The molecular basis of fertilization (Review).
Fertilization is the fusion of the male and female gamete. The process involves the fusion of an oocyte with a sperm, creating a single diploid cell, the zygote, from which a new individual organism will develop. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of fertilization has fascinated researchers for many years. In this review, we focus on this intriguing process at the molecular level. Several molecules have been identified to play a key role in each step of this intriguing process (the sperm attraction from the oocyte, the sperm maturation, the sperm and oocyte fusion and the two gamete pronuclei fusion leading to the zygote). Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the cell‑cell interactions will provide a better understanding of the causes of fertility issues due to fertilization defects.
Institute of Biology, Medical Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens 116 35, Greece.
Katerina
K
Georgadaki
Institute of Biology, Medical Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens 116 35, Greece.
Nikolas
N
Khoury
Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Greece.
Demetrios A
DA
Spandidos
Institute of Biology, Medical Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens 116 35, Greece.
Vasilis
V
Zoumpourlis
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism