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amnion
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Diagram showing three stages in early human embryonic development: the growth of the amnion at 23 days, a back view of an embryo at 21 days with the amnion cut open revealing neural structures, and a side view at 23 days with the yolk sac and amnion cut open, highlighting the heart, brain, spinal cord, and umbilical blood vessels. Diagram showing human embryological and fetal development in three stages: at six weeks, the embryo is enclosed within halved amnion, chorion, and uterus; another view at six weeks highlights the formation of the umbilical cord; at three months, the fetus is shown within the halved amnion, chorion, and uterus, with the placenta and umbilical cord labeled.
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amnion

anatomy
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History

amnion, in reptiles, birds, and mammals, a membrane forming a fluid-filled cavity (the amniotic sac) that encloses the embryo. The amniotic sac and the fluid it contains are sometimes referred to as the bag of waters.

In development, the amnion arises by a folding of a mass of extra-embryonic tissue called the somatopleure. Lined with ectoderm and covered with mesoderm (both are germ layers), the amnion contains a thin, transparent fluid in which the embryo is suspended, thus providing a cushion against mechanical injury. The amnion also provides protection against fluid loss from the embryo itself and against tissue adhesions.