Reproduction In Man - SS3 Biology Past Questions and Answers - page 1

The fusion of a sperm and an egg to form a zygote

Fallopian tube

9 months

Protect the foetus from external impacts and infections

Oxytocin

Parturition

Fertilization in humans is the process by which a sperm cell from the male fuses with an egg cell from the female, resulting in the formation of a zygote. This union occurs in the fallopian tube, where the sperm must first undergo capacitation to become fully capable of fertilizing the egg. During fertilization, the sperm penetrates the protective layers of the egg through the process of acrosome reaction, facilitated by enzymes in the sperm's head. Once inside, the sperm's nucleus fuses with the egg's nucleus, forming a diploid zygote. Following fertilization, the zygote undergoes rapid cell divisions through a process called cleavage, leading to the formation of a solid ball of cells known as a morula. The morula then undergoes further differentiation and compaction to form a blastocyst, consisting of an outer layer of cells (trophoblast) and an inner cell mass. The blastocyst subsequently implants itself into the uterine wall, a process known as implantation, and forms a connection with the mother's blood supply, initiating the early stages of pregnancy.