Capacitation

Definition

Capacitation is a physiological process that spermatozoa undergo to gain the ability to penetrate and fertilize an egg. This process involves the removal of glycoproteins and other molecules from the surface of the sperm, enhancing its motility and changing its membrane to facilitate egg fusion.

Related terms

Acrosome reaction: The release of digestive enzymes from the acrosome of a sperm cell after capacitation, enabling it to penetrate the outer layers of an egg.

Zona pellucida: A glycoprotein layer surrounding the plasma membrane of mammalian oocytes, which sperm must bind to and penetrate for successful fertilization.

Fertilization: The process by which a sperm cell merges with an egg cell (oocyte) to form a zygote, initiating embryonic development