Egg cell

Egg cell or Ovum is the female reproductive cell or gamete in oogamous organisms. The term is used when the distinct stage of oogenesis is entered. In mammals, the egg cell is typically called an ovum.

Overview

The egg cell is typically not capable of active movement, and it is much larger (visible to the naked eye) than the motile sperm cells. When egg and sperm fuse, a diploid cell (the zygote) is formed, which rapidly grows into a new organism.

Structure

While the sperm cell has a long tail for motility, the egg cell is generally spherical, non-motile and is one of the largest cells in the female body. The egg cell also has a cell membrane and cytoplasm, similar to other cells, and it carries the mother's genetic material.

Function

The main function of the egg cell is to fuse with the sperm cell and provide the half of the genetic material needed to create a new individual. It is also responsible for initiating the first cell divisions of the new individual.

Egg Cell Development

The development of the egg cell starts in the female body during the fetal stage. This process, known as oogenesis, continues up to the menopause in human females.

See Also

• Sperm cell
• Oogenesis
• Zygote
• Fertilization

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  Egg cell

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  Diagram of an ovum

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  "Conclusio" from Carl Ernst von Baer's De Ovi Mammalium

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  Human egg cell

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  Sperm approaching an egg

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  Acrosome reaction diagram

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  Egg cell