Many studies on selective fertilization in maize, Zea mays L., have been reported since it was detected that genetic factor (s) linked to the de gene is responsible for distortion of segregation in F 2.2> On the other hand, some applications of the selective fertilization to maize breeding, i.e. prediction for combining abi lity of inbred lines or F1 seed production without using cytoplasmic ma...

The rapidly increasing global population has bowed the attention of family planning and associated reproductive health programmes in the direction of providing a safe and reliable method which can be used to limit family size. The world population is estimated to exceed a phenomenal 10 billion by the year 2050 A.D., thus presenting a real jeopardy of overpopulation with severe implications for ...

In recent years, concerns have been raised regarding the potentially negative consequences of gamete donation for parent-child relationships. Findings are presented of a study of families with an infant conceived by gamete donation. Fifty donor insemination families and 51 egg donation families were compared with 80 natural conception families on standardized interview and questionnaire measure...

Gamete fusion is the fundamental first step initiating development of a new organism. Female mice with a gene knockout for the tetraspanin CD9 (CD9 KO mice) produce mature eggs that cannot fuse with sperm. However, nothing is known about how egg surface CD9 functions in the membrane fusion process. We found that constructs including CD9's large extracellular loop significantly inhibited gamete ...

This review addresses research on gamete donors, recipients, and offspring and demonstrates that the foci on all three within the triad are largely directed at disclosure or anonymity; and each in turn centers on the perceived importance of the genetic link. The importance attached to genetics has led some countries to review the ethics of anonymous gamete donation (e.g. New Zealand's 'open sys...

Antibodies to the sexual-stage surface antigens of Plasmodium falciparum, Pfs230 and Pfs48/45, can abolish the infectivity of gametes to mosquitoes; these antigens have been proposed as candidates for inclusion in a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine. One possible mechanism of antibody-mediated transmission blocking is complement-mediated gamete lysis. We have used a panel of human sera from...

The sensitive state of conservation several endemic fish species such as Iberian toothcarp (Aphanius iberus) and Valencia (Valencia hispanica) has led governments to consider the implementation measures preserve their populations. However, limited knowledge about reproductive biology these makes it necessary investigate different aspects cycle. In this sense, main objectives work were i) advanc...

the use of donated embryos has offered hope for infertile couples who have no other means to have children. in iran, fertility centers use fertile couples as embryo donors. in this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of this procedure will be discussed. we conclude that embryo-donation should be performed with frozen embryos thus preventing healthy donors from being harmed by fertility drug...