Question

When zebrafish eggs are laid, they are surrounded by a tough chorion. Sperm are unable to get through this chorion and must find the tiny tunnel called a micropyle that provides a channel to the egg cell membrane. This channel is so tiny that only one sperm is able to fit through at a time. The micropyle most likely_____________.

Answer 1

acts to prevent polyspermy

Step-by-step explanation:

The micropyle most likely act to ensure that only a single sperm fertilizes the egg.

Polyspermy is a biological phenomenon involving the fertilization of a single egg by more than one sperm the consequences of which are detrimental to the existence of the resulting zygote.

Polyspermy leads to the resulting having more than one paternal centrioles which creates a kind of competition for chromosomes and disrupt the formation of cleavage furrow. Inability to form the latter eventually leads to the death of the zygote.

Hence, there exist different mechanisms for different organisms that prevent polyspermy and the micropyle in zebrafish represents one.

Answer 2

Aids in preventing polyspermy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Polyspermy is a process that involves multiple fertilization of an egg by multiple sperm, which leads to the embryo inheriting multiple centrioles from the parents. Polyspermy is often considered lethal, and there are several mechanisms in most animals that prevents multiple fertilization of eggs. One of such mechanisms is the possession of a micropyle by zebrafisg eggs which limits the chances of multiple fertilization, as only one sperm is able to pass through the micropyle at a time. This micropyle most likely aids in preventing polyspermy.