Definitions
- Referring to the early stages of development in a fertilized egg. - Talking about the stage of development after the zygote but before the fetus. - Describing the period of time when the cells are dividing and differentiating into various organs and tissues.
- Referring to the initial cell formed by the fusion of sperm and egg. - Talking about the earliest stage of development in a fertilized egg. - Describing the moment when the genetic material from both parents combine to form a new individual.
List of Similarities
- 1Both refer to stages of development in a fertilized egg.
- 2Both involve the fusion of sperm and egg.
- 3Both are essential for the formation of a new individual.
- 4Both occur in the early stages of pregnancy.
- 5Both involve rapid cell division and differentiation.
What is the difference?
- 1Size: Zygote is a single cell while embryon is a cluster of cells.
- 2Development: Zygote is the earliest stage of development while embryon is a later stage.
- 3Function: Zygote is responsible for the initial formation of the new individual while embryon is responsible for the differentiation of cells and the formation of organs and tissues.
- 4Timeframe: Zygote is a very short stage, lasting only a few days while embryon can last several weeks.
- 5Viability: Zygote is not viable outside the womb while embryon may be viable in certain conditions.
Remember this!
Embryon and zygote are both terms used to describe the early stages of development in a fertilized egg. However, zygote refers to the initial cell formed by the fusion of sperm and egg, while embryon refers to the stage of development after the zygote but before the fetus. The main difference between the two is their size, function, and timeframe.
