The frog egg is a huge cell; its volume is over 1.6 million times larger than a normal frog cell. During embryonic development, the egg will be converted into a tadpole containing millions of cells but containing the same amount of organic matter. The upper hemisphere of the egg the animal pole is dark. The lower hemisphere the vegetal pole is light. When deposited in the water and ready for fertilization, the haploid egg is at metaphase of meiosis II Entrance of the sperm initiates a sequence of events: The zygote nucleus undergoes a series of mitoses, with the resulting daughter nuclei becoming partitioned off, by cytokinesis, in separate, and ever-smaller, cells. The first cleavage occurs shortly after the zygote nucleus forms. A furrow appears that runs longitudinally through the poles of the egg, passing through the point at which the sperm entered and bisecting the gray crescent. This divides the egg into two halves forming the 2-cell stage The second cleavage forms the 4-cell stage. The cleavage furrow again runs through the poles but at right angles to the first furrow. The furrow in the third cleavage runs horizontally but in a plane closer to the animal than to … Continue reading →

Reading, MA (PRWEB) October 28, 2014 The Fertility Centers of New England and RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association are pleased to announce that Dr. Michael John Tucker, BSc Comb Hons, Ph.D., FIBiol, HCLD, embryologist, is being awarded the Hope Award for Advocacy for his many years of advocacy for infertility patient rights and access to care, testifying before the Georgia state legislature, and serving as an expert on issues including Personhood. Dr. Tucker will accept the award at RESOLVEs Night of Hope Gala on November 18, 2014 at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City. As the organization that supports and provides a voice for people diagnosed with infertility, RESOLVE established the Hope Awards to recognize professionals, companies, volunteers, and the media who have demonstrated leadership in the infertility field or have made a positive impact in the lives of people struggling with infertility. Its such an honor to receive RESOLVES Hope Award for Advocacy, said Dr. Tucker. At FCNE, we believe that every individual deserves fair access to infertility care. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to and expertise in reproductive rights issues. Using his expertise as an embryologist, Dr. Tucker has been able to … Continue reading →