Describe the process of fertilization in human beings.

Explanation

In human beings, sexual reproduction occurs in which reproduction results from the fusion of male and female gametes. The male reproductive organs are a pair of testes, sperm ducts and penis. The testes produce the male gametes called sperms. Millions of sperms are produced by the testes. Though the sperms are very small in size, each has a head, a middle piece and a tail. Each sperm is a single cell with all the usual cell components.
The female reproductive organs are a pair of ovaries, oviducts and the uterus. Ovary produces female gametes called ova (eggs). In human beings, a single matured egg is released into the oviduct by one of the ovaries every month. Uterus is the part where development of the baby takes place. Like sperm, an egg is also a single cell.
The first step in the process of reproduction is the fusion of a sperm and an ovum. Millions of sperms from the male are transferred into the female body. The sperms swim in the oviduct with the help of their tails to reach the egg. When they come in contact with the egg, one of the sperms may fuse with the egg. Such fusion of the egg and the sperm is called fertilisation. During fertilisation the nuclei of the sperm and the egg fuse to form a single nucleus. This results in the formation of a fertilised egg or zygote. The new individual inherits some characteristics from the mother and some characteristics from the father.