Let's talk about fertilization and implantation, and cleavage and morulas, and blastocysts and the trophoblasts and the inner cell mass. And how the inner cell mass gives rise to the bilaminar disk which ultimately gives rise to the germ layers. This episode is dense but has so much good info! buckle up and get ready for embryogenesis!! Early Embryogenesis “Come on, baby. Baby baby baby...” Can anyone name that movie line? It’s Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line. I really love that movie, and I know you’re all surprised I’m not singing at you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bR-BPDwdXo I considered doing a rendition of Britney Spears “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” But when I’m animating the word “baby” in my mind, Reese beats Britney to the punch. Hello, everyone, welcome to the Cell-fie Life! Where we are reviewing topics that are covered by the MCAT. My name is Nikaela, and today I’m going to be reviewing embryogenesis. And I’m not going to lie to you; It is complicated. Probably as complex, if not more so, than the female reproductive system But, I mean, come on, does anyone out there expect growing babies to be easy!? But I am going to do my best to break it down and tie it all together. Growing human babies blows my mind. I mean, growing any type of a baby is crazy, but human babies are next level. How cells are this smart to pull off this sorcery (like witch fingers and bunny ears) is just another reason that I love science. Science is so cool. Let’s jump in and start with the basics. What is embryogenesis!? Embryogenesis is the formation and development of the embryo in the first eight weeks after fertilization. And it is kind of a whirlwind of mitotic activity and cell differentiation, which makes sense because you are taking a single-celled organism and turning it into an organism that is developing brains and intestines and limbs and eyelashes. Okay, let’s be honest: At the end of embryogenesis, it’s basically a ball of cells with tubes, but they will develop into the guts and brains and limbs and all that stuff. So, without further ado, let’s get into embryogenesis. Actually, there is some more ado…. This episode may contain some sexual health material. But it’s really more of a review of embryogenesis, but there might be some flashback material. Okay, pop quiz time. You didn’t know that you would be starting this episode with a pop quiz, did you!? It’s okay; this is one pop quiz you’re gonna ace because I’m grading, and I make the rules. Question 1: Q: A spike in what hormones causes ovulation? A: LH and FSH. Follow up: Q: Which surge point, LH and FSH, was highest, and why? A: The LH surge was higher because the inhibin being produced is already inhibiting FSH. Okay, so ovulation of a secondary oocyte has occurred. Like just occurred... Q: ...and the egg is arrested right now in what phase? A: Metaphase II. If you’re having any trouble with these concepts, just use it as an informative experience that is showing you where you can improve. You can just go back and give the last few episodes a listen for a helpful review. Okay, back to the egg. The egg has been swept up by the fimbriae. It is now in the fallopian tube,