The term sperm refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell. The human sperm cell is haploid, so that its 23 chromosomes can join the 23 chromosomes of the female egg to form a diploid cell.
Extra copies of a piece of DNA partly explain insensitivity to chemotherapy in germ cell cancer, a new study shows.
Primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs), generated in vitro from the stem cells of rats, undergo gametogenesis in vivo and yield normal rat offspring, a new study demonstrates.
The female genital tract can be a hostile environment for conception. Out of about 100 million sperm, only a few hundred make it to the fallopian tubes.
One out of every 500 to 1,000 boys is born with one or more extra X chromosomes, which can cause a variety of symptoms as the extra chromosomes to including infertility, larger breasts, osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiac problems, intellectual incapacity, and cancer.
According to recent research on fruit flies, the sperm becomes half feminine after mating, which was previously thought to be purely male.
A team of researchers compared lipid profiles of sperm to learn more about their vulnerability to harmful oxidation and antioxidant capacity in different species’ semen.
Abrupt shifts in the evolution of animals – short periods of time when an organism rapidly changes size or form – have long been a challenge for theorists including Darwin.
It cakes our cars in yellow powder every spring and taunts allergy sufferers for months on end, but pollen is more than just plant sperm.
Human primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the early precursors of the eggs (oocytes) and sperm that are necessary to keep humankind alive and reproducing.
Sexual reproduction allows organisms to mix up their genes and develop new adaptations to survive a harsh and ever-changing environment.
We speak to Professor Charles Easley about his latest research into male infertility, and how sperm cells could be potentially developed from primate stem cells.
Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute along with the University of Kent utilized gene-editing technology to produce male-only and female-only mice litter with 100% efficacy.
An intense but short-term exposure to cannabis vapor lowered sperm counts and slowed sperm movement, or motility, not only in the directly exposed male mice but also in their sons.
Scientists are a step closer to breeding plants with genes from only one parent. New research led by plant biologists at the University of California, Davis, published Nov. 19 in Science Advances, shows the underlying mechanism behind eliminating half the genome and could make for easier and more rapid breeding of crop plants with desirable traits such as disease resistance.
In this interview, we speak to Dr. Miguel J. Xavier about his latest research into male infertility and how de novo mutations may play a part.
Scientists at Cincinnati Children's appear to have flipped another piece in the underexplored puzzle of male infertility.
Researchers have long known that air pollution can increase the risk of disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and fertility, but they did not know the exact mechanism for how it can lead to these health conditions.
With global rates of male infertility continuing to rise, a new study in spermatogonial stem cell research led by researchers at the University of Georgia provides hope for future clinical therapies.
Mosquitos spread viruses that cause potentially deadly diseases such as Zika, dengue fever and yellow fever. New U.S. Army-funded research uses gene editing to render certain male mosquitoes infertile and slow the spread of these diseases.
Mammalian sperm cannot fertilize an egg from the get-go. It's an ability acquired only after insemination, during passage through the female reproductive tract, and requires two consecutive, time-sensitive processes to provide sperm with the physical and biochemical traits necessary to complete their fundamental job.