining of the thyroid gland and thymus . </P> <P> The endoderm forms: the stomach, the colon, the liver, the pancreas, the bladder, the epithelial parts of trachea, the lungs, the pharynx, the thyroid, the parathyroid, and the intestines . </P> <P> The mesoderm germ layer forms in the embryos of triploblastic animals . During gastrulation, some of the cells migrating inward contribute to the mesoderm, an additional layer between the endoderm and the ectoderm . The formation of a mesoderm leads to the development of a coelom . Organs formed inside a coelom can freely move, grow, and develop independently of the body wall while fluid cushions and protects them from shocks . </P> <P> The mesoderm has several components which develop into tissues: intermediate mesoderm, paraxial mesoderm, lateral plate mesoderm, and chorda - mesoderm . The chorda - mesoderm develops into the notochord . The intermediate mesoderm develops into kidneys and gonads . The paraxial mesoderm develops into cartilage, skeletal muscle, and dermis . The lateral plate mesoderm develops into the circulatory system (including the heart and spleen), the wall of the gut, and wall of the human body . </P>

The embryonic germ layer from which the skin and nervous system are derived is