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The term sperm refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell. The human sperm cell is haploid, so that its 23 chromosomes can join the 23 chromosomes of the female egg to form a diploid cell.

Study highlights potential impact of chlamydia infection on men's fertility

The potential impact of undiagnosed sexually transmitted chlamydia infection on men's fertility has been highlighted in a study led by Queensland University of Technology (QUT), which for the first time found chlamydia in the testicular tissue biopsies of infertile men whose infertility had no identified cause.

9 Oct 2019

Simple diet supplement from tomatoes can improve sperm quality

Sperm quality can be improved with a simple diet supplement containing a compound found in cooked tomatoes, according to new research by the University of Sheffield.

8 Oct 2019

Histone modifications play important role in 'zygotic genome activation'

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology observed changes to the gene-regulating factors during zebrafish development and discovered that modifications to "histone H3", one of the proteins around which DNA is bound, play an important role in "zygotic genome activation" or transition of control of zebrafish embryonic development from maternal material to the zygote .

8 Oct 2019

FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific receives CE Mark approval for innovative ART products

FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, Inc., a world leader in the innovation, development and manufacture of cell culture media and Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), today announced the receipt of CE Mark approval for key ART products.

From FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific 8 Oct 2019

Vaginal fluid transplant could help treat recurring bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is a common and irksome problem for many women. Now researchers have found the transplanting vaginal fluids of a healthy woman to women with troublesome bacterial vaginosis could restore the bacterial microbiome in the latter’s vaginas and thus help treat them.

8 Oct 2019

Twin birth rate falls in the US due to improvements in reproductive technology

According to a new report by the CDC, twin birth rates in the US have dropped by 4% since 2014, potentially due to improvements in reproductive technology.

4 Oct 2019

Men should stay alcohol-free for at least six months before conception

A new study has revealed that men hoping to conceive should stop drinking for at least six months before to prevent congenital heart diseases.

4 Oct 2019

Study: Obese boys have double the risk of having children with asthma

A study performed by researchers at the Centre for International Health (CIH) at the University of Bergen (UiB), showed that obese boys between 8 years old and their age when their voice breaks, have double the risk of having children with asthma, compared with others.

3 Oct 2019

Origin of female orgasm revealed by rutting rabbits

The female orgasm has been a complex and difficult-to-study and understand phenomenon for centuries. Now researchers have come up with an easier way of studying female orgasms using rabbits. They speculate that the evolution of the female orgasm could be related to the mammalian reflex linking ovulation to intercourse.

30 Sep 2019

Prostate cancer risk linked to assisted reproduction techniques

A study published in BMJ has revealed a link between the risk of prostate cancer and men who have become fathers via assisted reproduction techniques.

26 Sep 2019

Study explores link between assisted reproduction and prostate cancer risk

In a new national register study from Lund University in Sweden, researchers have studied the link between prostate cancer and infertility. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, includes over one million Swedish men.

26 Sep 2019

Survey: Men have low levels of awareness about prostate health and function

The survey, which assessed knowledge of the prostate in 3,010 men over 50 years in the UK, Germany and France, found that just one in 4 men (26%) over the age of 50 are correctly able to identify the prostate's main function.

24 Sep 2019

NIH grants totaling $2.8 million focus on pinpointing male fertility genes

Pinpointing the genes responsible for male fertility is the focus of two National Institutes for Health grants totaling $2.8 million.

20 Sep 2019

Bone marrow cells contribute to pregnancy success in mouse model

Scientists report that stem cells derived from the adult bone marrow can dictate whether a woman becomes pregnant.

13 Sep 2019

Study reshapes the understanding of telomerase's function in normal cells

New research from the University of Maryland and the National Institutes of Health reveals a new role for the enzyme telomerase.

3 Sep 2019

Cannabis use may alter gene linked to autism in male sperm

Researchers from Duke University Medical centre, Durham, USA have come up with an important study that shows that use of cannabis among men could alter a specific gene in their sperm that is linked to autism. The study titled, “Cannabis use is associated with potentially heritable widespread changes in autism candidate gene DLGAP2 DNA methylation in sperm,” and is published in the latest issue of the journal Epigenetics.

28 Aug 2019

Excess body fat linked to greater risk of developing depression

Carrying ten kilograms of excess body fat increases the risk of depression by seventeen per cent. The more fat, the greater the probability of developing depression. This is the main conclusion of a new study carried out by researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

27 Aug 2019

Researchers gain new insights into types of germ cell tumors

Germ cell tumors constitute a diverse group of rare tumors, which occur in the testes, ovaries and also in other places. Some germ cell tumors exist prenatally, while others present during or after puberty. The majority is benign.

27 Aug 2019

A new perspective on evolution provided by fly testes

The male testes are important areas for biological innovation, as well as being a factory for sperm. In exciting new biological research a team of scientists has found that the testes are also a hotspot for the production ofnew genes.

19 Aug 2019

Simple technique to choose the sex of offspring by separating X and Y sperm

A simple, reversible chemical treatment can segregate X-bearing sperm from Y-bearing sperm, allowing dramatic alteration of the normal 50/50 male/female offspring ratio, according to a new study by Masayuki Shimada and colleagues at Hiroshima University, published on August 13 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology. The study was performed in mice, but the technique is likely to be widely applicable to other mammals as well.

From PLOS ONE 16 Aug 2019