NonHormonal

In all of medical history, there are only two known cases of 'semi-identical twins' where two separate sperm wriggled their way into a single egg before the embryo split in two. That rarity shows just how many defenses a human egg deploys, almost always successfully, to stop more than one sperm breaking through its outer coat. A new study reveals in greater detail how one of those defenses occurs: with rapid molecular changes to a membrane protein called ZP2. "It was known that ZP2 is cleaved after the first sperm has…

A new study by the Salk Institute presents a groundbreaking non-hormonal and reversible male contraceptive method using HDAC inhibitors to block sperm production without affecting libido. This method, targeting the regulation of gene expression in sperm production, promises fewer side effects and fully reversible fertility, indicating a significant advance in the development of male contraceptives.Administering an HDAC inhibitor orally stopped sperm production and fertility in mice without impacting their libido.Surveys…