Fertilisation

Question 1

What is formed when an egg and sperm bind?

Answer 1

Zygote

Question 2

Explain the acidity of semen

Answer 2

Alkaline to help neutralise vaginal fluids so the sperm can survive

Question 3

Explain the process of capacitation

Answer 3

Sperm rub against the walls of the uterine tubes to remove the glycoprotein coat covering the acrosome

Question 4

Why do sperm cells undergo capacitation?

Answer 4

Secrete hyaluronidase to break down hyaluronic acid which is a major component of the extracellular matrix protecting the egg

Question 5

What is the first layer of the egg which a sperm cell must penetrate?

Answer 5

Corona radiata

Question 6

What is the second layer of the egg with a sperm cell must penetrate?

Answer 6

Zona pellucida

Question 7

Explain the process of the acrosomal reaction

Answer 7

Sperm release acrosin which digs a whole into the zona pellucida and then release actin anchors towards the ZP3 protein causing binding

Question 8

What rises when the sperm binds to the egg?

Answer 8

Calcium levels

Question 9

What occurs during the cortical reactions?

Answer 9

Cortical granules fuse with the membrane to become impermeable

Question 10

What is the name of the layer that prevents polyspermy?

Answer 10

Hyaline layer

Question 11

What occurs within the eggs after fertilisation?

Answer 11

Completes meiosis II

Question 12

What is the name for the genetic information of both the female and male genetic material?

Answer 12

Female and male pronucleus

Question 13

Explain what happens to the genetic material inside of the egg after fertilisation

Answer 13

Nuclear envelopes of both pronuclei precipitate and the mitotic spindles matches up the pairs of matching DNA from both the mother and father

Question 14

What is meant by the term syngamy?

Answer 14

A single cell

Question 15

What are the stages of assisted fertilisation?

Answer 15

Superovulation, oocyte harvesting, sperm harvesting, capacitation of sperm, mixing of sperm and oocytes, observation of early development and embryo transfer

Question 16

What is meant by ICSI?

Answer 16

Intra cytoplasmic sperm injection into the cell