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Attribution Non-Commercial; No Derivatives:This image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives License. View License Deed | View Legal Code
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*CIL – Cell Image Library accession number. Please use this to reference an image.

CIL:39092*  Cite 
Description

Light micrograph of human ovum (egg) and sperm. The ovum is much larger than the sperm and is surrounded by protective cumulus cells around the outside surface (yellow). The membrane surrounding the ovum (brown) is the zona pellucida. The head of the sperm carries special enzymes to dissolve the zona pellucida, which is required in order to fertilise the egg. This image was taken from a failed human IVF procedure. IVF is a widely used technique that allows infertile couples to have their own children by taking egg cells from the mother and fertilising with sperm cells from the father externally to the body, before implanting the resultant embryo back into the womb.

Technical Details

B0007320 Egg and sperm Wellcome Image Award Winner 2009 Light microscopy. Wellcome Images available under the following creative commons usage http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/uk/

Biological Sources
NCBI Organism Classification
Homo sapiens
Cell Type
egg
sperm
cumulus cell
Cellular Component
zona pellucida
Biological Context
Biological Process
fertilization
Attribution
Names
Spike Walker
Link
Wellcome Images
Citation
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
doi:10.7295/W9CIL39092
Archival Resource Key (ARK)
ark:/b7295/w9cil39092
Imaging
Image Type
recorded image
Image Mode
bright-field microscopy
Parameters Imaged
absorption of illumination
Visualization Methods
visualization of contiguous regions
Sample Preparation
Relation To Intact Cell
whole mounted tissue