st

Fertilization and week of

1
Development
By

SULAIMON,F.A. (Ph.D)
Fertilization
• Fusion of spermatozoon and secondary
oocyte
• Occurs at the ampulla of the uterine tube
• Fertilization proceeds for about 24 hours.
• It occurs in 3 phases
■ Phase 1, penetration o f the corona radiata
■ Phase 2, penetration o f the zona pellucida
■ Phase 3, fusion of the oocyte and sperm
cell membranes
• for the spermatozoon to penetrate the
oocyte, it has to become fully matured by
undergoing capacitation and acrosome
reaction.
 Capacitation
• It is the sperm condition in the
female reproductive tract
• It occurs for a period of 7h
• Mediated by oocyte fertilizin
and sperm antifertilizin
• It is required for sperm to pass
through the corona cells and
undergo acrosomal reactionn
acrosome reaction
• occurs after binding to the zona
pellucida
• induced by zona proteins.
• culminates in the release of enzymes
needed to penetrate the zona pellucida,
including acrosin neuraminidase, zona
lysins (proteases)
• Out of about 300 million spermatozoa
released, only 300-500 reach the site of
fertilization and only one eventually
fertilizes the oocyte.
penetration o f the corona radiata
• Passage of capacitated
spermatozoon through
the corona radiata.
• enhanced by the
release of
hyaluronidase from
acrosome of the
sperm.
• and motion of their
flagellum
penetration o f the zona pellucida
• mediated by acrosome enzymes such as
acrosin, neuraminidase, esterases, and ZP3
ligand (sperm receptor).
• When the capacitated sperm comes in
contact with zona pellucida, acrosome
reaction occurs.
• This creates perforations in the acrosome
of the sperm, resulting in the release of its
enzymes and the penetration of the zona
pellucida.
• Once the zona is penetrated, zona reaction
occurs. Zona reaction is mediated by the
release of lysosomal enzymes from the
cortical granules of the oocyte.
• These enzymes cause changes in the
composition of zona pellucida and the
plasma membrane of oocyte, thus making
them impermeable to other sperms
fusion of the oocyte and sperm cell membranes
• The initial adhesion of sperm to
the oocyte is mediated in part by
the interaction of integrins on the
oocyte and its ligands, disintegrins
on sperm.
• After adhesion, the plasma
membranes of the sperm
(posterior region of the head) and
egg fuse because the plasma
membrane covering the acrosomal
head cap disappears during the
acrosome
• In human, both the head and the
tail of the spermatozoon enter the
cytoplasm of the oocyte, but the
plasma membrane is left behind
on the oocyte surface.
Response of egg to
spermatozoon entry
• As soon as the spermatozoon has entered the oocyte, the egg
responds in three ways
• Zona and cortical reactions: Owing to the release of the cortical
granules of the oocyte (with their contents of lysosomal enzymes),
the composition of the zona membrane is altered (zona reaction),
making it impermeable to other sperms. The plasma membrane of
the oocyte also becomes impermeable.
• Second meiotic division of the oocyte resumes, and is soon
completed, yielding a mature ovum and a 2nd polar body. The ovum
receives all the cytoplasm of the oocyte. Its chromosomes (22+X)
constitute the female pronucleus.
• Formation of the male pronucleus: The nucleus of the sperm
enlarges to form the male pronucleus.
• Metabolic activation of the oocyte: Penetration of the oocyte by
the spermatozoon is one of the factors that activate the egg to
undergo post-fusion development, including cleavage,
Results of fertilization
• Restoration of the diploid number of
chromosomes, half from the father and half
from the mother.
Hence, the zygote contains a new combination of
chromosomes different from both parents.
• Determination of the sex of the new
individual. An X-carrying sperm produces a
female (XX) embryo, and a Y-carrying sperm
produces a male (XY) embryo.
Therefore, the chromosomal sex of the embryo is
determined at fertilization.
• Initiation of cleavage. Without fertilization, the
oocyte usually degenerates 24 hours after
ovulation.
Applied anatomy
• In early pregnancy, the presence of an immunosuppressant protein called
early pregnancy factor, secreted by trophoblast cells, allows detection as
early as the first week.
• Dispermy, a rare condition where two sperm cells fertilize an egg, can lead
to a triploid embryo with 69 chromosomes, often resulting in spontaneous
abortion or stillbirth.
• Polyspermy is prevented through cortical and zona reactions.
• Parthenogenesis, the development of an unfertilized egg, is rare in humans
but occurs in certain animals such as rabbit
• Infertile couples may choose assisted reproductive techniques like in vitro
fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm
injection, and zygote intrafallopian transfer.
contraceptive methods employed for family planning
• Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs): Containing estrogen and progestin, these pills
inhibit pituitary gonadotropins (FSH and LH), preventing ovulation while
allowing menstruation. Administered for 21 days, they are then stopped to
facilitate menstruation.
• Barrier Methods: Male and female condoms, diaphragms, contraceptive
sponges, and cervical caps act as physical barriers, preventing the passage of
sperm.
• Surgical Procedures: Vasectomy involves excising or tying the vas deferens in
males, while tubal ligation entails tying up the uterine tubes in females.
• Intra-Uterine Devices (IUDs): These devices are placed in the uterine cavity,
potentially interfering with implantation.
• Depo Provera and RU 486: Depo Provera: Administered through injection, it
contains progestin, preventing ovulation for 2-3 months. It can also be
subdermally implanted for contraception up to 5 years.
• RU 486: An antiprogesterone agent, it induces abortion by initiating
menstruation. Administered within 2 months of the previous menses.
Cleavage
• Cleavage Process: Mitotic divisions follow fertilization,
reducing the cytoplasm-nucleus ratio in resulting blastomeres
(cells).
• First Mitotic Division: About 30 hours after fertilization, the
zygote undergoes its first mitotic division, yielding two
blastomeres.
• Compaction at 8- or 9-Cell Stage: During the 3rd cleavage,
blastomeres form a compact ball of cells through compaction.
Tight junctions enhance cell-cell interaction, leading to the
segregation of inner cells that form the inner cell mass,
communicating via gap junctions.
• Morula Formation: Around three days post-fertilization, the
embryo reaches the morula stage with 12-16 cells, resembling
a mulberry. Cells are divided into the central inner cell mass
(embryoblast) and the surrounding outer cell mass
(trophoblast).
• Uterine Entry: At the end of the 3rd day, the morula enters
the uterine cavity for further development.
• The process of blastogenesis transforms the morula into a fluid-filled
blastocyst with the following key points:

• Blastocyst Formation: After the morula enters the uterine cavity (end
of the 3rd day), fluid from the uterine cavity passes through the zona
pellucida into the morula's intercellular spaces. This results in the
formation of a single fluid-filled cavity, known as the blastocyst cavity,
transforming the embryo into a blastocyst.

• Blastocyst Structure: The blastocyst consists of the blastocyst cavity

(blastocoele), an inner cell mass or embryoblast (at the embryonic
pole), and an outer cell mass or trophoblast. The trophoblast
surrounds the inner cell mass and blastocyst cavity, while the zona
pellucida lies external to the trophoblast.

• Zona Pellucida Degeneration: Following blastocyst formation, the

zona pellucida begins to degenerate, enabling direct contact between
the blastocyst and the endometrium, facilitating implantation.

• Implantation Initiation: Implantation of the blastocyst typically starts

around the 6th day of development.
Applied anatomy
• Monozygotic Twins Formation: If the two cells resulting from the first
mitotic division of the zygote develop independently, monozygotic
twins are formed.

• Mosaicism in Cleavage: During early cleavage, non-dysjunction or

anaphase lag of chromosomes may occur, leading to the production
of an embryo with two or more cell lines, each having a different
number of chromosomes. This condition is termed mosaicism, and
individuals with this condition are referred to as mosaics (e.g., mosaic
Down syndrome).