DEVELOPMENT

EARLY DEVELOPMENT STAGES

• Development occurs after fertilization.
• The acrosome of a sperm releases enzymes that digest away the jelly coat
arouns the egg; the acrosome extrudes a filament that attaches to a
receptor on the vitelline membrane
• The sperm nucleus enters the egg and fuses with the egg nucleus
• The resulting zygote begins to divide.
 HUMAN EMBRYONIC AND FETAL
DEVELOPMENT
• In human the length of the time from conception to birth is approximately
nine month
• It is customary to calculate the time of birth by adding 280 days to the
start of the last menstruation
• Human development is often divided into:
- embryonic development (months 1 and 2)
- fetal development (months 3- 9)
EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
 FETAL DEVELOPMENT
• Fetal development is marked by an extreme increase in size
• Weight multiple 600 times, going from less than 28g to 3 kg
• During this time the fetus grows to about 50 cm in length
• The genitalia appear in the third month
• Soon hair, eyebrows and eyelashes add the finishing touch to the face and
head
• In the same way, fingernails and toenails complete the hands and feet.
 FETAL DEVELOPMENT
• The fetus at first only flexes its limbs and nods its head but later it can
move its limbs vigorously to avoid discomfort
• The mother feels these movements from about the fourth month on
• The other systems of the body also begin to function
• After 16 weeks, the fetal heartbeat is heard through a stethoscope
• Weight gain during the last couple of months increase the likelihood of
survival.