How is the baby created?

Researchers have just made a breakthrough discovery, which helps explain exactly how fertilized eggs are to create embryos.

The process of conception creates babies

According to a 14-year study by American scientists, sperm clings to eggs to support fertilization.

The researchers found that a protein inside the head of the sperm formed sharp fibers, helping the "seed" cling to the egg.(Photo: Daily Mail)

The researchers found that a sperm 's inner protein forms sharp fibers that can bind sperm to its target. It represents an important step towards what happens during fertilization.

"One of the main proteins, which exist very much in the tip of spermatozoa that are crystallizing into fibers. We now assume that they are involved in penetrating inside the egg. This is a new hypothesis. From our discovery, can lead to a series of new questions and new theories about the structure of molecular events during fertilization , " said researcher John Herr from the University of Virginia Medical School ( USA), said.

The finding is a long-term collaboration between Herr's lab and the laboratory of Dr. Wladek Minor of the School of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics. The finding is so important that it is published on the front page of the scientific journal Andrology.

Close-up of the cross-section of SLLP1 protein fibers.(Photo: Daily Mail)

Herr's laboratory previously discovered the existence of a protein they call a sperm-like protein lysozyme 1 (SLLP1). This protein belongs to a family of proteins currently recorded in the spermatozoa of many animals.

However, Herr's lab has no way of determining the shape and structure of SLLP1 . Minor's team had to catch this protein inside a static crystal , cool the crystal to freezing temperatures to prevent decay and then destroy it with X-rays.

By examining how these X-rays refract, experts were able to calculate the shape of the protein, which is almost similar to mapping wrecks using sound-based underwater positioning systems. This is not an easy task and requires a lot of effort and analysis. But in the end, they were able to create one of the first descriptions of a sperm protein .

" This is an important protein, because it is the first crystal structure from a protein inside the tip of the sperm head. This is also the first structure of a mammalian sperm protein with a single oocyte. intends to bind with partners, described. Until now, only 9 separate proteins were extracted from known mammalian mammalian sperm, "said Heping Zheng, a research team member. explain.

The discovery will serve as a map for expert Herr and other reproductive biologists to find out exactly how fertilization takes place.