BACKGROUND The complexity of fertilization failure during assisted reproductive
technologies (ART) is often under-appreciated, as this failure can occur at any number of …

The ultimate goal in the study of gene expression in oocytes is to understand the special
characteristics of the genetic program that confer totipotency on the egg. Totipotency …

Previously, we reported that ZP3, one of three different glycoproteins present in the mouse
egg's zona pellucida, serves as a sperm receptor. Furthermore, small glycopeptides derived …

Mammalian eggs are surrounded by a thick extracellular coat, the zona pellucida, that plays
important roles during early development. The mouse egg zona pellucida is constructed of …

During fertilization in mice, acrosome-intact sperm bind via plasma membrane overlying
their head to a glycoprotein, called ZP3, present in the egg extracellular coat or zona …

As the result of a combined biochemical and electron microscopic investigation, hitherto
unrecognized structural features of the mouse egg extracellular coat, or zona pellucida …

Fertilization is the process by which haploid gametes, sperm and egg, unite to produce a
genetically distinct individual. Interest in this area has exploded in recent years. Here are …

Complementary molecules on the surface of eggs and sperm are responsible for species-
specific interactions between gametes during fertilization in both plants and animals. In this …

All mammalian oocytes and eggs are surrounded by a relatively thick extracellular matrix
(ECM), the zona pellucida (ZP), that plays vital roles during oogenesis, fertilization, and …

The zona pellucida is an extracellular matrix consisting of three glycoproteins that surrounds
mammalian eggs and mediates fertilization. The primary structures of mouse ZP1, ZP2, and …