Mitochondrial dawn
Mitochondria around the nucleus of an ovum

There are many mitochondria in an ovum, around 100,000. Many but not messy: they arrange themselves in packed circles around the large nucleus. There they lie in their serried rows, whispering to the nucleus in a language as yet unknown. Once fertilization occurs they will spring into action: some will divide, some will lie dormant, for the coming generation.

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