An important feature for life is what embryos receive from mom and dad upon fertilization. Oddly enough, centrioles, the structures responsible for cell division and flagella movement, are given by the paternal gamete. How oocytes, the maternal gametes, lose centrioles and the importance of doing so for female fertility has been an enigma since the 1930s. A team led by Mónica Bettencourt-Dias at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC; Portugal) have cracked this mystery, shedding light upon a critical mechanism whose deregulation leads to infertility, and that is important for the working of other cell types.
Tag: fertilization
Are We Ready for Prenatal Children?
Let’s assume that Alabama voters pass a referendum approving the constitutional amendment that Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, perennially offers – the personhood amendment which decrees that life begins at “fertilization” and an embryo or fetus is a person. Supporters of the bill contemplate that “prenatal children” would receive the equal protection of all the same laws that others enjoy. This is an example of many of the bills sponsored by Republican legislators over the past five years. They are at best, ill-conceived, and at worst, absurd.
Mammalian Fertilization, Caught on Tape
The development of every animal in the history of the world began with a simple step: the fusion of a spermatozoon (the male gamete) with an oocyte, or egg (the female gamete). Despite the ubiquity of this process, the actual mechanisms through which fertilization occurs remain poorly understood. A new tool developed by a team of French biophysicists may soon shed light on this still-mysterious process, and has already captured highly detailed images of what happens when sperm and egg first touch.
In Vitro Fertilization Goes to the Dogs
It’s official: In vitro fertilization is no longer a treatment reserved for making small humans. The assisted reproduction technique that has led to the birth of more than 5 million human babies around the world can now be used to produce puppies.
Scientists Map Gene Activity of Human Embryo’s First Days
Human egg fertilization sparks a cascade of genetic activity. After 1 day, the single cell becomes two, after 2 days there are four cells, after 3 days there are eight, and so it continues. Now, for the first time, scientists have mapped the genetic activity that accompanies this early stage of embryo growth.
How Babies are Really Made: Researchers Find Sperm Use a Tiny ‘Harpoon’ to Attach Themselves to Eggs
Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery that explains how eggs are fertilised. A 14 year study concluded that sperm harpoon the egg to facilitate fertilization.Researchers found a protein within the head of the sperm forms spiky filaments, suggesting that these tiny filaments may lash together the sperm and its target.
Early Egg Harvest May Up Pregnancy Odds for Some
Collecting eggs from older women at an earlier stage for vitro fertilization could improve the chances of pregnancy, researchers report.
Gene Editing Boosts the Efficiency of Sperm Replacement Cells
Using gene editing technology, researchers have overcome imprinting errors to improve the birth rate from fertilization with sperm replacement cells ten times.
Utah Mom-to-Be’s Reaction When Sees Ultrasound for First Time is Priceless
Ashley and Tyson Gardner tried unsuccessfully for years to get pregnant. Finally, the Utah couple learned in July that their first in-vitro fertilization attempt was successful. But the real surprise came during the ultrasound, when they learned she was pregnant with quadruplets.
French Researchers 3D Print Embryo Models for In Vitro Fertilization
Clearly, anything that can be done to improve the chance of successful fertilization followed by a healthy pregnancy and baby is extremely valuable. It is here that 3D printing enters the story.