The critical early stage of animal development where the embryo reorganizes from a hollow ball into a three-layered structure with distinct regions.
From gastrula (Modern Latin from Greek gaster 'belly') plus -tion suffix forming nouns of action. The term became standard in embryology in the late 1800s as microscopy improved.
Gastrulation is called 'the most important time in your life' by embryologists—more important than birth! If gastrulation goes wrong, the organism cannot develop properly, making it one of biology's most critical checkpoints.
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