Where Do Babies Come From? The Story of Juno & Izumo
Recently scientists have discovered the two proteins which permit the egg and sperm to recognize each. This ultimately leads to fertilization and life as we know it. The scientists have named the two proteins “Juno and Izumo” after the Greek Goddess of Fertility and Japanese word for Marriage Shrine. In a publication found in Nature Magazine, researchers bred mice who didn’t produce the two proteins “Juno and Izumo”. In both studies, the mice weren’t able to reproduce. Scientists have realized the Juno protein on the egg disappears the seconds after fertilization. This unlocks an age-old question of why an egg only binds together with one sperm. This study could make a novel change to the screening of infertile women.
