Fertilization and Gamete Transfer Quiz

What is the average number of sperm in a single ejaculation?

Which part of the sperm contains many enzymes vital for fertilization?

What is continually being replenished to create semen?

What are the components of seminal plasma?

What is the most common type of twins?

Which type of twins results from one ova and one sperm spontaneously splitting?

What is the term for the development of a new zygote without a fertilization event?

Which chromosomal aberration represents less than 1% of human embryos?

What is the pH of the vaginal canal after semen liquefies?

What is the approximate number of sperm that make it through the cervix?

What enables sperm to survive in the reproductive tract for up to 6 days?

When is fertilization most likely to occur?

What does hyaluronidase in sperm break down?

What triggers the acrosome reaction in sperm?

What happens after fertilization with regards to meiosis II?

What does the primary sex ratio refer to?

What enables sperm to pass through cervical mucus around ovulation?

What aids sperm 'climbing' up the uterus?

Where do many sperm swim past without fertilizing an egg?

Human Reproductive Biology: Fertilization and Sperm Transport

Semen thickens upon entry into the vaginal canal, but liquefies again after 20 minutes, increasing vaginal pH to 7.2.
Orgasm induces rhythmic contractions in the vagina which move sperm towards the cervix and uterus.
Cervical mucus liquefies around ovulation allowing sperm to pass into the uterus, but only about 1 million sperm make it through the cervix.
Sperm "climb" up the uterus aided by uterine contractions and cilia action, but many are targeted by macrophages.
The oviduct acts as a temporary storage area for sperm, with many swimming past the ovulated egg.
Capacitation and hyperactivation of sperm are necessary for fertilization, enabling them to survive in the reproductive tract for up to 6 days.
Fertilization is most likely to occur in the 5 days before ovulation and the day of ovulation.
Steps of fertilization involve penetration of the cumulus oophorus, zona pellucida, attachment to the egg plasma membrane, cortical reaction, completion of meiosis II, and pronuclei generation.
Hyaluronidase in sperm breaks down hyaluronic acid in the cumulus oophorus, allowing sperm to reach the zona pellucida.
Sperm recognition of a glycoprotein in the zona pellucida triggers the acrosome reaction, leading to the degradation of the zona pellucida.
Completion of meiosis II in the egg after fertilization removes extra DNA copies and creates the second polar body.
The egg and sperm pronuclei migrate towards each other, replicate their DNA, and fuse to create the zygote. The primary sex ratio is 120:100 for early aborted embryos and 105:100 for births.