NewsFeed
Headlines ASRM ESHRE FIGO ACOG Fertility and Sterility PCOS
September, 2026
September 2026
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930  
Akanksha Khubbar: What Actually Happens to Sperm Before Fertilization?
Akanksha Khubbar/LinkedIn
Sep 27, 2026, 12:47

Akanksha Khubbar: What Actually Happens to Sperm Before Fertilization?

Akanksha Khubbar, Junior Embryologist at Ferty9 Fertility Center, shared on LinkedIn:

“What actually happens to sperm before fertilization? – Sperm Capacitation

While revisiting the fascinating process of fertilization, I came across this review by Jin S-K and Yang W-X, which provides a great overview of the molecular events involved in sperm capacitation.

Capacitation is much more than simply ‘activating’ the sperm.

It involves a series of coordinated changes in the sperm membrane, ion balance, intracellular pH and signaling pathways.

Some key players include:

  • bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻),
  • Ca²⁺,
  • cAMP/PKA signaling,
  • protein tyrosine phosphorylation,
  • controlled ROS production.

Together, these changes contribute to:

  • hyperactivated motility,
  • the acrosome reaction,
  • the ability of sperm to interact with and penetrate the zona pellucida.

What I found particularly interesting is how multiple pathways work together rather than functioning independently.

Key takeaway: Capacitation is not a single switch-it is a complex biochemical process that prepares sperm for one of the most important steps in reproduction: fertilization.”

Akanksha Khubbar

Other articles featuring Akanksha Khubbar on Fertility News. 

acrosome reaction Akanksha Khubbar Fertility Fertility News fertilization hyperactivated motility Intercellular pH Ion balance Jin S-K OBGYN reproductive health Reproductive Medicine signaling pathways Sperm Capacitation sperm membrane Women’s Health Yang W-X
NewsFeed