Fertilization

This revised edition compares and contrasts fertilization mechanisms in mammals, non-mammals and invertebrates. It presents new information on signal transduction and regulatory mechanisms involved with egg activation. Full descriptions are given for new fertilization techniques and the way in which they relate to cellular processes in general.

Preface to the first edition

ix

(2)

Preface

xi

1 General considerations of fertilization: a definition

1

(4)

2 The spermatozoon

5

(36)

Sperm maturation

5

(2)

Sperm deposition and storage

7

(1)

Sperm activation

8

(7)

Capacitation

15

(7)

Acrosome reaction

22

(16)

Sperm Iysins and sperm penetration of periovular components

38

(3)

3 Sperm-egg binding

41

(8)

Bindin

41

(3)

Zona binding

44

(5)

4 Gamete fusion and sperm incorporation

49

(17)

Regulation of gamete fusion

53

(3)

Incorporation of the sperm plasma membrane

56

(4)

Fertilization cone

60

(6)

5 Egg activation

66

(18)

Meiotic stages of eggs at insemination

66

(2)

How does the sperm activate an egg?

68

(2)

Depolarization of egg plasma membrane

70

(7)

Calcium fluxes

77

(2)

Intracellular pH change

79

(5)

6 Blocks to polyspermy and the cortical granule reaction

84

(34)

Cortical granules

84

(4)

Cortical granule reaction: the process

88

(4)

Cortical granule reaction: the role of calcium

92

(18)

Results of cortical granule exocytosis

110

(8)

7 Alterations in the egg cortex and cytoskeleton

118

(10)

Plasma membrane

118

(6)

Actin and the cytoskeleton

124

(4)

8 Resumption of meiotic maturation

128

(36)

Germinal vesicle breakdown and formation of the meiotic spindle

128

(10)

Regulation of meiotic competency

138

(14)

Polar body formation

152

(8)

Development of the female pronucleus

160

(2)

Cytoplasmic rearrangements during fertilization/meiotic maturation

162

(2)

9 Metabolic alterations at egg activation

164

(17)

Permeability changes

164

(1)

Oxygen uptake and carbohydrate metabolism

165

(2)

DNA synthesis

167

(4)

RNA and protein synthesis

171

(10)

10 Development of the male pronucleus

181

(20)

Breakdown of the sperm nuclear envelope

181

(4)

Chromatin dispersion

185

(10)

Formation of the male pronuclear envelope

195

(6)

11 Aspects regulating pronuclear development

201

(10)

Duration of pronuclear assembly

201

(1)

Male and female pronuclear differences

201

(1)

Cell cycle events

202

(4)

Germinal vesicle breakdown

206

(1)

Protein synthesis

207

(1)

Male pronuclear growth factor

207

(1)

Factor longevity

208

(1)

Factor specificity

209

(1)

Microinjected sperm nuclei

210

(1)

Intracellular pH

210

(1)

12 Fate of incorporated sperm mitochondria, flagellum and perinuclear structures

211

(3)

Mitochondria

211

(1)

Flagellum

212

(1)

Perinuclear structures

213

(1)

13 Centrosome expression, sperm aster assembly and pronuclear migration

214

(11)

Centrosome

214

(5)

Sperm aster

219

(3)

Pronuclear

222

(3)

14 Association of the male and female pronuclei: the concluding events of fertilization

225

(13)

Ascaris type of fertilization

225

(6)

Sea-urchin type of fertilization

231

(5)

Comparison of the Ascaris and sea-urchin type of fertilization

236

(2)

15 Manipulation and in vitro fertilization of human and other mammalian gametes

238

(7)

References

245

(60)

Index

305

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Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials