What is the Difference Between Morula and Blastula?

The main differences between a morula and a blastula are related to their structure, developmental stage, and cell arrangement:

1. Structure: Morula is a solid ball of cells formed by the division of a fertilized ovum, while blastula is a hollow sphere of cells that surrounds the blastocoel, which is formed during embryo development.
2. Developmental Stage: Morula is formed after 4 to 5 days of fertilization, whereas blastula takes 5 to 10 days after fertilization to be formed.
3. Cell Arrangement: Morula is a solid cell mass, whereas blastula consists of a blastocoel (a fluid-filled cavity) and a spherical cell layer of blastomeres. In mammals, the blastula forms the blastocyst in the next stage of development, where the cells arrange themselves in two layers: the inner cell mass and an outer layer called the trophoblast.

In summary, a morula is a solid ball of cells that forms after fertilization, while a blastula is a hollow sphere of cells surrounding a fluid-filled cavity, which develops later in the embryonic development process.

Comparative Table: Morula vs Blastula

Morula and blastula are two stages of early embryonic development. Here is a table comparing their differences:

In summary, the main differences between morula and blastula are their structure (solid vs. hollow) and the presence of a cavity, blastoderm, and trophoblast in the blastula, which are absent in the morula. Additionally, the morula develops from the cell division of the zygote, while the blastula forms from the morula through the process of blastulation.