The strengthens

2010/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Zoologia

Mice sperm meet with relatives to speed up access to the egg

According to a study published in the journal Nature, the sperm of some mouse species are able to recognize and relate to their sperm relatives. The Harvard University team, which has studied, has seen the group move 50% faster.

Researchers conducted studies with two mouse species: Peromyscus polionotus and P. maniculatus. In fact, in the United States, both live in different places, but they can fertilize each other. When the scientists joined the sperm of both species, they discovered that three-quarters of the sperm joined the members of their species through their mental hooks.

A little further, the sperm they wanted to try would be able to distinguish between each other, that is, to know the rest of the sperm of the individual who created them. And they saw that only in one of the two species used in the experiments there were sperm themes for it in the species P. maniculatus. In fact, this species is a polygamous, and scientists believe that if they associate they get a greater ability to compete with the sperm of other individuals.