Scientific Source #152 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“The concept of the ovarian continuum can be understood as a process that occurs during a woman’s lifetime and begins during intrauterine life with fertilization.” 152 152 Vigil, P., Lyon, C., Flores, B., Rioseco, H., & Serrano, F., Ovulation, a sign of health, Linacre Q., 2017 Nov;84(4):343-355, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29255329.

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Scientific Source #151 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“The mammalian oviduct is the place where life begins as it is the site of fertilization and preimplantation embryo development.” 151 151 Pérez-Cerezales. S., Ramos-Ibeas, P., Acuña, O.S., Avilés, M., Coy, P., Rizos, D., & Gutiérrez-Adán, A., The oviduct: from sperm selection to the epigenetic landscape of the embryo, Biol Reprod, 2018 Mar 1;98(3):262-276, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29228115.

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Scientific Source #150 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“Fertilization, the fusion of sperm and oocyte to form a zygote, is the first and arguably the most important cell-cell interaction event in an organism’s life.” 150 150 Wilson, L.D., Obakpolor, O.A., Jones, A.M., Richie, A.L., Mieczkowski, B.D., Fall, G.T., Hall, R.W., Rumbley, J.N., and Kroft, T.L. The Caenorhabditis elegans spe-49 gene is required for…

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Scientific Source #149 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“We conclude that it is plausible, therefore, that human organisms begin to exist at fertilization.” 149 149 Miller, C. & Pruss, A., Human organisms begin to exist at fertilization, Bioethics, 2017 Sep;31(7):534-542, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28786173.

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Scientific Source #123 – Report

“The fertilized egg cell—or zygote—contains nuclear material from both parents. It marks the beginning of the life of a new human being and is a useful focal point for presenting all the diverse aspects of organic reproduction.” 123 123 Simpson, G. & Beck, W., Life: An Introduction to Biology 139 (2d ed. 1965) (cited in…

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Scientific Source #110 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“Such activity is particularly important at the beginning of human life, i.e. at fertilization, immediately after and at the very onset of embryonic development.” 110 110 Ménézo Y, Dale B, Cohen M. DNA damage and repair in human oocytes and embryos: a review. Zygote. 2010 Nov;18(4):357-65, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20663262.

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Scientific Source #107 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“Since fertilization involves the forming of a new constellation of DNA in the zygote . . . [t]his privileges fertilization above the other possible scientifically valued times when ‘human life’ begins.” 107 107 Gilbert, S.F. & Howes-Mischel, R., ‘Show Me Your Original Face Before You Were Born’: The Con-vergence of Public Fetuses and Sacred DNA,…

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Scientific Source #106 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“Fertilization is a matter of life or death. In animals of sexual reproduction, the appropriate communication between mature and competent male and female gametes determines the generation of a new individual.” 106 106 Darszon A, Labarca P, Nishigaki T, Espinosa F. Ion channels in sperm physiology. Physiol Rev. 1999 Apr;79(2):481-510, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10221988.

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Scientific Source #105 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“Fertilization is a fundamental process in sexual reproduction, creating a new individual through the combination of male and female gametes.” 105 105 Ohto U, Ishida H, Krayukhina E, Uchiyama S, Inoue N, Shimizu T. Structure of IZUMO1-JUNO reveals sperm-oocyte recognition during mammalian fertilization. Nature. 2016 Jun 23;534(7608):566-9, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27309808.

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Scientific Source #104 – Peer-Reviewed Article

“Every animal grows from a single fertilized egg into an intricate network of cell types and organ systems.” 104 104 McKenna A, Gagnon JA. Recording development with single cell dynamic lineage tracing. Development. 2019 Jun 27;146(12):dev169730. doi: 10.1242/dev.169730. PMID: 31249005; PMCID: PMC6602349, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31249005.

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