Objective To study the human lymphangiogenesis in the early stage of embryo and the expression of forkhead box C2(FOXC2) in human lymphangiogenesis. Methods Lymphatic vessel endothelial haluronic acid receptor-1(LYVE-1) was used as the special marker of lymphatic vessels.Immunohistochemical and double immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expressions of FOXC2 and LYVE-1 in lymphatic vessels of 85 human embryos of 5 to 11 weeks pregnancy and analyze the features of lymphatic vessel genesis and development. Results LYVE-1 was initially detected in lymphatic vessels in 7-week human embryos. The lymphatic vessel endothelial cells presented brown staining for LYVE-1 in jugular and thoracic region. LYVE-1 was also found to express in human embryonic mesentery lymphatic vessels on the 70th day of pregnancy. The expression of FOXC2 in human embryo was detected prior to that of LYVE-1 At the beginning of the 6th week of pregnancy, FOXC2 was obviously seen in human embryonic mesoderm mesenchyme.FOXC2 expressed not only in human embryonic lymphatic vessels,but also in the vertebral body,cardiovascular wall and other tissues.The expressions of FOXC2 and LYVE-1 were still seen in human embryonic lymphatic vessel endothelial cells after 80 days of pregnancy. Conclusion Lymphangiogenesis of human embryo begins between the 7th and 8th weeks of pregnancy. FOXC2 and LYVE-1 could have some relation with the human embryonic lymphatic vessel genesis and development.