GIVE ME MORULA

Animals that are formed through sex begin as a zygote.  That is a whale of a statement (slight pun intended…or maybe a large pun intended).  “Animals” are living, multicellular things that must eat something to get their energy, and they lack cell walls.  “Sex” is just the exchange of genetic information (DNA) regardless of how you do it.  And, with most of the terminology out of the way we can get onto the zygote and morula!  A “zygote” is the term to describe the fertilized egg.  Once the sperm reaches the egg, you have all the genetic information you need to get rocking on making that specific critter.  The zygote is just one cell, but that cell begins to divide into two cells, four cells, eight cells… until it forms a blob of cells.  The blob of cells is now called a “morula” which is Latin for mulberry.  The morula looks a lot like a mulberry!  After the blob (morula stage), the cells continue to divide and form a blastula which looks a bit like a tiny beach ball (what a blast!).  But wait there is more!  A group of cells on the edge of the blastula begin to move inward (as if you pushed your finger into that beach ball).  These cells will continue to move inward and this forms your digestive tract.  We all go through these stages and more to become the fabulous wonderful “critters” that we are.