FERTILIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN HUMANS
Fertilization
In human mating, or sexual intercourse, hundreds of
millions of sperm are ejaculated into the vagina. The sperm then
travel through the cervix, across the uterus, and into the oviducts. If
an egg is passing through one of the oviducts after being released
from the ovary during ovulation, fertilization occurs. Thus
internal fertilization has occurred within the body of the female.
Thus, reproduction in most terrestrial vertebrate animals is
characterized by internal fertilization. The gametes fuse in the moist
reproductive tract of the female. Fertilization occurs when there is
fusion of a sperm nucleus and an egg nucleus which results in a
diploid cell called a zygote.
Implantation and Development
After fertilization, the zygote undergoes cleavage (which
is a process in a fertilized egg, the first series of cell divisions, which
occur without growth or increase of the size of the cell and will
continue until the cells of the embryo are reduced to the size of most
cells of the adult organism.) and develops into a blastula (is a stage
of development in which the embryo consists of a single layer of
cells surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.). Meanwhile, it is moving
through the oviduct toward the uterus. About 5 to 10 days after
fertilization, the embryo (is an organism in the early stages of
development.) enters the uterus. The outer layer of cells secrete
enzymes that digest part of the thick lining of the uterus, and the
embryo attaches itself to the uterus. This attachment is called
implantation. After implantation, gastrulation (is a process in
which the cells on one side of a blastula push in to form the two-
layered gastrula.) of the embryo occurs. The three germ layers
( which are called 1-ectoderm, 2-mesoderm, 3-endoderm.) are
formed and all the tissues and organs of the body develop from
these three layers by growth and differentiation. The developing
human is called an embryo from the time of fertilization up to about
8 weeks. After this time, it is called a fetus.
The period during which the developing human is carried
in the uterus is called pregnancy. During pregnancy, the menstrual
cycle is suppressed by a hormone secreted by the placenta (is a
temporary organ through which the embryo receives food and
oxygen from the mother’s body and gets rid of wastes, and is a
source of hormone.). This hormone is called human chorionic
gonadotropin (HCG). This hormone prevents the breakdown of
the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum continues to secrete high
levels of progesterone, which in turn maintains the thickened uterine
wall The high progesterone level also prevents the development of
new follicles in the ovaries. Thus neither ovulation nor menstruation
takes place during pregnancy.
In Vitro Fertilization
In many woman, fertilization of an egg cannot take place
in the normal manner, because of damaged or lost oviducts. To
enable such women to become pregnant and give birth, techniques
have been developed in recent years for fertilizing a human egg
outside the body. This is called fertilization in vitro, which literally
means “in glass.” In this procedure, a mature egg is removed from
the woman’s ovary and placed in a suitable medium with sperm
obtained from the husband. The egg is fertilized by one of the sperm
and is then allowed to start its development, the embryo is inserted
into the woman’s uterus, not necessary from the same woman
where the egg came from, where it becomes implanted and
completes its development in the normal way.
DO NOW
What do you know about fertilization in humans? /// What
questions do you have about fertilization in humans?
Questions:
1-How does fertilization occur naturally in humans?
2-What is the difference between external and internal fertilization?
3-Where does fertilization occur naturally in humans?
4-What happens after fertilization has occurred?
5-Why does the corpus luteum continue to secrete progesterone
after fertilization?
FERTILIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN HUMANS
Fertilization
In human mating, or sexual intercourse, hundreds of
millions of sperm are ejaculated into the vagina. The sperm then
travel through the cervix, across the uterus, and into the oviducts. If
an egg is passing through one of the oviducts after being released
from the ovary during ovulation, fertilization occurs. Thus
internal fertilization has occurred within the body of the female.
Thus, reproduction in most terrestrial vertebrate animals is
characterized by internal fertilization. The gametes fuse in the moist
reproductive tract of the female. Fertilization occurs when there is
fusion of a sperm nucleus and an egg nucleus which results in a
diploid cell called a zygote.
Implantation and Development
After fertilization, the zygote undergoes cleavage (which
is a process in a fertilized egg, the first series of cell divisions, which
occur without growth or increase of the size of the cell and will
continue until the cells of the embryo are reduced to the size of most
cells of the adult organism.) and develops into a blastula (is a stage
of development in which the embryo consists of a single layer of
cells surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.). Meanwhile, it is moving
through the oviduct toward the uterus. About 5 to 10 days after
fertilization, the embryo (is an organism in the early stages of
development.) enters the uterus. The outer layer of cells secrete
enzymes that digest part of the thick lining of the uterus, and the
embryo attaches itself to the uterus. This attachment is called
implantation. After implantation, gastrulation (is a process in
which the cells on one side of a blastula push in to form the two-
layered gastrula.) of the embryo occurs. The three germ layers
( which are called 1-ectoderm, 2-mesoderm, 3-endoderm.) are
formed and all the tissues and organs of the body develop from
these three layers by growth and differentiation. The developing
human is called an embryo from the time of fertilization up to about
8 weeks. After this time, it is called a fetus.
The period during which the developing human is carried
in the uterus is called pregnancy. During pregnancy, the menstrual
cycle is suppressed by a hormone secreted by the placenta (is a
temporary organ through which the embryo receives food and
oxygen from the mother’s body and gets rid of wastes, and is a
source of hormone.). This hormone is called human chorionic
gonadotropin (HCG). This hormone prevents the breakdown of
the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum continues to secrete high
levels of progesterone, which in turn maintains the thickened uterine
wall The high progesterone level also prevents the development of
new follicles in the ovaries. Thus neither ovulation nor menstruation
takes place during pregnancy.
In Vitro Fertilization
In many woman, fertilization of an egg cannot take place
in the normal manner, because of damaged or lost oviducts. To
enable such women to become pregnant and give birth, techniques
have been developed in recent years for fertilizing a human egg
outside the body. This is called fertilization in vitro, which literally
means “in glass.” In this procedure, a mature egg is removed from
the woman’s ovary and placed in a suitable medium with sperm
obtained from the husband. The egg is fertilized by one of the sperm
and is then allowed to start its development, the embryo is inserted
into the woman’s uterus, not necessary from the same woman
where the egg came from, where it becomes implanted and
completes its development in the normal way.
DO NOW
What do you know about fertilization in humans? /// What
questions do you have about fertilization in humans?
Questions:
1-How does fertilization occur naturally in humans?
2-What is the difference between external and internal fertilization?
3-Where does fertilization occur naturally in humans?
4-What happens after fertilization has occurred?
5-Why does the corpus luteum continue to secrete progesterone
after fertilization?