embryo

(noun)

An organism in the earlier stages of development; in humans, usually the cell growth up to the end of the seventh week in utero.

Related Terms

Examples of embryo in the following topics:

  • Prenatal Brain Development

    • During the germinal stage, the cells necessary for the placenta, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid will differentiate to form the embryo.
    • Upon implantation, this multi-cellular organism is called an embryo.
    • The placenta is a structure connected to the uterus that provides nourishment and oxygen from the woman's body to the developing embryo through the umbilical cord.
    • The first part of the embryo to develop is the neural tube, which will become the spinal cord and brain.
    • When the organism is about nine weeks old, the embryo is called a fetus.

  • Development of the Human Brain

    • In the embryos of vertebrates, the predecessor to the brain and spinal cord is the neural tube.