By 18 days after fertilization, the ectoderm of the embryonic disk thickens along what will become the dorsal midline of the body, forming the neural plate and, slightly later, the primordial eye, ear, and nose. The neural plate elongates, and its lateral edges rise and unite in the midline to form the neural tube, which will develop into the central nervous system. The neural tube detaches from the skin ectoderm and sinks beneath the surface. At this stage, groupings of ectodermal cells, called neural crests, develop as a column on each side of the neural tube. The cephalic (head) portion ...(100 of 37287 words)