OvumCell

ByCelesteCastro

When you think of a cell, you probably picture an

organism so tiny that can only be visible under a
microscope however, the ovum cells are the only
human cellsvisible tothe nakedeye andisasbigas
the period at the end of this sentence. The reason
of its large size is because of its multiple layers of
cell padding, called zona pellucida, and its job is to
protect the valuable information in the cells
nucleus. But what are ovum cells? Ovum cells are
stored in a female's ovaries and are the female
reproductive cells, which are capable ofdeveloping
into a new orgasism when fertalized by a sperm
cell.

In orderprovide the perfectenvironment,ooplasm,

a jellylike substance filling the cell, containsthree
components essential for protein synthesis:
ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA) and messenger
RNA (mRNA). The ribosomes act as factories
that produce proteins and the RNAs act as the
transportation that bring the proteins in small
packages at a time both are important in the
fertilizationprocess.

The zona pellucida is also important in the

fertilization process because once one sperm
enters the cell, it acts as a securitycontrolsystem
of a building, that consists ofvaluable information

The ovum is made up of various organelles. Most when another sperm cell tries to enter, its access
of the inner structures organelles are the same as will be deniedtherefore,the ovumcellonlyallows
any animals cells however they are given special onespermcellinside.

names. For example, the nucleus is referred to as

An unfertilized egg cell, a oocyte, when in the
the 'germinal vesicle' and the nucleolus as the
cervix, release a sweet scent called bourgeonal.
'germinal spot,' the cytoplasm of the ovum iscalled
The sperm cells have a nose that can smell the
the 'ooplasm and the plasma membrane of the
trace of the bourgeonal that the egg gives offand
ovum is called the 'vitelline membrane,' and more.
they become veryexcited.Soexcitedthatwhen
Most of these organelles in the cell provide
they locate the egg, they break through layers of
nourishmentduringtheearlystageoffertilization.
the zona pellucida, making it easier to pierce the

The ovas main functions are to carry the set of egg when they come in contact with the exterior.
chromosomes in the nucleus contributed by the The egg then releases enzymes that allow the
female and to provide a suitable growing sperm to cross through the barrier that fertilizes
environmenttoauthorizethefertilizationbysperm. theegg,thisprocessiscalledcapacitation.

Le ft:
Diagramofovumcell

Right:
Microscopic light image
ofdyedovumcell