What is a Zygote?

A zygote is the cell resulting from the union of an egg and a sperm after fertilization. It corresponds to the first stage of life and from it the embryo will be formed after successive cell divisions.

In the zygote, the pro-nuclei from the ovum and the sperm are fused in order to restore the chromosome endowment of the human species: 46 chromosomes, 23 of maternal origin and 23 of paternal origin.

In addition, the zygote is also formed by a hard zona pellucida that surrounds and protects it, by two polar corpuscles in the perivitelline space and by the cytoplasm that surrounded the nucleus.

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Author

Zaira Salvador

B.Sc., M.Sc.

Embryologist

Bachelor's Degree in Biotechnology from the Technical University of Valencia (UPV). Biotechnology Degree from the National University of Ireland en Galway (NUIG) and embryologist specializing in Assisted Reproduction, with a Master's Degree in Biotechnology of Human Reproduction from the University of Valencia (UV) and the Valencian Infertility Institute (IVI) More information about Zaira Salvador

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