Carbohydrates and fertilization: an overview

Abstract excerpt

Initial sperm-egg binding in mammals involves recognition of glycosylated proteins of egg zonae by glycosylated proteins on sperm surfaces. Egg zona protein structure is relatively simple, and has been strongly conserved. Species specificity must reside in the carbohydrate modifications on the egg surface, and in the co-ordinated assembly of a unique cohort of sperm proteins at capacitation. Fruitful advances...