Japanese scientists said on Wednesday they have discovered a protein on sperm that is essential to fertilize eggs. The protein, which they named Izumo after a Japanese shrine dedicated to marriage, could lead to improvements in contraceptives and fertility techniques. “The finding not only provides insight into the enigmatic fusion mechanism but also promises benefits in the clinical treatment of infertility and the potential development of new contraceptive strategies,” said Masaru Okabe of Osaka University in Japan in the science journal Nature.
