What is developmental biology?
The study of the sequence of events from the fertilization of a secondary oocyte by a sperm cell to the formation of an adult organism
When does the embryonic period occur?
From fertilization through the 8th week
What is pregnancy?
A sequence of events that begins with ferilization, proceeds with implantation, embryonic development and fetal development
- end with birth 38-40 weeks later
What happens during fertilization?
Haploid sperm cell and haploid secondary oocyte merge into a single diploid nucleus
What is capacitation?
A series of functional changes that causes the sperm’s tails to beat more vigorously and prepare its plasma membrane to fuse with the oocyte’s plasma membrane
In order for fertilization to occur, what two layers must the sperm cell penetrate?
What is the acrosomal reaction?
Release of the contents of the acrosome
- digest a path through the zona pellucida as the lashing sperm tail pushes the sperm cell forward
What is the acrosome?
Helmet-like structure that covers the head of a sperm
- contains several enzymes
What happens as a sperm cell fuses with the secondary oocyte?
Events that prevent polyspermy (fertilization by more than one sperm cell)
Describe fast block to polyspermy.
Once a sperm cell fuses with a secondary oocyte, the cell membrane of the oocyte depolarizes
- a depolarized oocyte cannot fuse with another sperm
What happens during slow block to polyspermy?
Depolarization (from fast block) stimulates exocytosis of molecules that inactivate ZP3 which harden the entire zona pellucida
What does the nucleus in the head of the sperm develop into?
The male pronucleus
What does the nucleus of the fertilized ovum develop into?
The female pronucleus
What happens during syngamy?
Fusion of the male and female pronucleus
What is a zygote?
A diploid cell (2n) resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes
- a fertilized ovum
How do dizygotic (fraternal) twins occur?
Release of two secondary oocutes and the subsequent fertilization of each by different sperm
- may or may not be the same sex
How do monozygotic (identical) twins occur?
Develop from a single fertilized ovum
What is the result of conjoined twins?
Separations that occur later than 8 days
- twins are joined together and share some body structures
What is cleavage and when does it occur?
Rapid mitotic cell division
What are blastomeres?
Progressively smaller cells produced by cleavage
What is a morula?
A solid sphere of cells
What is a blastocyst?
Forms from the morula
During the formation of the blastocyst, what are the two distinct cell populations that arise?
How long does the blastocyst remain in the uterine cavity before attaching to the uterine wall?
About 2 days