Cuenco, Jessa Mae D.

MT15112/3:00PM-4:30PM (WS)

July 22, 2015

Ms. Nora Almira I. Agpasa , M. A.

Lifes Greatest Miracle

Summary:
The Lifes Greatest Miracle is an exquisite, instructive, and well-presented
documentary that explains the human development from conception to birth. It clearly explains
the whole process of how babies are made and grow starting from the cellular level up to the
process of how they are develop in the mothers womb during the pregnancy. The almost an hour
documentary focuses on two things prenatal development and birth.
The documentary started the explanation of conception by arousal of sexual feelings
between male and female. Once the sperm gets into the vagina, it consumes a 2-day swim to the
egg cell, and as it swims one of them dies per second due to the acidity of a womens vagina. The
egg cell is encased by a thick protein shell called zona pellucid. To fertilize the egg cell, the
sperm must break the zona which happens when the sperms cap matches with the center
proteins on the egg surface. The sperm slowly shreds its outer covering in its head releasing
powerful enzymes to dissolve the zona allowing itself to push its way through, but that finally
happens when the membrane of the two cells fuels and it draws the entire sperm inside the egg
cell. Once the entire sperm gets inside, the egg cells does it work to lockout all the sperm, and
there starts the process of meiosis. Meiosis expels half of the egg cells chromosomes in a tiny
pouch. The sperm, on the other hand, releases cargo that stretches out its 23 chromosomes to
welcome the egg cell. The chromosomes of sperm and egg cell approach each other and then cell
division occurs.
The fertilized egg moves down to the fallopian tube towards the uterus as it divides into
2, 4, 8, 16 cells gradually creating the building block to construct the embryo. On rare occasions,
the tiny cell splits into two groups creating two embryos resulting to twins. The fertilized egg
must complete the cell division before settling in the uterus which is about five days after
fertilization.
The bundle of cells called blastocysts must do two things to survive, break out of his
owner and find a source of nourishment. On the 6th day, the blastocysts escape releasing enzymes
that eats through the zona. Once it is free, it lands on the blood ridge lining up to the uterus.
Fertilized egg settling in the uterus puts itself in danger because it could be attacked by the
mothers immune system, thus to protect itself, the ball of cells releases several chemicals to
suppress the mothers immune system. Two weeks after, the blastocysts starts cell gastrulation, a
process of organizing itself, inside the mothers uterus lining. The thin layer in between the so-

called popped seed contains cells which will become a baby. The thin layer starts to compress in
the middle that dives after to form the third layer, and then it jammed again to form the second
layer in between. The first lining contains the nervous system, spinal cord connecting into the
brain, skin and hair. The second lining develops the heart, muscles, bones, and blood. The third
lining is responsible with the lungs, liver, and lining of the digestive tract. After two months, the
embryo is now called fetus. In the trimester part of a womans pregnancy, a constant supply of
the nutrients is highly needed.
The documentary also discusses a detailed explanation of how chromosomes, genes, and
DNA plays an important role, performs specific task in human development and are connected
with each other. In the process of mitosis, the chromosomes copy itself thus each new body cell
has the same number of chromosomes and genetic information. Genes creates cascades of
chemical reactions defining the form and function of all the cells in the body. The chromosomes
carrying same genes has proteins, such as collagen, keratin, crystalline, myosin, hemoglobin, and
etc., of different tasks performed which build ones DNA which is why the chromosomes is
believed to be the bases of our genetic foundations.

Reflection:
Lifes greatest miracle is the life itself. Throughout the history of the world of biology, to
be able to reproduce is one of the characteristics of life, moreover, it has become the driving
force of evolution. The process is indeed fascinating.
The documentary discussed an overview of the sperms journey to the vagina till it
reaches the egg and develops a baby. It was able to narrate and explain in detail the reproduction
process in a simple language, chronological order, and straightforward manner a viewer could
understand. The micro photography gives a vivid illustration of the reproduction process. It also
captures a human interest angle as it gives a real-life example when they interviewed a couple
whose wife is pregnant.
Who wouldve have thought that from a tiny single cell, it is capable and powerful to
create life? In a span of nine months, the fertilized egg develops specific parts of the body that
performs specified tasks. Reproduction is more complicated than Ive ever thought. One mistake
in the entire process of the fertilization of egg would possibly result to no union. Thus,
development of fertilized egg is such a wonder and life itself is a big miracle.