The final penetration of the spermatozoon into the oocyte can only take place after a complex sequence of processes have occurred for both the spermatozoon and the oocyte. See preceding chapter
At the molecular level the recognition of the spermatozoon and its attachment to the oolemma, the oocyte membrane, functions via a key-lock principle.
Keys and locks are receptor proteins, inserted into the cell membranes of spermatozoon and oocyte and having great mutual affinity.
In order for the docking to be successful, the corresponding membrane location has to first be uncovered, which is achieved by means of the complete and error-free course of the acrosome reaction.
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