Genetics

Study reveals gene's role in male infertility

A Virginia Commonwealth University-led research team has opened a fresh direction in the field of male infertility with a new study that examines the role of a particular gene in the formation of sperm flagella, which is ...

Medical research

Radiant zinc fireworks reveal human egg quality

A stunning explosion of zinc fireworks occurs when a human egg is activated by a sperm enzyme, and the size of these "sparks" is a direct measure of the quality of the egg and its ability to develop into an embryo, according ...

Medical research

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 ...

Obstetrics & gynaecology

'Squishiness' can indicate embryo viability, researchers find

Selecting the right fertilized embryo for in vitro fertilization (IVF) might be as simple as choosing a ripe piece of fruit: Just give it a squeeze. If it's too firm or too soft, it might not be good. The sweet spot in between ...

Oncology & Cancer

Researchers use ovarian follicles to preserve fertility

Researchers at the University of Michigan have identified a potential new approach to fertility preservation for young cancer patients that addresses concerns about beginning cancer treatment immediately and the possibility ...

Genetics

Study reveals the genetic start-up of a human embryo

An international team of scientists led from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet has for the first time mapped all the genes that are activated in the first few days of a fertilized human egg. The study, which is being published ...

Medical research

Fertilization discovery: Do sperm wield tiny harpoons?

Could the sperm harpoon the egg to facilitate fertilization? That's the intriguing possibility raised by the University of Virginia School of Medicine's discovery that a protein within the head of the sperm forms spiky filaments, ...

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