Human Reproduction: Fertilization

Questions and Answers

What is the approximate number of sperm cells that were competing to fuse with the egg cell?

200,000 to 300,000

100,000 to 200,000

200 million to 300 million (correct)

1 million to 2 million

Which of the following is the correct term for the process of a sperm cell fusing with an egg cell?

Differentiation

Gametogenesis

Mitosis

Fertilization (correct)

What is the term for each of the sex cells involved in the fertilization process?

Gamete (correct)

Ovum

Zygote

Spermatozoa

From which parent does the ovum, or egg cell, come?

Mother Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the fertilization process?

A zygote Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the cell that results from the fusion of a sperm cell and an egg cell?

Zygote Signup and view all the answers

Where does the fertilization process typically take place?

Inside the mother Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the fertilization process?

It is a crucial step in producing a new individual Signup and view all the answers

What do homologous chromosomes code for?

The same proteins and traits Signup and view all the answers

How many pairs of homologous chromosomes do human beings have?

23 pairs Signup and view all the answers

What is the haploid number for human beings?

23 Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'hapl' in 'haploid' mean?

Single Signup and view all the answers

What is the diploid number for humans?

46 Signup and view all the answers

What do biologists refer to as 'n' chromosomes?

Haploid number Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the term 'zygote'?

A fertilized egg with 46 chromosomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the general term for the number of chromosomes in a given species?

Diploid number Signup and view all the answers

How many chromosomes are present in a human gamete?

23 Signup and view all the answers

What determines the sex of an offspring?

The sex-determining chromosome Signup and view all the answers

What is the general term for either a sperm or an egg?

Gamete Signup and view all the answers

How many chromosomes are present in a human zygote?

46 Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of a zygote differentiating into an actual organism?

Differentiation Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the pairs of chromosomes in a zygote?

Homologous pairs Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the fusion of a sperm and an egg?

A zygote Signup and view all the answers

What determines the number of chromosomes in a zygote?

The number of chromosomes in the gametes Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 23rd chromosome in a gamete?

It determines the sex of the offspring Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between a gamete and a zygote?

Number of chromosomes Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fertilization

Fertilization occurs when a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell (ovum) resulting in the formation of a zygote.
This process is the result of an epic competition where 2-3 hundred million sperm cells compete to fuse with the ovum.

Gametes

Gametes are sex cells that have half the number of chromosomes as body cells (somatic cells).
Sperm cells and egg cells (ova) are both gametes.
Each gamete has half the number of chromosomes as body cells, which is 23 chromosomes in humans.

Chromosomes in Gametes

A sperm cell has 23 chromosomes, including 22 autosomal chromosomes and 1 sex-determining chromosome (X or Y).
An egg cell (ovum) has 23 chromosomes, including 22 autosomal chromosomes and 1 sex-determining chromosome (X).

Fertilization and Zygote Formation

When a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell, the resulting cell is called a zygote.
The zygote has a total of 46 chromosomes, with 23 chromosomes from each parent.
The 46 chromosomes in the zygote are arranged in 23 pairs of homologous chromosomes.

Homologous Chromosomes

Homologous chromosomes are pairs of chromosomes that code for the same things, but may have different variants of genes.
Each pair of homologous chromosomes has one chromosome from each parent.

Haploid and Diploid Numbers

Haploid number refers to the number of chromosomes in a gamete, which is 23 in humans.
Diploid number refers to the number of chromosomes in a zygote, which is 46 in humans (2n).
Haploid and diploid numbers vary across species.

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Description

Learn about the process of human reproduction, where a sperm cell fuses with an egg cell, and explore the fascinating details of this epic competition.