page_title: Secondary palate development
section_title: Formation of palatal shelves
hierarchical_section_title: Secondary palate development / Formation of palatal shelves
caption_attribution_description: English: Palatal shelf development in an embryo
context_page_description: The development of the secondary palate commences in the sixth week of human embryonic development. It is characterised by the formation of two palatal shelves on the maxillary prominences, the elevation of these shelves to a horizontal position, and then a process of palatal fusion between the horizontal shelves. The shelves will also fuse anteriorly upon the primary palate, with the incisive foramen being the landmark between the primary palate and secondary palate. This forms what is known as the roof of the mouth, or the hard palate.
  The formation and development of the secondary palate occurs through signalling molecules SHH, BMP-2, FGF-8 among others.
  Failure of the secondary palate to develop correctly may result in a Cleft palate disorder.
context_section_description: The formation of the vertical palatal shelves occurs during week 7 of embryological development, on the maxillary processes of the head of embryo, lateral to the developing tongue.
caption: Palatal shelves developing in preparation for elevation
exif: {"Image Tag 0x000B": "Windows Photo Editor 6.3.9600.17418", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image Software": "Windows Photo Editor 6.3.9600.17418", "Image DateTime": "2017:01:22 18:51:38", "Image ExifOffset": "2238", "Image Padding": "[]", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF Padding": "[]"}