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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.

New genomic tools improve detection of rare DNA changes

WashU Medicine researchers have verified the accuracy of genetics tools to correctly identify all the rare DNA changes that make up an individual's genomic mosaic, paving the way to understanding these variants' impact on health and disease.

5 Nov 2026

From simple ovulation treatments to IVF, how doctors choose the right approach

A clinical review on female infertility discusses causes, IVF options, and complications, equipping clinicians to improve patient care and treatment outcomes.

2 Nov 2026

Newly discovered protein helps preserve egg chromosome integrity during aging

Eggs follow a very different developmental path from sperm. Once a male hits puberty, sperm cells are produced continuously throughout his life.

29 Oct 2026

New mathematical method maps gene roles across different species

Much of what we know about biology comes from animal models, particularly mice. Applying these insights to humans, however, is not always straightforward.

29 Oct 2026

Amyloid fibers help sperm deliver RNA to mouse embryos

Researchers identified RNA-associated amyloid fibrils in human seminal fluid and demonstrated that synthetic PAP fibrils could enter mammalian sperm. In mouse IVF experiments, these fibrils helped sperm deliver RNA to embryos, where the detected reporter-protein signal was at least tenfold higher than without fibril exposure.

27 Oct 2026

Proteins linked to Alzheimer's found to assist sperm cells

Unexpectedly, a kind of protein that is usually linked with diseases in the brain may play a vital role in semen, helping shepherd genetic material into sperm cells, scientists at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute report today in the research journal Molecular Cell.

26 Oct 2026

New guidance expands reproductive care for people with cystic fibrosis

For much of the history of cystic fibrosis (CF) care, reproductive health was not a major part of the conversation. Fertility challenges were the norm for men and women with this genetic disorder, and many grew up assuming biological parenthood was not possible.

23 Oct 2026

Shared meiosis proteins show surprising functional differences across animals

Every egg cell and sperm cell depends on meiosis, a tightly choreographed process in which chromosomes find their partners, exchange genetic material, and then divide.

23 Oct 2026

$8.2 million grant advances on-demand male contraceptive development

Weill Cornell Medicine has received a four-year, $8.2 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to develop and test an experimental on-demand male contraceptive pill that temporarily stops sperm in their tracks

22 Oct 2026

Study defines average human genome and normal genetic disease risk

A new study has characterized the "average" human genome, providing key information on normal human genetic variation and genetic disease risk.

22 Oct 2026

Like father, like son? Study reveals a surprising pattern in male reproductive health

Researchers examining 117 father-son pairs from Denmark and Finland identified weak but statistically significant familial associations in several male reproductive traits, including testicular size, sperm concentration, selected hormone levels, and genital measurements. The findings suggest that reproductive characteristics show limited resemblance across generations, although the study could not determine the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors.

21 Oct 2026

Cigarette smoke exposure alters ovarian and testicular function in mice

New research has shed light on how exposure to cigarette smoke could affect reproductive health in both men and women, identifying changes in biological processes involved in ovarian function and sperm production.

13 Oct 2026

UK doctors transplant frozen testicular tissue to restore fertility

Doctors in Edinburgh have performed a pioneering procedure to transplant a young man's testicular tissue that was frozen before he underwent chemotherapy, in a potential breakthrough for male fertility preservation.

8 Oct 2026

UK first as frozen testicular tissue transplanted to help restore fertility

7 Oct 2026

Polystyrene nanoplastics may threaten reproductive health and offspring development

Plastic pollution is increasingly being recognized as more than an environmental problem. Tiny plastic particles can enter living organisms, circulate through biological systems, and potentially reach reproductive tissues.

21 Sep 2026

Male contraception has barely changed in a century. What comes next?

A review traces more than 5,000 years of male contraception, from early penile sheaths and the development of modern condoms and vasectomy to today's search for reversible alternatives. Researchers are now testing hormonal gels, non-hormonal compounds and vas-occlusive technologies, although these approaches remain at different stages of preclinical and clinical development.

15 Sep 2026

Study identifies 14 egg-layer gene variants linked to female infertility

Researchers determine 14 variants in the egg's protective layer associated with female infertility which can affect assisted reproductive technology outcomes.

8 Sep 2026

Researchers uncover how Atg2 drives autophagosome formation

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation mechanism in eukaryotes. The autophagosome, which encloses damaged or excess cellular material for degradation, is constructed from lipids supplied by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), via the lipid transfer protein Atg2.

4 Sep 2026

Some fertility treatments may raise Kawasaki disease risk in children

A large-scale study in Japan, led by researchers from the University of Osaka and the Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, has found that certain fertility treatments are associated with an increased risk of Kawasaki disease before age five, although the association differed by treatment type.

3 Sep 2026

Study finds biases in tools predicting dangerous genetic mutations

When a patient has their DNA read, it gets compared against a reference version of the human genome. It allows geneticists and rare disease experts to look at a list of places where the patient's DNA differs.

3 Sep 2026