A chordoma is an embryonic structure that forms during the early stages of vertebrate development. The term comes from the Latin words chorda dorsalis (“dorsal string”) and the Greek suffix -oma (“tumor”).
A chordoma is a narrow, hollow cord located under the spine. It performs a supporting function in the early stages of embryogenesis, when the vertebrae have not yet formed. Later, intervertebral discs develop from the chordoma.
Chordoma consists of ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal cells. It has a strictly defined structure: the ectoderm forms the outer layer, and the endoderm forms the inner layer of the cord. Between them is mesenchyme.
Thus, chordoma plays an important role in the formation of the axial skeleton of vertebrates. It is one of the key characteristics of chordates in the early stages of development.