optic vesicle

The optic vesicle is an early developmental structure in embryonic vertebrates. It forms as an outward growth from the forebrain and is crucial for the development of the eye's nervous components.1

During development, the optic vesicle extends and then folds inward, creating a double-walled structure called the optic cup. The inner layer of this cup develops into the sensory retina, while the outer layer becomes the pigment coat. The opening of the optic cup narrows to form the pupil, and its edges differentiate into the iris. The lens and cornea develop from the overlying skin (epidermis) in response to signals from the optic vesicle and cup. The optic stalk, connecting the optic vesicle to the brain, eventually becomes the optic nerve.2