Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Fertilization01:38

Fertilization

70.8K
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...
70.8K
Spermatogenesis01:41

Spermatogenesis

102.1K
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...
102.1K
Nondisjunction01:21

Nondisjunction

3.7K
Nondisjunction is the failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to separate correctly and move to the opposite poles of the cells. This produces daughter cells with abnormal chromosome numbers.  Nondisjunction is common during anaphase I or anaphase II of meiosis.  Mutations in synaptonemal complex proteins that attach homologous chromosomes increase the chances of nondisjunction in anaphase I of meiosis I. In contrast, mutations in topoisomerases and condensins that hold...
3.7K
Meiosis I03:09

Meiosis I

38.3K
Meiosis is the division of a diploid cell into haploid cells forming sperm and eggs in animals through differentiation. Meiosis I is the first stage of meiosis, where the genetic recombination of homologous chromosomes and the reduction of the ploidy level by half occurs.
Prophase I is the most extended and complex step of meiosis I characterized by synapsis, chromosome pairing, and recombination of the homologous chromosomes. This process is facilitated by a proteinaceous structure called the...
38.3K
Sperm Structure and Semen Composition01:22

Sperm Structure and Semen Composition

1.3K
During ejaculation, males release around 2-5 milliliters of semen, which is a complex mixture of mature sperm and various fluids produced by accessory glands. The mature sperm cells measure approximately 60 micrometers in length and consist of a head, neck, midpiece, and tail. The head is flattened and tapered, measuring about 4 to 5 micrometers in length. It contains a nucleus with condensed chromosomes and an acrosome, a cap-like structure filled with enzymes essential for penetrating the...
1.3K
Meiosis II01:57

Meiosis II

182.8K
Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each...
182.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Identification of keystone taxa shaping biocrust formation and biodeterioration of limestone monuments in the Xiaoling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty.

Environmental microbiome·2026
Same author

Carbon-fixing bacteria and sediment organic carbon response to the introduction of mangrove plant Sonneratia caseolaris.

BMC biology·2026
Same author

Dual regulation of NFS1 by TRIM67-mediated degradation and CEBPA-driven transcription modulates colorectal cancer progression.

Cellular signalling·2026
Same author

Sex-specific gray matter underpinnings of anxiety and their mediating mechanisms in <i>de novo</i> Parkinson's disease.

Frontiers in aging neuroscience·2026
Same author

Remimazolam Reduces the Cough Reflexes in Elderly Patients Undergoing Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy Under Remifentanil/Cipepofol-Based Anaesthesia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Drug design, development and therapy·2026
Same author

Physiological Responses of Dominant Alpine Plant Species to Environmental Gradients on the Tibetan Plateau.

Plants (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
08:48

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects

Published on: April 21, 2022

2.3K

Fertilization and evolution: AI-powered search finds a missing link in sperm-egg interaction.

Xiaofang Huang1, Jean-Ju Chung2

  • 1Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|December 3, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fertilization begins life, but sperm-egg binding and fusion mechanisms are unclear. New research reveals key molecular details and evolutionary insights into this essential reproductive process.

More Related Videos

Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm
05:44

Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm

Published on: March 1, 2019

8.1K
Measuring Sperm Guidance and Motility within the Caenorhabditis elegans Hermaphrodite Reproductive Tract
10:07

Measuring Sperm Guidance and Motility within the Caenorhabditis elegans Hermaphrodite Reproductive Tract

Published on: June 6, 2019

12.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
08:48

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects

Published on: April 21, 2022

2.3K
Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm
05:44

Medium-throughput Screening Assays for Assessment of Effects on Ca2+-Signaling and Acrosome Reaction in Human Sperm

Published on: March 1, 2019

8.1K
Measuring Sperm Guidance and Motility within the Caenorhabditis elegans Hermaphrodite Reproductive Tract
10:07

Measuring Sperm Guidance and Motility within the Caenorhabditis elegans Hermaphrodite Reproductive Tract

Published on: June 6, 2019

12.2K

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Genetics

Background:

  • Fertilization is fundamental to sexual reproduction, initiating embryonic development.
  • The molecular mechanisms governing sperm-egg recognition, binding, and fusion are not fully understood.
  • Understanding these processes is crucial for addressing infertility and evolutionary questions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular players involved in sperm-egg binding and fusion.
  • To investigate the evolutionary conservation and divergence of fertilization mechanisms.
  • To provide a deeper understanding of the early stages of life's initiation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized advanced microscopy techniques to visualize sperm-egg interactions in real-time.
  • Employed proteomic analysis to identify key proteins mediating binding and fusion.
  • Conducted comparative genomic analysis across different species to trace evolutionary pathways.

Main Results:

  • Identified novel protein complexes essential for stable sperm-egg adhesion.
  • Characterized the dynamic changes in the egg's outer layers during fusion.
  • Revealed conserved molecular pathways alongside species-specific adaptations in fertilization.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides critical molecular insights into the previously mysterious process of sperm-egg fusion.
  • Findings illuminate the intricate interplay of proteins and cellular structures during fertilization.
  • This research deepens our understanding of reproductive biology and the evolution of sexual reproduction.