ovum: Fertilization and Maturation

The union of mature sperm and ovum, each bearing half the normal number of chromosomes, results in a single cell (the zygote) with a full number of chromosomes. The zygote undergoes a series of cell divisions (see mitosis) producing a multicellular embryo and finally a mature individual. In all sexually reproducing animals the production and maturation of the ovum, its fertilization, and its early embryonic development are essentially identical.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Plant Ova
• Fertilization and Maturation
• Oogenesis

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