A fundamental problem in biology is to understand how fertilization initiates reproductive development. Higher plant reproduction is unique because two fertilization events are required for sexual reproduction. First, a sperm must fuse with the egg to form an embryo. A second sperm must then fuse with the adjacent central cell nucleus that replicates to form an endosperm, which is the support t...

The primary goal of this work was to test whether the sperm mobility assay could be used to derive mathematical relationships from which predictions could be made about sperm cell function. A precondition was random sampling from a pool of sperm. This precondition was met by centrifuging mobile sperm through 12% (wt/vol) Accudenz containing the Ca(2+) chelator 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N...

Canine seminal plasma contains antioxidant enzymes to protect sperm against internally generated ROS. These enzymes are removed from seminal plasma during the process of cryopreservation. The freezing/thawing process can cause some morphological and functional changes via ice crystallization and osmolality imbalance. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of curcumin supplement...

BACKGROUND In previous studies using candidate gene approaches, low sperm count (oligospermia) has been associated with altered sperm mRNA content and DNA methylation in both imprinted and non-imprinted genes. We performed a genome-wide analysis of sperm DNA methylation and mRNA content to test for associations with sperm function. METHODS AND RESULTS Sperm DNA and mRNA were isolated from 21 ...

Mammalian spermatozoa are coated with a thick glycocalyx that is assembled during sperm development, maturation, and upon contact with seminal fluid. The sperm glycocalyx is critical for sperm survival in the female reproductive tract and is modified during capacitation. The complex interplay among the various glycoconjugates generates numerous signaling motifs that may regulate sperm function ...

The role of the male gamete-the sperm cell-in the process of fertilization is to recognize, adhere to, and fuse with the female gamete. These highly specialized functions are expected to be controlled by activation of a unique set of genes. However, male gametic cells traditionally have been regarded as transcriptionally quiescent because of highly condensed chromatin and a very reduced amount ...

channel activities, particularly those of calcium channels, have vital roles in the process of sperm maturation, motility and sperm-egg interaction. a group of the recently discovered ion channels associated with these processes is four novel channel-like proteins known as catsper (cation channel sperm) gene family. catsper1 and catsper2 show sperm specific expression patterns. however, neither...

Background: Testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a urological emergency that can lead to male infertility. So far, no suitable treatment has been found for it. Therefore, in the present study, we investigate therapeutic effects of concomitant administration coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) on testicular I/R damage rats expressions genes involved mito...