noun
- The stage of embryonic development in which a single layer of cells reorganizes into multiple layers, forming the basic body plan of an organism.
Usage: biology; developmental biology
Examples
- During gastrulation, the embryo transforms from a simple ball of cells into a more complex structure with distinct tissue layers.
- In amphibians, gastrulation involves the infolding of cells in a process called invagination.
- The three germ layers formed during gastrulation give rise to all the tissues and organs of the adult body.
- Gastrulation is a critical period in development when major body structures begin to form.
- Scientists study gastrulation in model organisms like zebrafish to understand human embryonic development.
- Disruptions during gastrulation can lead to serious birth defects.