Hopkins BR, Sepil I, Wigby S. Seminal fluid. Current Biology. 2017. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(17)30363-9
What is seminal fluid?
Whether ejaculated directly into the female reproductive tract, deposited on the ground, or broadcast into the surrounding environment, sperm rarely travel alone. Instead, they are typically accompanied by a complex cocktail of functionally diverse substances that collectively constitute the seminal fluid.
…
What does the future hold?
We’re entering an exciting time for seminal fluid research: ‘omics’ tools are providing new ways to understand how diet, lifestyle, and age influence seminal fluid, and the consequences for the fertility of males, and the health of their mates and offspring.
A deeper understanding of seminal fluid could contribute towards the design of pest-control techniques for insects, or enhance the efficiency of assisted-reproductive technologies in humans and animals of agricultural or conservation importance.
Furthermore, dissecting the interactions between the female reproductive tract and seminal fluid provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the delicate balance between sexual conflict and cooperation, with profound implications not just for evolutionary biology, but for clinicians too.
What is seminal fluid?
Whether ejaculated directly into the female reproductive tract, deposited on the ground, or broadcast into the surrounding environment, sperm rarely travel alone. Instead, they are typically accompanied by a complex cocktail of functionally diverse substances that collectively constitute the seminal fluid.
…
What does the future hold?
We’re entering an exciting time for seminal fluid research: ‘omics’ tools are providing new ways to understand how diet, lifestyle, and age influence seminal fluid, and the consequences for the fertility of males, and the health of their mates and offspring.
A deeper understanding of seminal fluid could contribute towards the design of pest-control techniques for insects, or enhance the efficiency of assisted-reproductive technologies in humans and animals of agricultural or conservation importance.
Furthermore, dissecting the interactions between the female reproductive tract and seminal fluid provides an exceptional opportunity to investigate the delicate balance between sexual conflict and cooperation, with profound implications not just for evolutionary biology, but for clinicians too.
