Physiology of Embryonic Development

Human embryo development is a complex process. The life of an embryo begins when a male’s spermatozoa makes contact with a woman’s egg. A zygote cell, the very first representation of the fetus, is the result of this fertilization process. Contained within this one cell is the DNA of both the male and female, as well as the blueprint from which the fetus will develop. This chapter reviews some of the basic physiology of embryonic development.