p. 1329. Gastrointestinal physiology
- Ian KayIan KayAssociate Head of School, School of Healthcare Science, Manchester Metropolitan University
- and Gethin EvansGethin EvansSenior Lecturer, School of Healthcare Science, Manchester Metropolitan University
Abstract
This chapter highlights reproduction, which is the process of producing offspring from parents wherein the genetic material from each of the parents is transmitted to the offspring. It refers to genetic fusion that occurs when a male sperm cell fertilizes a female ovum or egg cell. It also details how the fertilized egg undergoes a series of phenomenal changes over the nine months following fertilization. This results in the birth of an offspring. The chapter describes the male gamete formation as a continuous process, while a female gamete production is a cyclical process and only occurs for about 30 to 35 years in females. It covers fertilization, which completes the meiotic division of ova and results in the formation of a zygote, ultimately dividing and growing to produce a fetus.
