BookBrian Dale.
Summary: "This book introduces readers to the fascinating interaction of specialized gamete cells, forming the early embryo and a blueprint of new life. Gain a thorough understanding of the complex physiological events and biochemical processes--such as ionic regulation, metabolism and intracellular signalling--to decipher cause and effect in fertilization. Wide-ranging in its approach, this book describes fertilization as a highly conserved mechanism throughout the animal kingdom, taking case studies from echinoderms, ascidians, amphibians, mammals through to other phyla. An excellent companion to undergraduate and postgraduate students of medicine, veterinary and biological sciences; this text provides an underpinning of the mechanisms of fertilization that will inform assisted reproduction practice and research in medicine and agriculture. Explore the detailed phases before fertilization: the oocyte as a quiescent cell, attracting its partner gamete, followed by a cascade of pre-determined physiological events, to form the dynamic zygote cell; setting the scene for the early embryo, and beyond."--Page 4 of cover.
Contents:
Introduction
Producing gametes
The players
Sperm-oocyte interaction
Oocyte activation
The dynamics of fertilization
The zygote and early embryo
Basic cell biology.