Morula

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Morula

Morula (/mɔːˈruːlə/; from Latin, mōrula "mulberry") is a solid ball of cells resulting from division of a fertilized ovum, and from which a blastula is formed.

Etymology

The term morula is derived from the Latin word mōrula, meaning "mulberry". This is due to the morula's resemblance to a mulberry when viewed under a microscope.

Definition

A morula is an early stage embryo consisting of cells (called blastomeres) in a solid ball contained within the zona pellucida. This stage occurs after the formation of the zygote but before the blastula or blastocyst stage.

Related Terms

  • Zygote: The cell formed by the union of two gametes; the earliest stage of a developing organism.
  • Blastula: An early stage of embryonic development, it follows the morula and is characterized by the formation of a hollow fluid-filled cavity called the blastocoel.
  • Blastocyst: The stage of embryonic development in mammals that follows the morula stage. It is characterized by the presence of an inner cell mass that will give rise to the embryo proper, and an outer layer of cells, the trophoblast, which will form the placenta.
  • Embryo: An organism in its early stages of development, especially before it has reached a distinctively recognizable form.
  • Zona Pellucida: The thick transparent membrane surrounding a mammalian ovum before implantation.

See Also

External links

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