INTRODUCTION Optical trapping is a laser-based method for probing the physiological and mechanical properties of cells in a noninvasive manner. As sperm motility is an important criterion for assessing the male fertility potential, this technique is used to study sperm cell motility behavior and rotational dynamics. METHODS AND PATIENTS An integrated optical system with near-infrared laser be...

the interaction between molecular biology and embryology made an extensive progress in the research on gametogenesis, fertilization and early embryogenesis in mice. in this article, molecules involving in meiotic maturation and apoptosis of oocytes, sperm-oocyte interactions and early cleavage of fertilized embryos in mice are described including our recent following experiments. 1) phosphatidy...

Investigation of ion channel biology continues to be an ever-expanding field of research. The ability of ion channels to regulate membrane potential and intracellular ionic milieu, such as Ca21, accords them a central role in varied cellular processes that govern excitability, action potential characteristics, stimulus-secretion coupling, cell volume regulation, and epithelial electrolyte trans...

Semen from 10 932 male partners of infertile couples was analysed and sperm parameter trends were evaluated at the Reproduction Biology Laboratory of the University Hospital of Marseille (France) between 1988 and 2007. After 3-6 days of abstinence, semen samples were collected. Measurements of seminal fluid volume, pH, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and detailed morphology of ...

What is it for an animal to be female, or male? An emerging consensus among philosophers of biology that sex grounded in some manner another on anisogamy, is, the ability produce either large gametes (egg) small (sperm), though exact nature this grounding remains contentious. Here we argue a new conception relation. In our view, one’s doesn’t depend kind gamete one capable making, but designed ...

Selection to avoid inbreeding is predicted to vary across species due to differences in population structure and reproductive biology. Over the past decade, there have been numerous investigations of postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance, a phenomenon that first requires discrimination of mate (or sperm) relatedness and then requires mechanisms of male ejaculate tailoring and/or cryptic female ch...