Failure of chromosomal organization within human egg and sperm cells result in miscarriages and infertility. However, the mechanisms controlling these processes are not understood. The discovery of a ...

To understand why egg cells are more susceptible to errors, Wignall studies a football-shaped structure, called the spindle, which organizes genetic material before the egg divides. "The spindle is ...

Embryo development starts when a single egg cell is fertilized and starts dividing continuously. Initially a chaotic cluster, it gradually evolves into a highly organized structure. Scientists have ...

Ploidy is a term that describes the complete sets of chromosomes in a cell; in humans, there are 2 sets of chromosomes, which is diploid. It's crucial for the preservation of a species for cells to ...

A Northwestern Medicine study has shed light on one of the most intricate construction projects in biology: how cells build and coordinate the internal scaffolding needed to create a healthy egg. The ...

Neil Hunter, a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, has discovered a crucial step in how chromosomes stay connected during the development for egg cells and sperm, ...

A snapshot from a simulation of how microtubules bend and direct material in a maturing egg cell into a twister-like flow. Egg cells are the largest single cells on the planet. Their size — often ...