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Fertilization Research Paper

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Life is said to begin at fertilisation: does the human zygote at fertilisation have the necessary characteristics to be considered a human being?
When the human embryo is first considered alive, does it have the necessary characteristics to be considered a human being?

It is widely accepted among scientists and embryologists that fertilisation marks the start of a new life (American Bioethics Advisory Commission 2002). “After a long road, the questions raised by the Greeks about the beginning of life and the process of generation of a new individual have taken us to clarifying life begins without any doubt in the moment of fertilization” (Ventura Juncá and M J Santos (biological research journal)). Fertilisation is the fusion of the spermatozoon …show more content…

That is, it has unique genes. As genes control the cell’s development, this means that they also determine human characteristics (principles of development). Different cells all originate from the zygote (by synthesising different proteins); this is achieved by different genes becoming active during the cell’s development. This makes embryonic development very complex, involving cell differentiation, movement and division (Arms and Camp). The human being’s characteristics are determined by the genes in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes inherited from the parents and some environmental factors (epigenetic factors). As the development draws in all these genetic and epigenetic factors, it can be considered a complex process (biological research journal). In many ways the development can be considered complex, especially where genes are involved. This, similar to the second point, argues that the zygote can indeed be considered an organism, and genes play an important role is this organisation of these complex developments. Fertilisation and the creation of the new human genome in the zygote is the only ‘significant’ genetic change during the whole gestation period (Werner R. Abortion: the moral status of the unborn. Social theory and practice, 1974; 3:201-222., cited in “Fertilisation and Moral Status: A Scientific Perspective”). This is the step from gametes to a genetically different zygote. Fertilisation is a complex, coordinated development process, and considering all these characteristics, we must consider the human being to begin at fertilisation- the point at which human life is said to

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