Revise: ReproductionFertilisation

New organisms are produced when male and female haploid gametes fuse. In mammals, gametes are produced in the testes or ovaries of individuals but anthers and ovaries are on the same flowering plant.

Part ofBiologyRevision guides: Multicellular organisms

Fertilisation

This is the fusing of the nucleus of the haploid male gamete to the nucleus of the haploid female gamete to create the first cell of the new individual. This cell is diploid and is called a .

The zygote will normally be a diploid cell because it receives one set of chromosomes from the female gamete and one set of chromosomes from the male gamete.

The processes involved in human fertilisation. The egg with 23 chromosomes combines with the sperm which also has 23 chromosomes. Fertilisation occurs creating a zygote with 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs. This matures into an embryo which also has 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs.

Lots of rounds of mitotic cell division then take place. Many of the new cells produced become specialised to perform particular functions and form all the body tissues of the new individual.

The processes involved in human fertilisation. One zygote divides into two, then four. The rounds of cell division and cell specialisation continue until an offspring is created.
Next up
Test your understanding
Previous page
Sites of gamete production in flowering plants

More guides on this topic

Related links