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Morula
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For the South African soccer player, see Lebohang Morula.
A morula (Latin "morus", mulberry) is an embryo at an early stage of embryonic development, consisting of cells (called blastomeres) in a solid ball contained within the zona pellucida.
Production
The morula is produced by embryonic cleavage, the rapid division of the zygote. After reaching the 16-cell stage, the cells of the morula differentiate. The inner blastomeres will become the inner cell mass and the blastomeres on the surface will later flatten to form the trophoblast. As this process begins, the blastomeres change their shape and tightly align themselves against each other to form a compact ball of cells. This is called compaction and is likely mediated by cell surface adhesion glycoproteins.
Development
In mammals the morula travels to the uterus around 3-4 days after fertilization, and at about 4 days after fertilization a fluid-filled space called the blastocoelcavity appears and the morula becomes a blastocyst.
Additional images
Morula
Blastulation. 1 - morula, 2 - blastula.
First stages of segmentation of a mammalian ovum. Semidiagrammatic. z.p. Zona pellucida. p.gl. Polar bodies. a. Two-cell stage. b. Four-cell stage. c. Eight-cell stage. d, e. Morula stage.
8 cell stage, prior to morula formation
Developmental biology > Human embryogenesis (development of embryo) and development of fetus
Fertilization · Egg activation · Zygote · Cleavage · Morula · Blastula (Blastomere) · Blastocyst · Inner cell mass
Placenta · Decidua (Decidual cells) · Chorionic villi/Intervillous space · Gestational sac (Amnion/Amniotic sac/Amniotic cavity,Chorion)
Programmed cell death (Apoptosis) · Stem cells · Germ line development
Limb development: Limb bud · Apical ectodermal ridge/AER
other structures: Eye development · Cutaneous structure development · Heart development ·Development of the urinary and reproductive organs
(Some dates are approximate—see Carnegie stages and a timeline.)