CHARACTERSTICS OF CLEAVAGE -

1. In cleavage involve the series of mitotic division, so daughter cells are genetically similar to the parental cell.
2. The resulting cells are called blastomere.
3. During cleavage, there is no growth during interphase period, so the size of blastomeres become smaller and smaller.
4. Blastomere do not move, so the size, volume and general shape of blastula remain same throughout the cleavage.
5. The rate of cleavage is more in the beginning but gradually it becomes slow. It is decided by the ooplasm.
6. O₂ consumption increased during cleavage.
7. Lack of O₂ and excess of CO₂ inhibit the process of cleavage.
8. Initially karyo-cytoplasmic ratio is low in cleavage but in the last it become similar to the somatic cell.
9. Every cleavage result in double number of blastomere.