Fertilisation, Implantation and Gastrulation Flashcards
When do sperm need to arrive in female reproductive system to be successful?
1-2 days before or after ovulation
What changes occur in cervical mucus at ovulation?
Increase in amount and less thick allowing easier transport of sperm also less acidic
What is the function of fimbria?
Help move the ovum from the ovary into the Fallopian tube
What movement of the Fallopian tube brings the ovum through it?
Moves to Ampulla of Fallopian tube, peristaltic wave of Fallopian tube
How long can sperm survive in the female reproductive system?
5 days
What process prepares the sperm to fertilise an egg?
- Capacitation - remodelling of the sperms glycoprotein coat
- membrane molecules are masked by plasma proteins these membrane molecules need to be removed to reveal binding sites
Where does capacitation take place and how long does it take?
- Uterus and oviduct
- 5-7 hours
What does the passage of sperm through cumulus layer depend on?
- Hyaluronidase released from sperm acrosome
- tubal mucosal enzymes
- Flagellar action
What is the function of the zone pellucida?
glycoprotein shell which facilitates and maintains sperm binding and induces acrosome reactions
What triggers the acrosome reaction?
- multiple adhesions of sperm to the zona pellucida
- triggers opening of calcium channels of sperm cell membrane driving exocytosis of acrosomal content
- Needs to happen for fertilisation to continue
What is the acrosome?
modified lysosome located around anterior of the Spermatozoon head
What other reaction is triggered by the sperm binding?
Cortical reaction - exocytosis of cortical enzymes into ZP
- this destroys sperm receptors on ZP
- and causes hardening of the ZP (zona reaction)
- This means no more sperm can enter the cell
What is the process of multiple sperm entering ovum called and what does this usually result in?
Polyspermy
2 = dispermy
3 = triploidy
if this happens foetus nearly always aborts
What are stages 1 and 2 of fertilisation?
1) sperm preparation
2) sperm-egg recognition and binding
What are stages 3 and 4 of fertilisation?
- fusion of plasma membrane of oocyte and sperm
- triggering completion of meiosis II of oocyte (haploid now)
- Head and tail of sperm enter cytoplasm of oocyte
What is stage 5 of fertilisation?
Formation of male and female pronuclei
- membranes of pronuclei begin to breakdown and chromosomes become arranged for mitotic cell division
- fertilisation complete
How many chromosomes do pronuclei contain?
23
What is a fully fertilisatilised egg called?
Zygote