Question

Fertilizin is
A. Phospholipid
B. Steroid
C. Carbohydrate
D. Glycoprotein

Answer 1

It belongs to that category of amino acid and sugar containing substances. The hydrophilic nature of it allows functioning in the aqueous environment.

Complete Answer:
- Hormones are natural substances that are produced in the body. They help to deliver information between cells and organs and affect many of the body's functions.
- The two major female sex hormones are estrogen and progesterone. Although testosterone is considered a male hormone, females also produce and require a small amount of it.
- During the sexual intercourse, when sperm enters the ovum releases a substance called antifertilizin in the oviduct.
- It is an acidic protein that the acrosome secretes. The ovum releases yet another chemical compound named fertilizing. It is a glycoprotein which is the combination of monosaccharides and amino acids.
- The carbohydrate is attached to a protein through a post translational modification process called glycosylation. These proteins are often referred to as glycosylated proteins.
- As an antigen-antibody reaction, fertilizin and antifertilizin can interact in the same manner. The reaction to fertilizin and antifertilizin is unique and this allows the path for the sperm to enter the ovum surface.

Thus, the correct answer is option D i.e., Glycoprotein.

Note: Fertilizin is a chemical compound that the ovum releases and is present in an egg that plays an important role in fertilization. Adhesion of sperm through chemical recognition to the ovum of the same species is called agglutination.