Sea urchin fertilization

This is a movie of sea urchin egg fertilization (species: Lytechinus variegatus). Note that you can see the sperm fertilizing each egg, including both the head and the tail. Also note the formation of a fertilization cone around the sperm after initial contact with the egg. Sperm binding initiates a series of intracellular signaling events that result in the elevation of the fertilization envelope (clear membrane surrounding the fertilized egg). The fertilization envelope prevents the egg from being fertilized by more than one sperm (a fatal event) and protects the developing embryo during early development. It takes about 1-2 minutes for the fertilization envelope to rise completely after sperm binding.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• fertilization
• egg
• sperm
• lytechinus
• variegatus

[TheSunmanho]

Jesus didn't want us to see that obscenity