Structural biology: When sperm meets egg
Sperm–egg binding is mediated by two cell-surface proteins. Structural analysis of these proteins separately and in complex provides insight into the recognition process and the subsequent sperm–egg fusion.
Nature doi: 10.1038/nature18448
White woman sues sperm bank—again—after getting black man’s sperm
Jennifer Cramblett with her daughter Payton in 2014. (credit: Family via Georgia Newsday)
An Ohio woman has sued a sperm bank that mistakenly gave her sperm from an African-American donor.
Plaintiff Jennifer Cramblett, who is white, gave birth to her mixed-race daughter Payton three years ago. In her lawsuit (PDF), she says that the sperm bank's mix-up led to "an unplanned transracial parent-child...
Sperm off-switch may offer men reversible contraceptive
With the flip of two switches, men could one day curb their sperm flow and activate easily reversible birth control, according to ballsy German inventor Clemens Bimek.
Bimek, a carpenter who was frustrated with the lack of male-controlled contraceptives, came up with the idea after watching a television show about anatomy. Determined that his sperm shut-off method would work,...