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Fusion of the Sperm with the Vitellus

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Fertilization Mechanisms in Man and Mammals

Abstract

Studies with hamster gametes in vitro have shown that the microvilli of the vitellus wrap around the head of the sperm and fuse with its plasma membrane in the postacrosomal region (Yanagimachi and Noda, 1972). The role of the postacrosomal plasma membrane in initiating fusion between mammalian gametes is in striking contrast to gamete fusion in marine invertebrates in which initial contact with the egg membranes is made by an apical process extending from the inner acrosomal membrane (Colwin and Colwin, 1967; Epel, 1975; Summers et al., 1975).

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© 1977 Plenum Press, New York

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Gwatkin, R.B.L. (1977). Fusion of the Sperm with the Vitellus. In: Fertilization Mechanisms in Man and Mammals. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8804-7_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8804-7_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-8806-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8804-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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