title: Sea urchin sperm-egg interactions studied with the scanning electron microscope.
abstract: Scanning electron microscopy of the outer surface of sea urchin eggs sampled at intervals during the first 3 minutes after insemination reveals the detailed structural changes of the vitelline layer during its transformation into the fertilization membrane. A sperm attachment-detachment sequence is described for the large number of sperm which transitorily bind every egg during fertilization.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010063:Ovum / Q000166:cytology*; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000166:cytology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014817:Vitelline Membrane