Working with fruit-flies (Drosophila melanogaster), University of East Anglia scientists have observed “remarkable” changes in female gene expression after exposure to a protein in semen. The researchers say the effects, which may also exist in other species, include altered fertility, immunity, libido, eating and sleep patterns. Published in the journalProceedings of the Royal Society B, […]
Previously thought to have no physiological effects, the prostatic fluid component of semen contains a protein that can trigger ovulation and other pregnancy-related hormonal responses in female mammals. The discovery, by an international team of scientists led by Gregg Adams at the University of Saskatchewan, raises intriguing questions about fertility in mammals, including humans. The […]
The scientists at the Gladstone Institutes who discovered new protein fragments in semen that enhance the ability of HIV to infect new cells say their work could point the way to powerful new microbicides to help curb the global spread of HIV/AIDS. In research carried out four years ago, German researchers discovered that HIV transmission […]
