Fertility News and Research

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No Consistent Evidence for Sperm Quality Decreasing With Age

Scientists have shown that while male fertility and sperm fitness decrease with age in humans, this tendency does not hold true for other animals. The journal Nature Communications has published the findings.

18 Jan 2024

Zipping Up Chromosomes: The Synaptonemal Complex Revealed

We have two copies of each chromosome in every cell in our bodies except in our reproductive cells. Sperm and egg cells contain a single copy of each chromosome with a unique mix of genes from our parents, an evolutionary trick to give our offspring genetic variability.

4 Jan 2024

Researchers Discover How Microbes Enhance Fruit Fly Reproduction

For many of us, when we think of microbiomes, our first thoughts are probably about the beneficial microorganisms that live in our guts.

26 Dec 2023

Engineered Enzymes Show Promise for Converting Grass Biomass Into Biofuels

Plant biologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have engineered enzymes to modify grass plants so their biomass can be more efficiently converted into biofuels and other bioproducts.

30 Oct 2023

Unraveling the Impact of Genetic Mutations on Future Generations

Regarding the structure of the human genome, it is only a matter of time until detrimental genes, which have the potential to jeopardize future generations, emerge within a population.

26 Oct 2023

Wolbachia’s Fertility Magic: Implications for Mosquito Population Control

A recent investigation uncovers the biological processes through which a particular bacteria strain belonging to the Wolbachia genus may boost the reproductive capabilities of the insects it invades.

25 Oct 2023

Researchers Sequence the Entire Genetic Code of Possums

In a five-year long study, just published in Nature Communications, an international group of researchers led by the University of Otago, has assembled the entire genetic code of the marsupial mammal.

18 Oct 2023

Mathematical Recipe for Sperm Tail Motion Discovered

Patterns of chemical interactions are thought to create patterns in nature such as stripes and spots. This new study shows that the mathematical basis of these patterns also governs how the sperm tail moves.

27 Sep 2023

The Last Piece of Our Genome: Sequencing the Y Chromosome

A full sequence of the Y chromosome, a feat that has challenged scientists for years, has been accomplished for the first time. In this interview, we speak to Dylan Taylor about this impactful research and how it may shape our understanding of human genetics.

1 Sep 2023

First Complete View of Y Chromosome's Code Sequenced

More than 100 experts from across the world, including those from Johns Hopkins University, have worked together to completely sequence the chromosome linked to male development, the final unsolved component of the human genome.

24 Aug 2023

Linking Alzheimer's Genetic Marker and Higher Female Fertility

The Apolipoprotein-ε4 (APOE-ε4) allele has been linked to an increased risk for several types of diseases in aging populations, particularly Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.

10 Aug 2023

The “Unknome” Dataset Contains Protein Sequences That Are Still Unknown

Researchers from the UK anticipate that a new, freely accessible database they have developed will get smaller rather than bigger over time. This is due to the fact that it is a compilation of the many understudied proteins that are encoded by genes in the human genome, whose existence is recognized but whose activities are mostly unknown.

9 Aug 2023

The Function of Stem Cell Barriers in the Treatment of Fertility

A set of molecules controls cells as they proliferate and take on certain identities and spatial placements within a human embryo as it develops.

18 Jul 2023

Water Fasting Offers Short-Term Weight Loss, But No Long-Term Benefits

Water fasts -; where people consume nothing but water for several days -; might help you lose weight, but it's unclear how long you'll keep it off, according to research from the University of Illinois Chicago.

30 Jun 2023

Contribution Made by Mycorrhizal Associations to Global Carbon Dynamics

Mycorrhizal fungi have indeed been supporting terrestrial life for at least 450 million years by providing plants with soil nutrients necessary for growth. Scientists have discovered that, in addition to creating symbiotic connections with nearly all land plants, these fungi are key carbon transporters into soil ecosystems.

6 Jun 2023

Researchers Use the Bionanoprobe to Explore Role of Zinc in Follicle Development

The discovery that zinc is involved in the fertilization process earlier than initially thought was made with the help of the Bionanoprobe, a cutting-edge instrument at Argonne.

18 May 2023

First Humanized Mouse Model for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Developed

Mice with a defected human gene responsible for a rare genetic disease, called congenital adrenal hyperplasia, have been developed for the first time.

16 May 2023

Revealing the Conserved Role of Serotonin in Maintaining Germline Quality

Worms may not be depressed. However, this does not prevent them from benefiting from antidepressants.

5 May 2023

Genome Sequencing of 'Lablab Bean' Paves Way for Wider Cultivation of the African Crop

An international team of researchers has fully sequenced the genome of a climate-resilient bean that could bolster food security in drought-prone regions.

2 May 2023

Male Beetles Neglect Maintenance of Gametes When Competing for Mating Opportunities

Male beetles face a trade-off between competing with other males for mating opportunities and repairing damage to their sperm DNA, according to a study publishing April 4th in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Mareike Koppik from Uppsala University, Sweden, and colleagues.

5 Apr 2023