At what stage does the embryo begin to develop recognizable features?

The embryo begins to develop recognizable features during the fetal stage. At this point in development, significant morphological changes occur that lead to the formation of identifiable structures such as limbs, facial features, and internal organs.

Prior to this, during the blastula stage, the embryo is a hollow ball of cells, and recognizable features have not yet developed. The gastrula stage involves the formation of the three primary germ layers—ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm—but still lacks the distinctive characteristics associated with a later stage of development. The neural tube stage specifically refers to a phase in early development where the neural plate folds to form the neural tube, which eventually gives rise to the brain and spinal column, but even at this stage, identifiable features are not fully developed.

Thus, it is during the fetal stage that the embryo undergoes the most pronounced development of features that will be recognizable as it continues to grow.