The results of fertilization:

• Stimulates the secondary oocyte to complete meiosis.

• Restores the normal diploid number of chromosomes (46).

• Results in variation of human species as maternal and paternal chromosomes intermingle.

• The embryo contains only maternal mitochondria because the sperm mitochondria are dispersed into the egg cytoplasm and discarded.

• Determines the sex of the embryo.

  • The sex chromosome (Y or X) carried by the successful sperm determines embryonic sex.

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