Neurulation

Light micrograph of the early chick embryo that has been stained with Sudan red to show the early development of the neural tube and somites. Somites are blocks of tissue formed during early development that will go on to form the skeletal muscle and vertebrae. Incubated for 28 hours or HH9 - as classified by the Hamburger and Hamiliton stage of chick development. At this stage there are 6 somites present and the cranial neural pore and neural tube is still open.