Histology of the Male Reproductive System 6

Question 1

Describe the acrosome reaction that occurs at fertilization.

Answer 1

• Sperm become hypermotile in the uterine tubes
• Binding to the zona pellucida, the final result of cpacitation, triggers this reaction
  
  • release of hyaluronidase and proteases form the sperm head acrosome allows the sperm to penetrate the zona pellucid in order to fuse with the oocyte cell membrane

Question 2

After fertilization with the initial sperm, how are other sperm kept from fertilizing an egg?

Answer 2

• Fast block: depolarization of the occyte cell membrane
• Slow block: molecular cross-linking of the zona pellucida from the ovum cortical reaction, the release of cortical granules from the oocyte