A newly discovered part of sperm could explain infertility

New super advanced microscopes have helped researchers find a new section of the sperm which were never known to exist.

Now, you see, sperm was always believed to have one centriole and it would duplicate itself once it entered the egg.

Not true. Because sperm has two centrioles. The newly-discovered centriole — known as the “atypical centriole” — contains a set of proteins that the previously-known centriole needs to do its job once the egg is fertilized, according to a press release in the journal Nature Communications.

And scientists think it may have something to do with infertility.

Dr. Tomer Avidor-Reiss, professor in the UT Department of Biological Sciences:

This research is significant because abnormalities in the formation and function of the atypical centriole may be the root of infertility of unknown cause in couples who have no treatment options available to them. It also may have a role in early pregnancy loss and embryo development defects.
We are working with the Urology Department at The University of Toledo Medical Center to study the clinical implications of the atypical centriole to figure out if it’s associated with infertility and what kind of infertility

It isn’t conclusive yet but the geeks think it is a big deal.