Morula: Mulberry Street. Painting on iPhone by Rose M. Bryo.
Hello, my name is Rose. Some people refer to me, a two-month old embryo, as a clump of cells. At fertilization the sperm penetrates the egg, and a new person comes into existence. This one-celled zygote contains all the genetic information necessary for the development of a child, placenta, and the umbilical cord.
Approximately 96 hours after insemination the blastomere is comprised of 30 cells enclosed within the pellucid zone, and goes by the name: Morula. I resemble a mulberry - hence, the Latin name: Morula. I admit to appearing to be a Clump of Cells, because I am a Clump of Human Cells, at this stage in my life. Each of my new cells is half the size of its parent cell, and this complex, powerful clump is enclosed, and comprised of cells containing a full complement of human DNA, half from my father, and the other half from my mummy.
This Clump differentiates into a flat, outer layer, called the trophoblast. This forms the infantile placenta and fetal membranes. A small number of round, innermost cells form the embryoblast, from which the embryo forms. By the 7th day the blastocyst bursts out of the enveloping pellucid. This “first birth” is called hatching. The Clump travels through the Fallopian Tube, reaching the uterus at the end of the fifth day.
My father has fond memories of a Mulberry tree which grew tall, adjacent to an old storage building, within full view through his family room window. Often the view was blocked by closed venetian blinds, and clothes on hangers, anchored by the base at the top of those aluminum slats. My father recalls tasting the mulberry fruit only once when a neighbor made a delicious jam from the reddish-purple berry. The sidewalk served as a concrete canvas for a colorful collage, made up of randomly dropped berries, bird droppings, squished together in complex patterns by the soles of Keds and P.F. Flyers worn by the many children visiting our tin-roofed house. What a mess!
To learn more about these things, please visit: www.ehd.org, www.embryology.ch, www.wikipedia.org.
Like the mess of the Mulberry Tree, the little Mulberry (Morula) within Mummy’s body can lead to a collage of emotions and experiences. This little miracle ‘clump’ will differentiate into my support mechanism, as well as a list of systems and organs that are invisible to everyone except my Maker. I hope that the joy and happiness I bring can overcome any fear of the unknown that might be brought on by my presence, Mummy. I hope that I can paint a beautiful picture for you and bring a smile to your face and tears of joy!
Remember, “a person is a person, no matter how small”! Please hepp me defend the human rights of this tiniest of humans.
With love.
Rose M. Bryo