At S15, the hand plate grows further distally. By S17, metacarpus and finger rays become recognizable in the hand plate for the first time. The finger rays are marked by blastemas. Furrows running radially subdivide the metacarpus. The fingers begin to grow, starting from the distal rim of the hand plates. Between S19 and S23, the tissue between the fingers degenerates due to interdigital necrosis (apoptosis). The thumb comes to an abduction and opposition position. The fingers flex more and more and the hand is now able to grasp.