| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Embryonic development | The first eight weeks of development (out of 38 weeks total) |
| Fertilization | Genetic material from the sperm and egg merge into a single diploid unit; occurs about 12-24 hours after ovulation |
| Capacitation | Functional changes in sperm; allows fusion with oocyte's plasma membrane |
| Penetration | Sperm must pass through 2 layers of the oocyte (using enzymes in the head) |
| Corona radiata | Outer layer of the oocyte |
| Zona pellucida | Clear inner layer of the oocyte |
| Syngamy | Fusion of sperm cell with a secondary oocyte |
| Polyspermy | Fertilization by more than one sperm; blocked by depolarization of the oocytes's plasma membrane and by the release of molecules from the oocyte which hardens the zone of pellucida |
| Fusion of nuclei | Fusion of DNA within the sperm and oocyte; 23+23=46 |
| Cleavage | When a zygote undergoes rapid mitotic cell division and forms blastomeres |
| Blastomeres | Smaller cells produced by cleavage during mitotic cell division |
| Morula | A solid sphere of blastomeres; slowly moves from fallopian tubes into uterus; a fluid from the endometerium enters the morula, rearranges the blastomeres, forming a cavity in the middle of the morula |
| Blastocyst | The morula, after it develoops a fluid filled cavity |
| Trophoblast | Outer layer of cells that forms the wall of a blastocyst |
| Embroblast | Inner cell mass within a blastocyst that becomes the inner embryo |
Combine with other sets
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