| Somitogenesis | |
|---|---|
 Dorsum of human embryo, 2.11 mm in length. (The older term primitive segments is used to identify the somites formed in somitogenesis) | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | paraxial mesoderm |
| Gives rise to | dermatome, myotome, syndetome, sclerotome |
| Anatomical terminology | |
Somitogenesis is the process by which somites form. Somites are bilaterally paired blocks of paraxial mesoderm that form along the anterior-posterior axis of the developing embryo in segmented animals. In vertebrates, somites give rise to skeletal muscle, cartilage, tendons, endothelium, and dermis.