Pharyngeal arch

Pharyngeal arch
Schematic of developing pharyngeal arches and pouches in the human embryo at seried Carnegie stages (CS)
Details
Carnegie stage	11–14
Identifiers
Latin	arcus pharyngei
MeSH	D001934
TE	arch_by_E5.4.2.0.0.0.2 E5.4.2.0.0.0.2
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

Floor of the pharynx of human embryo at about 26 days old

Scheme of the pharyngeal arches

Scheme of the pharyngeal arches

• I–IV: pharyngeal arches
• 1–4: pharyngeal pouches (inside) and/or pharyngeal grooves (outside)
• a: Tuberculum laterale
• b: Tuberculum impar
• c: Foramen cecum
• d: Ductus thyreoglossus
• e: Sinus cervicalis

The pharyngeal arches, also known as visceral arches, are transient structures seen in the embryonic development of humans and other vertebrates, that are recognisable precursors for many structures.^[1] In fish, the arches support the gills and are known as the branchial arches, or gill arches.

In the human embryo, the arches are first seen during the fourth week of development. They appear as a series of outpouchings of mesoderm on both sides of the developing pharynx. The vasculature of the pharyngeal arches are the aortic arches that arise from the aortic sac.