- Title
- Reproduction in Monotremes
- Creator
- Jones, Russell Campbell; Nixon, Brett; Grützner, Frank
- Relation
- Encyclopedia of Reproduction p. 602-608
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.20606-7
- Publisher
- Academic Press
- Resource Type
- book chapter
- Date
- 2018
- Description
- Knowledge of reproduction in monotremes is considered, particularly the genes involved. Male reproduction examines the production, bundle formation and capacitation of spermatozoa, fertilization, and the roles of the epididymis, prostate glands, Cowper’s glands and the crural system. Female reproduction examines breeding, early development and lactation. Recent work on the chromosomes and sex determination is assessed and the uniqueness of the monotremes is considered. Reproduction in the egg laying mammals is considered particularly to understand the genes involved in lactation, testicular descent, gamete biology including fertilization, and early development. Their spermatozoa are sauropsids-like and lack the stiffness and velocity of eutherian and marsupial spermatozoa, but they form unique bundles which enhance their motility and may be significant in relation to capacitation and sperm competition. Males have reproductive accessory glands and a crural system. Whilst their sex chromosome system is homologous to the sex chromosomes of birds rather than other mammals, they have fully adopted lactation, and like marsupials they are dependent on lactation from an earlier stage of development than eutherian mammals.
- Description
- 2nd
- Subject
- capacitation; chromosomes; Crural system; epididymis; fertilization; lactation
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1440999
- Identifier
- uon:41288
- Identifier
- ISBN:9780128118993
- Language
- eng
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