Chapter 29 - Development and Inheritance Flashcards
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?
- Corona radiata - granulosa cells that surround the secondary oocyte
- Zona pellucida - glycoprotein layer between the corona radiata and the oocyte’s plasma membrane
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
- same genetic material, same sex
- arise from separation of the developing cells into two embryos before 8 days have passed
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
- begins about 24 hours after fertilization
- completed in about 6 hours
What are blastomeres?
Progressively smaller cells produced by cleavage
What is a morula?
A solid sphere of cells
- results from successive cleavage
- still surrounded by the zona pellucida and is about the same size as the original zygote
What is a blastocyst?
Forms from the morula
- once fluid enters the morula
- forms a blastocyst cavity
- has hundreds of cells, about the same size as original zygote
During the formation of the blastocyst, what are the two distinct cell populations that arise?
- Embryoblast (inner cells mass) - internal layer and develops into the embryo
- Trophoblast - outer superficial layer of cells, develops into outer chorionic sac that surrounds fetus
How long does the blastocyst remain in the uterine cavity before attaching to the uterine wall?
About 2 days
What is implantation?
Blastocyst LOOSELY attaches to the endometrium
- about 6 days after fertilization
Balstocyst BURROWS into endometrium and becomes surrounded by it
- about 7 days after fertilization
What is the decidua basalis?
Portion of the endometrium between the embryo and the stratum basalis of the uterus
- provides a large amount of glycogen and lipids for the developing embryo and fetus
What is the decidua capsularis?
Portion of the endometrium located between the embryo and the uterine cavity
What is an ectopic pregnancy?
Development of an embryo and fetus outside of the uterine cavity
- can occur in uterine tube, ovary, abdominal cavity or uterine cervix
Summarize the events of fertilization during the first week.
- Fertilization occurs (12-24 hours after ovulation)
- Cleavage (completed 30 hours after fertilization)
- Morula (3-4 days after fertilization)
- Blastocyst (4.5-5 days after fertilization), in uterine cavity
- Implantation (6 days after fertilization)
What hormone is an indicator of pregnancy?
hCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin)
- secreted by trophoblast
What is an amnion?
The innermost membrane that encloses the embryo
What is amniotic fluid?
The fluid surrounding a fetus within the amnion
- initially maternal blood
- fetus contributes by excreting urine