An evolutionary change in field mice may revolutionize the treatment of human infertility, say scientists at the University of Liverpool. The group of scientists have found that field mice have evolved a unique way of sacrificing some of their immunity protection in favor of a more rapid fertilization process.
The mice that were researched traded the production of an immunologically important protein CD46 in favor of this faster fertilization process in order to compete with other mice more successfully, say the team. CD46 is present in both humans and animals. As such, this is a good news for those trying to overcome human infertility. CD46 is a protein that helps in the protection of a body’s cell from any attack by the immune system. It was noticed that over time, the mice lost that protein, causing the body to reach a state of instability. It is during this period of instability that fertilization takes place.
Scientists working on this research say that by improving their understanding of defects in CD46, there are possibilities of improving cases of infertility in men. Unlike mice which can produce many eggs each month, humans normally produce a single egg each month. As such, the sperm reaction to egg fertilization is much slower than in mice.
Looks like there is hope for those mulling over human infertility. Help is just round the corner, once the scientists are able to conclusively come up with the treatment for humans.
Via Biologynews
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