week 5 pre lecture quiz

Question 1

To penetrate the cumulus oophorus, sperm cells:

Answer 1

have hyaluronidase to break up the extracellular environs of the cells.

Question 2

To penetrate the zona pellucida, sperm cells…

Answer 2

-Undergo an acrosome reaction
-Have receptors for ZP3

Question 3

Syncytial trophoblasts:

Answer 3

-have no plasma membrane between them, with communicating cytoplasm
-secrete protease to break down cells of endometrium

Question 4

One possible reason maternal immune cells do not attack implanting blastocysts is:

Answer 4

syncytial trophoblasts, which surround the blastocyst, largely lack human leukocyte antigens, except for HLA-G