Carnegie-

Stage 1 2 3
Age in days

Size in mm

Description 0.1 0.15 mm 0.1 0.2 mm 0.1 0.2 mm

Fertilized oocyte Separation of the Formation of the
Polar bodies blastomeres blastocyst (16 to 32
Male and female (totipotent) cells) with the
pronucleus Morula stage blastocyst cavity
Formation of the Compaction (8 to 16 Segmentation
zygote cells) (inner and outer cell
The polarization of the mass)
blastomeres Hatching of the
is slowly visible. blastocyst
Didermic embryonic
disk

Carnegie-
Stage 4 5a 5b

Age in days

0.1 0.2 mm 0.1 mm 0.1 mm

Size in mm
Syncytiotrophoblast Genesis of the
Cytotrophoblast amniotic cavity and the
Description
Anchoring of the primary umbilical
blastocyst on the vesicle
endometrium and Solid trophoblast
interaction between the
embryo and maternal
 tissue Lacunar trophoblast
Definitive amniotic
cavity
Primary umbilical
vesicle

Carnegie-
Stage 5c 6 7

Age in days

0.15 0.2 mm 0.2 mm 0.4 mm

Size in mm
Extra-embryonic Primitive streak, Chordal process
mesoblast Primitive node, Neural plate
Description
Anlage of the Primitive groove Genesis of the blood
secondary umbilical Secondary umbilical vessel system and
vesicle vesicle formation of blood
Allantoic diverticulum
Cloacal membrane

Carnegie-
Stage 8 9 10

Age in
days

1.0 1.5 mm 1.5 2.5 mm 2 3.5 mm

Size in Pear shaped embryo Formation of somites The 2 first pharyngeal
mm Axial process Oropharyngeal arches appear
Neurenteric canal membrane Rupture of the
Descriptio
n

Carnegie-
Stage 11 12 13

Age in
days

2.5 4.5 mm 3 5 mm 4 6 mm
Size in Closure of the rostral Closure of the caudal Buds of the lower
mm neuropore neuropore extremities
Nasal placode Third pharyngeal arch Lens placode
Descriptio Ophthalmic vesicle Buds of the upper Fourth pharyngeal
n
13 - 20 somites extremities arch
Cervical sinus More than 30 somites
21-29 somites

Carnegie-
Stage 14 15 16

Age in
days

5 7 mm 7 9 mm 8 11 mm
Size in Augmented cephalo- Auditory primordium Pigmentation of the
mm cervical flexure Hand plate eye
Cerebellar primordium Genesis of the foot
Descriptio Visible ocular plate
n
primordium Physiologic umbilical
Sixth pharyngeal arch hernia
Carnegie-
Stage 17 18 19

Age in
days

11 14 mm 13 17 mm 16 18 mm
Size in External acoustic The eyelids arise Lengthening and
mm meatus Toe primordium straightening
Formation of the Nasal primordium of the trunk
Descriptio interdigital zones Gonadal gender can External acoustic
n
Atrophy of the be determined meatus
embryonic tail in male embryos Rupture of the cloacal
membrane

Carnegie-
Stage 20 21 22

Age in
days

18 22 mm 22 24 mm 23 28 mm
Size in Separated fingers Subcutaneous vessel Development of the
mm Gonadal gender network of the head eyelids and the
determinable spreads out external ear canal
Descriptio in female embryos Hands and feet come Tragus and antitragus
n
closer and touch each Nasal septum
other Secondary palate
Carnegie-
Stage 23

Age in
days

Size in
mm 27 31 mm
The head makes 50%

Descriptio
of the embryo's size
n Chin
Nasal pit

Development of the
external genital
primordium

http://www.embryology.ch/carnegie/carnegieen.html?number=7