BACKGROUND It has long been thought that the factors affecting embryo and foetal
development were exclusively maternally derived; hence, if issues regarding fertility and …

BACKGROUND Male infertility affects> 20 million men worldwide and represents a major
health concern. Although multifactorial, male infertility has a strong genetic basis which has …

MIWI catalytic activity is required for spermatogenesis, indicating that piRNA-guided
cleavage is critical for germ cell development. To identify meiotic piRNA targets, we …

Infertility, defined by the inability of conceiving a child after 1 year is estimated to concern
approximately 50 million couples worldwide. As the male gamete is readily accessible and …

In mammals, sperm–oocyte fusion initiates Ca2+ oscillations leading to a series of events
called oocyte activation, which is the first stage of embryo development. Ca2+ signaling is …

BACKGROUND Infertility affects between 10 and 16% of couples worldwide. Twenty to 30%
of cases of infertility are due to a male factor, 20–35% to a female factor, and 25–40% are …

The perinuclear theca (PT) is a cytoskeletal element encapsulating the sperm nucleus;
however, our understanding of the physiological roles of PT in sperm is very limited. We …

Spermatozoa are polarized cells with a head and a flagellum joined by the connecting
piece. Head integrity is critical for normal sperm function, and head defects consistently lead …

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Does DNAH1 status influence intracytoplasmic sperm injection
(ICSI) outcomes for patients with multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella …

This chapter intends to summarise the importance of sperm-and oocyte-derived factors in
the processes of sperm–oocyte binding and oocyte activation. First, we describe the initial …