Cells

[sim]

can an egg cell only be fertilized and start dividing by a sperm cell?

[insane_alien]

generally yes. although some species have evolved so that the female can fertilise her own egg and the species has done away with the males IIRC.

[Mr Skeptic]

A frog egg can be "fertilized" by poking it with a needle.

[sim]

lol i was talking about the human female egg cells - only sperm can fertilize them right?

[Mr Skeptic]

lol i was talking about the human female egg cells - only sperm can fertilize them right?

 

That's by far the easiest, cheapest, funnest, and most effective way to do it.

[sim]

lol sure it is

 

so your sure it is just sperms?

[Mr Skeptic]

You can also do it clone style. Cut out the egg's nucleus, and insert the nucleus from an adult cell. I think they need to zap it to make it think it's been fertilized. It's much more trouble, seems to carry risks of abnormal development, and has a terribly poor success rate (think less than 1%).

[MedGen]

You can also do it clone style. Cut out the egg's nucleus, and insert the nucleus from an adult cell. I think they need to zap it to make it think it's been fertilized. It's much more trouble, seems to carry risks of abnormal development, and has a terribly poor success rate (think less than 1%).

 

Mostly because of problems with genomic imprinting. I don't think there are any human parthenotes in existence, most of the research has been carried out in animal models.