Zygote
Categories: Biology stubs | Developmental biology | Reproductive system
A zygote (Greek: ζυγωτόν) is a cell that is the result of fertilization. That is, two haploid cells—usually (but not always) a sperm cell from a male and an ovum from a female—merge into a single diploid cell called the zygote (or zygocyte).
Animal zygotes undergo mitotic cell divisions to become an embryo. Other organisms may undergo meiotic cell division at this time (for more information refer to biological life cycles).
Twins and multiple births can be monozygotic (identical) or dizygotic (fraternal).
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See also
cs:Zygotada:Zygote de:Zygote es:Zigoto eo:Zigoto fr:Zygote it:Zigote nl:Zygote ja:受精卵 nb:Zygote pl:Zygota pt:Zigoto sv:Zygot