Definition of polyspermy/Fast block anf slow block polyspermy-The Knowledge
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POLYSPERM
Polyspermy refers to the egg that has been fertilized by more than one sperm.
Types of polyspermy
There are two types of polyspermy.
1.Fast block to polyspermy 2.Slow block to polyspermy
Fast block to Polyspermy
The Fast block polyspermy is achieved by changing the electric potential of the egg plasma membrane. This membrane provides a selective barrier between the egg cytoplasm and the outside environment, and the ionic concentration of the egg differs greatly from that of its surroundings.
This concentration difference is especially significant for sodium and potassium ions. Seawater has a particularly high sodium ion concentration, whereas the egg cytoplasm contains relatively little sodium. The reverse is the case with potassium ions.
Slow block to polyspermy
The eggs of sea urchins (and many other animals) have a second mechanism to ensure that multiple sperm do not enter the egg cytoplasm. The fast block to polyspermy is transient, since the membrane potential of the sea urchin egg remains positive for only about a minute. This brief potential shift is not sufficient to prevent polyspermy, which can still occur if the sperm bound to the vitelline envelope are not somehow removed . This type of polyspermy is slow block polyspermy.
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