Meiotic division of the secondary oocyte takes place in the:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Ampulla
The secondary oocyte released at ovulation finishes its second meiotic division only when a sperm enters it, at fertilisation. Fertilisation takes place in the ampullary region of the fallopian tube, so that is where this division happens.
Option (1) Isthmus of oviduct — Incorrect. The isthmus is the narrow part of the tube next to the uterus; the zygote passes through it later.
Option (2) Ampulla — Correct. Sperm and ovum meet in the ampulla, the wide part of the fallopian tube.
Option (3) Uterus — Incorrect. The embryo reaches the uterus as a blastocyst, days later, for implantation.
Option (4) Cervix — Incorrect. The cervix is the narrow opening of the uterus into the vagina, through which sperms pass.
NCERT Extract:
Fertilisation and Implantation – “… The process of fusion of a sperm with an ovum is called fertilisation. During fertilisation, a sperm comes in contact with the zona pellucida layer of the ovum (Figure 2.10) and induces changes in the membrane that block the entry of additional sperms. Thus, it ensures that only one sperm can fertilise an ovum. The secretions of the acrosome help the sperm enter into the cytoplasm of the ovum through the zona pellucida and the plasma membrane. This induces the completion of the meiotic division of the secondary oocyte. The second meiotic division is also unequal and results in the formation of a second polar body and a haploid ovum (ootid).”
The Female Reproductive System – “… The infundibulum leads to a wider reproductive system part of the oviduct called ampulla.”