The primitive streak is a structure that forms in the early embryo in amniotes. In amphibians, the equivalent structure is the blastopore. During early embryonic development, the embryonic disc becomes oval shaped, and then pear-shaped with the broad end towards the anterior, and the narrower region projected to the posterior. The primitive streak forms a longitudinal midline structure in the narrower posterior (caudal) region of the developing embryo on its dorsal side. At first formation, the primitive streak extends for half the length of the embryo. In the human embryo, this appears by stage 6, about 17 days.
The primitive streak establishes bilateral symmetry, determines the site of gastrulation, and initiates germ layer formation. To form the primitive streak, mesenchymal stem cells are arranged along the prospective midline, establishing the second embryonic axis, and the site where cells will ingress and migrate during the process of gastrulation and germ layer formation.