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Fertilization

Fertilization

During fertilization, an egg and sperm cell fuse to create a new diploid structure. In humans, the process occurs once the egg has been released from the ovary, and travels into the fallopian tubes. The process requires several key steps: 1) sperm present in the genital tract must locate the egg; 2) once there, sperm need to release enzymes to help them burrow through the protective zona pellucida of the egg; and 3) the membranes of a single sperm cell and egg must fuse, with the sperm...

Spermatogenesis

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Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

A Cell Free Assay to Study Chromatin Decondensation at the End of Mitosis

A Cell Free Assay to Study Chromatin Decondensation at the End of Mitosis

Published on: December 19, 2015

Sperm chromatin released by nucleases.

Igor B Nazarov¹, Luda S Shlyakhtenko, Yuri L Lyubchenko

¹Eastern Virginia Medical School, The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine

|June 12, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Human sperm chromatin retains histones, forming nucleohistones with a unique compact structure. This organization, distinct from somatic cells, may influence early embryonic development and paternal genome processing.

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Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

A Cell Free Assay to Study Chromatin Decondensation at the End of Mitosis

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Published on: December 19, 2015

Chromatin Spread Preparations for the Analysis of Mouse Oocyte Progression from Prophase to Metaphase II

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Published on: February 26, 2018

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assay Using Micrococcal Nucleases in Mammalian Cells

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assay Using Micrococcal Nucleases in Mammalian Cells

Published on: May 10, 2019

Area of Science:

Reproductive Biology
Epigenetics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Human spermatozoa retain 15-20% histones alongside protamines.
Nucleohistone regions in sperm chromatin are hypothesized to mark DNA for specific processing during fertilization and early embryogenesis.
The structure and composition of sperm nucleohistones remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To isolate and characterize nucleohistone-rich fractions of human sperm chromatin.
To investigate the structural organization of sperm nucleohistones.
To understand the role of histones in the bipartite organization of the paternal genome.

Main Methods:

Isolation of sperm chromatin fractions using endogenous and micrococcal nucleases.
Analysis of nucleosomal organization via DNA digestion and electrophoresis.
Visualization of supra-nucleosomal structures using atomic force microscopy.

Main Results:

Sperm chromatin fractions exhibit nucleosomal organization with periodicities of ~195 bp (endogenous nuclease) and ~189 bp (micrococcal nuclease).
A distinct, compact supra-nucleosomal organization of sperm nucleohistones was observed.
Atomic force microscopy revealed compacted fiber arrays of ~16 nm globular particles, suggesting histones cover large DNA stretches (>50 kbp).

Conclusions:

Human sperm nucleohistones possess a unique compact supra-nucleosomal structure.
This structural organization is a key feature of the bipartite organization of the paternal genome.
Further characterization of sperm chromatin is crucial for understanding fertilization and early embryogenesis.