Table of Contents
What is a Zygote?
Zygote – Meaning:
A zygote is the result of the fusion of an egg and a sperm cell. It is the beginning of a new human life.
Zygote Development
- When a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell, the resulting cell is called a zygote. The zygote is the first step in the development of a new organism. The zygote contains the genetic information from both the sperm and the egg and begins to divide and grow.
- The zygote divides by mitosis to form two cells, then four cells, then eight cells, and so on. As the zygote divides, it becomes more complex. The cells begin to differentiate, or take on different characteristics. The cells that will become the embryo start to form, and the cells that will become the placenta start to develop.
- The zygote continues to divide and grow for about nine weeks. At that point, it is called a fetus. The fetus undergoes further development in the uterus, and at the end of pregnancy, it is born.
- In normal words: The zygote is the first step in the process of human development. The zygote is the result of the fusion of an ovum and a sperm cell. The zygote is a single cell that contains the genetic information from both parents. The zygote begins to divide and grow, and the process of human development begins.
Events Following Zygote Formation in Human and Zygote Development
- The zygote is the first step in human development, formed after the sperm and egg unite. The zygote divides and grows into an embryo, and then into a fetus. The development of the zygote is a gradual process, and different things happen at different stages.
- Immediately after conception, the zygote is comprised of a single cell. This cell divides and grows, and by the fifth day there are about 16 cells. The cells continue to divide, and by the eighth day there are about 256 cells. This is when the cells start to form into three layers: the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm.
- The ectoderm will become the skin, hair, nails, and central nervous system. The mesoderm becomes the bones, muscles, heart, and blood vessels. The endoderm becomes the lungs, liver, and pancreas.
- The zygote continues to grow and divide, and by the eleventh day it has become a blastocyst. The blastocyst contains about 100 cells and is ready to implant in the uterus.
- The implantation process begins when the blastocyst attaches to the wall of the uterus. This process takes about six days, and during this time the blastocyst starts to release hormones that help prepare the uterus for pregnancy.
- The blastocyst implants in the wall of the uterus and begins to grow. The pl
