The human ovum is spherical, non-motile haploid cell. It is almost free of yolk and is said to be alecithal or microlecithal. It has abunded cytoplasm and a centrally located nucleus. The ovum is surrounded by reteline membrane. The ovum shows polarity. Its side, which extrudes polar bodies, is called animal pole. The opposite side is called vegetal pole.

Two additional egg coats enclose the ovum: 

inner thin transparent, noncellular zona pellucida and outer cornoa radia'ta. The corona radiata is formed of radially elongated follicular cells, the cells of corona radiata continue to cling to the ovum for sometime after the ovum is released.