K12 Limbs
Limbs - Arms and Legs
The arms and legs (we call them "limbs") begin as small buds on the sides of the embryo body.
Human Limb Development during week 8
From week 5 to week 8 of development, changes occur in the shape and structure of the embryo limbs.
The arms begin to develop before the legs. If you look at the whole embryo the legs always look younger (less developed) than the arms (almost a stage behind, about 2 days difference).
Look below at the series of images and see what changes you can see in the shape, features and position of the arm. Towards the end of this time (9 weeks) the embryo will also begin to move the arms and legs.
Words Used
limb - word used to describe either the arm or leg.
Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, April 25) Embryology K12 Limbs. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/K12_Limbs
- © Dr Mark Hill 2024, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G