📖 Morula

In Detail

The morula stage occurs as the fertilized egg divides rapidly while traveling through the fallopian tube. Each cell (blastomere) in the morula is initially identical and totipotent (capable of forming any cell type). Around day 4-5, the morula undergoes compaction, where cells form tight junctions, and then cavitation creates a fluid-filled cavity, transforming it into a blastocyst. Morula-stage embryos can be transferred during IVF but have lower implantation rates than blastocysts.