

Sign up
Here's how it works:
  1. Anybody can ask a question
  2. Anybody can answer

In humans is it possible to fertilize a ovum with another ovum from the same female subject?

I already found some works in which the ovum is fertilized by a somatic cell (see e.g. this ), but I am looking for fertilization specifically by another ovum.

Around a year ago I found in the internet a Japanese (ongoing) study on this, but cannot locate it any more.

I would greatly appreciate any help.

share|improve this question
The problem is that in cloning you are inserting a diploid somatic nucleus into an egg cell so that works. in fertilising with a haploid sperm, the sperm brings mechanisms for nucleus fusion. two egg nuclei would require us to manually fuse them, which they would probably refuse. – Armatus Jul 9 '12 at 19:28
Thanks every body for answering me. it is an unsual question but anybody working on the it? – user1124 Jul 10 '12 at 23:39
Wouldn't this only result in female progeny if all the DNA is of female origin? – Luke Jul 11 '12 at 12:31

Using a somatic cell in an a ovum is what is typically done in the process of cloning. It was the same process used to create Dolly the Sheep. What you're asking about is something very different:

Consider that somatic cells are properly diploid. Whereas an ovum itself just contains a haploid number of chromosomes. In typical sexual reproduction the sperm fertilizes the ovum which would than bring the chromosome number to to correct tally. So combining the genetic material in two ovum should bring the chromosome count to the correct tally as well, but scientists would need to somehow motivate the activities that happen when typical sexual reproduction occurs. It's likely very challenging to do that if not highly improbable. Should it work, this process could only produce female children.

share|improve this answer
Thanks, for the probability of ovum + ovum conjugation. Please also consider the current model of understanding twin pregnancy. But since it becomes a diploid cell, is it possible to join temselves and can start dividing. Also please consider the cell membrane factors which we see in case of normal fertilization. – user1120 Jul 9 '12 at 23:09
With identical twins, the cells are diploid and start as one cell, but another breaks away and forms a seperate zygote. In fraternal twins two separate ovums are fertilized separately. Once you have conception (sperm fertilizing eggs) you have a diploid cell. With the exception of some know genetic disorders (downs syndrome) all humans are diploid, so two diploid cells don't join themselves and start dividing in utero. – user4673 Jul 10 '12 at 20:12

Your Answer


