Neurulation

Neurulation is the embryonic process that forms the neural tube and other early nervous-system structures. In vertebrates, it establishes the rudiments of the brain and spinal cord.

Neural plate: A thickened region of embryonic ectoderm that gives rise to the neural tube. It is the flattened precursor that bends during primary neurulation.
Gastrulation: An early embryonic process that reorganizes cells into germ layers and establishes body axes. It precedes neurulation and positions the tissues that will form the nervous system.
Primary neurulation: Neural-tube formation by bending and fusion of a neural plate. This is the main process that forms the brain and much of the spinal cord in many vertebrates.
Hans Spemann: A German embryologist whose experiments established the organizer's role in vertebrate development. His work linked embryonic signaling to neural development and body-axis formation.
Folic acid: A B vitamin required for nucleotide synthesis and one-carbon metabolism. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduces neural-tube-defect risk.
Neural fold: An elevated edge of the neural plate that moves toward the midline during neural-tube formation. The folds approach and fuse to enclose the neural groove.
Ectoderm: The outer embryonic germ layer, which produces the nervous system and several other tissues. Neurulation reshapes a specialized region of ectoderm.
Neurenteric canal: A transient embryonic connection between the amniotic cavity and yolk-sac region through the primitive node. Its temporary presence is associated with the transition between primary and secondary neurulation.
Hilde Mangold: A German embryologist whose transplantation experiments revealed the organizer region in amphibian embryos. Her grafts showed that embryonic tissue can induce neural and axial structures.
Prenatal screening: Testing during pregnancy that estimates the chance of particular fetal conditions. Screening can identify signs associated with neural-tube defects.

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