Final answer:
Ependymal cells originate from the neural tube or neuroectoderm, a structure that forms from the ectoderm during embryonic development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The embryonic origin of ependymal cells is the neural tube or neuroectoderm. During embryonic development, a portion of the ectoderm differentiates into neuroectoderm, the precursor for the nervous system's tissue. As the neural groove forms and the neural folds converge, the neural tube is formed beneath the ectoderm.
Ependymal cells, which are a type of glial cell found in the central nervous system (CNS), line the ventricles in the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord. They originate from the neural tube. The neural crest, another structure that arises during embryonic development, gives rise to several parts of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and various non-neural structures.