Description

Fertilization is the union of male and female gametes. It is the fundamental process for reproducing offspring in sexually reproducing eukaryotes and it is usually achieved under a species specific environment. Besides its understanding to the students of developmental biology, the cytological and molecular basis of it in different vertebrate groups is also significant from evolutionary viewpoint. Though there is a touch of general concept which address fertilization process in both invertebrates and vertebrates but all topics are mainly discussed in five classes of vertebrates. Both cytological and molecular events are included here as the discussion from both perspectives can only enhance our understanding of such events in vertebrate groups with increasing complexity. This work has been designed to present an unbiased synthesis of modern views on fertilization for the advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate student who needs a general understanding of molecular regulation or who plans to pursue a research career in reproductive biology.