Synthetic sperm protein can help increase chances of successful IVF

A new study has revealed that a synthetic version of a sperm protein satisfies criteria of genuine sperm-borne oocyte activation for IVF, raising the chances of it being a success.

According to the study, the protein known as PAWP induced embryo development in human and mouse eggs similar to the natural triggering of embryo development by the sperm cell during fertilization.

Mahmoud Aarabi, M.D., Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Human Genetics at Montreal Children's Hospital Research Institute in Montreal, Canada said that they believe that the results of this study represent a major paradigm shift in our understanding of human fertilization by providing a precise answer to a fundamental unresolved scientific question in developmental biology.

The researchers said that this study helped them better understand the events that occur when an egg is first fertilized as well as what we can do to influence those events.

The study was published in the FASEB Journal.