The regulative potential of the fore-limb region following the removal of the limb bud was investigated in 11.5-day rat embryos. Fore-limb buds were amputated from a total of 54 embryos. Five embryos were immediately examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assess the quality of the operation and the reproducibility of the technique. In all cases, the forelimb bud and adjacent tissues extending down to the celomic cavity at the same level were completely removed. The remaining 49 operated embryos were cultured in vitro and examined at different time intervals. Gross inspection of embryos which had been cultured for 24 h, revealed that 24 out of 37 had developed a pair of limb bud-like protrusions at the operation site. Twelve formed only a single protrusion, while nothing was found in the remaining embryo. These protrusions were examined in greater detail under SEM and light microscopy. SEM observations showed that these protrusions were covered with an intact layer of ectoderm. In embryos with a pair of protrusions, these outgrowths developed opposite somites 7 to 13. The failure of either one of these two outgrowths to form, produced our second type of experimental embryo, those which had just a single protrusion. Histological examination revealed that an apical ectodermal ridge (AER) was discernible on the protrusions of 36% of the embryos. Finally, we have established how these protrusions were constructed from SEM observations of operated embryos cultured for 6 h and 10 h.