PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsNew structure found in sperm may help understand infertility

BioNews

New structure found in sperm may help understand infertility

Published 15 June 2018 posted in News and appears in BioNews 954

Author

Jenny Sharpe

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.

Cutting-edge microscopy has unveiled a structure inside sperm that may play a key role in infertility and birth defects...

Cutting-edge microscopy has unveiled a structure inside sperm that may play a key role in infertility and birth defects.

The structure, which is newly identified in mammalian and human sperm, is a second centriole – a barrel-shaped structure found in cells which acts as a kind of scaffolding during cell division. It was thought that that mammalian sperm cells have only one centriole. The newly discovered second centriole is similar in function but has a slightly different shape, so the researchers have dubbed it as the 'atypical' centriole.

'This research is significant because abnormalities in the formation and function of the atypical centriole may be the root of infertility of unknown cause in couples who have no treatment options available to them,' said Dr Tomer Avidor-Reiss at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio, and senior study author.

He added: 'It also may have a role in early pregnancy loss and embryo development defects.' The research was published in Nature Communications.

Centrioles act in pairs during cell division and have a crucial role in the development of an embryo. Since oocytes lack centrioles, it was always thought that the sperm's centriole was duplicated within the zygote to give the two centrioles needed for it to divide.

The new study suggests this to be incorrect – the sperm already carries two centrioles. The atypical centriole contains a set of proteins that helps the other centriole to function after fertilisation.

Key to this discovery was super-resolution microscopy, which allowed the researchers to see proteins at the highest resolution. 'We found the previously elusive centriole using cutting-edge techniques and microscopes. It was overlooked in the past because it's completely different from the known centriole in terms of structure and protein composition,' said Dr Avidor-Reiss.

Understanding more about the sperm's centrioles will help to determine whether these structures are involved in male infertility or defects in embryo development. The researchers are now planning to work with urology colleagues to understand the clinical implications of the atypical centriole.

Related Articles

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
22 March 2019 • 2 minutes read

Virtual sperm suggest that strong tails may be key for IVF

by Catherine Heffner

Stronger tails help human sperm in their race to fertilise eggs, mathematical modelling suggests...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
22 June 2018 • 2 minutes read

Discovery of testes microbiome gives clues on infertility

by Jamie Rickman

Bacteria present in male testes — the testicular microbiome — may provide clues towards understanding a common form of male infertility...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
18 May 2018 • 2 minutes read

Sperm proteins may help understand infertility

by Dr Katie Howe

Scientists have demonstrated how certain molecules are vital for maintaining the shape of sperm cells, which may have implications for understanding male fertility...

PET BioNews
News
26 February 2018 • 1 minute read

New twist in the tail of human sperm discovered

by Dr Katie Howe

A corkscrew-like structure in the tip of sperm tails has been identified by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The structure could help sperm to swim in the right direction or enable them to swim rapidly...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
24 October 2017 • 1 minute read

Sleep duration linked to sperm structure

by Taqdeer Sidhu

Sleep duration is associated with sperm integrity, according to a recent study in China...

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
22 August 2017 • 2 minutes read

Sperm from stem cells could help some types of male infertility

by Shaoni Bhattacharya

Cells from genetically infertile male mice have been turned into sperm, and used to produce healthy pups...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Majority of breast cancer patients do not need chemotherapy

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.

Find out how you can advertise here
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

First UK medical guidelines issued for trans fertility preservation

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Male age has more impact on IVF birth rate than previously thought

15 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Call to end ban on HIV-positive partner gamete 'donation'

15 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Melanoma invades new tissues using nerve cell gene

15 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Exceeding alcohol limits could damage DNA and accelerate ageing

15 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Blood cell gene mutations affect mitochondria, increasing cardiovascular disease risk

15 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Jumping gene helps immune system fight viruses

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856