Covert role of sperm unveiled: Study

The study researchers have found out a mechanism called lock-and-key mechanism by which reproduction takes place.

In living organisms, sperm and egg cells unit in a distinct way. The sperm cells have keys (genetic signals or codes) and the eggs have locks (genetic signals or codes) and only the most suitable key signal can fit into the lock of an egg.

Study’s significance for childless couples
The findings of the study can open new doors of hope for childless couples and save them from frustration resulting from extensive and ineffective medical treatments.

The innovation of lock-and-key mechanism between sperm and egg cells can help scientists develop better treatments for infertile couples who otherwise have to go in for expensive and useless IVF treatments.

As per the scientists, lock-and-key mechanism elucidates why a number of couples remain childless even when they face no reproductive problems.

Going by the statistics, every year, cases above 40,000 in vitro fertilization cycles are prescribed in Britain, however, only 10,000 birth results are achieved.

Each cycle costs around £5,000. Moreover, childless couples face a lot of anguish and stress leading to divorce (in many cases).

Dr. Martin Brinkworth, a member of the team at the universities of Bradford and Leeds, said, "Our work has quite a lot of relevance for humans and society and one of the main ones is infertility."

The reason for infertility could be that genetic keys in the male’s sperm do not fit perfectly with the partner’s lock, says Dr. David Miller at the University of Leeds.

He added, "Our research offers a plausible explanation for why some sperm malfunction."

Scientists said about 15 percent of couples face trouble in conceiving, wherein about half of them occur because the man has some reproductive problem.

Another researcher Dr. David Iles held, "There is a definite pattern to the way DNA is packaged in sperm cells. It is the same in unrelated fertile men, but it is different in the sperm of infertile men."

Implications of the study
The scientists could use the newer understanding to develop some test to screen infertile man. This would cut down the failure rate of IVF by 75 percent as filtering out male candidates who can never produce children would become possible.

The Leeds-Bradford research would help save £50 million, the amount of money per year spent by the private patients and the NHS.

The lock-and-key mechanism could also help in understanding why closely associated species of organisms maintain their identity even after having sex.

Dr. Iles said, "DNA from different organisms can be extremely similar.” According to him, one thing that could be explained via the findings of the study is “why do they not produce offspring, or if they do, why is it sterile, like mules and donkeys?"