Chemical signals from eggs facilitate cryptic female choice in humans

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
John L FitzpatrickDaniel R Brison

Abstract

Mate choice can continue after mating via chemical communication between the female reproductive system and sperm. While there is a growing appreciation that females can bias sperm use and paternity by exerting cryptic female choice for preferred males, we know surprisingly little about the mechanisms underlying these post-mating choices. In particular, whether chemical signals released from eggs (chemoattractants) allow females to exert cryptic female choice to favour sperm from specific males remains an open question, particularly in species (including humans) where adults exercise pre-mating mate choice. Here, we adapt a classic dichotomous mate choice assay to the microscopic scale to assess gamete-mediated mate choice in humans. We examined how sperm respond to follicular fluid, a source of human sperm chemoattractants, from either their partner or a non-partner female when experiencing a simultaneous or non-simultaneous choice between follicular fluids. We report robust evidence under these two distinct experimental conditions that follicular fluid from different females consistently and differentially attracts sperm from specific males. This chemoattractant-moderated choice of sperm offers eggs an avenue to exercise inde...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 20, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Annalaura JokiniemiJukka Kekäläinen
Oct 20, 2020·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Christopher R FriesenMats Olsson
Oct 20, 2020·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Renée C Firman
Oct 20, 2020·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Clelia GaspariniJonathan P Evans
Dec 9, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Rowan A LymberyJonathan P Evans
Apr 20, 2021·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Angela J Crean, Simone Immler
Jun 1, 2021·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·Martina MagrisJukka Kekäläinen

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
light microscopy

Software Mentioned

CASA
R
lme4
DHARMa
RVAideMemoire
bobyqa
Excel
R Studio

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