Bioscientifica Proceedings

In order to achieve fertilization sperm cells, first need to successfully interact with the zona pellucida. To this end, the sperm surface is extensively remodeled during capacitation and the resulting sperm cells also possess hyperactivated motility. Together, this serves to mediate optimal recognition of the zona pellucida in the oviduct or after in vitro fertilization incubations (primary zona pellucida binding). When the sperm cell attaches to the zona pellucida, it will b...

Fertilization is a decisive moment in life and enables the combination of the DNA from two gametes to ultimately form a new organism. The sperm surface, especially the head area, has distinguishable subdomains that are involved in distinct fertilization processes. It is known that the sperm head surface undergoes constant remodelling during epididymal maturation and migration in the male and female genital tract. But intriguingly, the identity, origin and spatial orderin...