Practice question

At fertilization human sperm contributes minimal cytoplasm but critical structures. Oocyte provides mitochondria, ribosomes, nutrients and most organelles; its own centrioles degenerate during oogenesis. Sperm introduces proximal centriole, often atypical, which acts as basal body to recruit maternal pericentriolar proteins and forms functional centrosome organizing first mitotic spindle after pronuclear apposition. This paternal centrosome is essential for syngamy and early cleavage divisions. Peroxisomes, mitochondria and nucleolus are predominantly maternal or reconstituted anew, so centriole inheritance stands out as paternal-specific organelle legacy ensuring cytoskeletal organization in zygote and establishing embryonic polarity axis.