Carnegie Stage 17: Head and Internal Organs
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The chondrocranium is the part of the embryonic skull that is preformed in cartilage (which later will ossify). The diafragm is a muscular sheet that separates the thorax from the abdomen. In this section, the esophagus pierces the diaphragm. The lungs are more developed than in the previous embryos, and bronchi can be recognized. Finally, the gonads are visible in the posterior wall of the abdomen. From there, they will descend into the pelvis.
