Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Live Imaging of Mouse Secondary Palate Fusion
06:10

Live Imaging of Mouse Secondary Palate Fusion

Published on: July 27, 2017

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Timing of Secondary Palate Fusion in Human Embryos and Fetuses

Puck Pauline Mulder1,2, Jess Johanna Peters2,3, Yousif Dawood1,2,4

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Birth Defects Research
|February 8, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Human secondary palate development occurs between Carnegie Stages 18-23, with shelf contact at CS23. This critical window highlights risks of medication exposure during early pregnancy for palatal formation.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Human Embryology
  • Congenital Anomalies

Background:

  • Facial development involves pharyngeal arch derivatives; disruptions cause cleft lip/palate (CL/P).
  • CL/P affects feeding, speech, and psychosocial well-being.
  • Understanding secondary palate formation is key to CL/P pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the timing and morphology of human secondary palate development.
  • Focus on embryos (Carnegie Stages 17-23) and fetuses (9-11 weeks PC).

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of histological sections and micro-CT scans.
  • 26 human specimens across key developmental stages were examined.

Main Results:

  • Palatal shelves appear at Carnegie Stage 18, with vertical outgrowth until CS22.
  • Horizontal reorientation and medial extension occur at CS22.
  • Shelf contact (onset of fusion) observed at CS23, completed by 9 weeks PC.

Conclusions:

  • Refined timeline of human secondary palate development.
  • Identified a critical developmental window (CS17-23).
  • Recommends reevaluation of medication administration guidelines during early pregnancy due to potential teratogenic risks.
Abstract

Keywords:
cleft lip and palate (CL/P)histologyhuman embryoshuman fetusesmicro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT)palatal shelf fusionsecondary palate development

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