Harmony Public Schools Harmony Science Academy High – Houston,TX Student Team Co-Principal Investigators: Alejandro Valdes and Paul de Guzman Teacher Facilitator: Michael Bowling (Geometry Teacher, HPS)

How does microgravity affect the fertilization of a human egg? The effect of microgravity on many human physiological systems has been extensively documented (e.g. bone and muscle deterioration), but not so for the human reproductive system. As space exploration advances, the prospect of future permanent habitation in space and of prolonged spaceflight raises the question of the viability of human reproduction under non-standard gravity.

●Ovaries produce an oocyte, or unfertilized egg cell (ovulation) ●Sperm enter and travel through the uterus ●Sperm is drawn towards the egg and fuses with it inside the fallopian tube ●A zygote (fertilized egg cell) is formed from the union of a sperm and egg ●Early stages of embryonic development begin

FME Type 2 Diagram Volume 1: 4x human ova (egg cells); 4.5mL Vitrolife G-IVF™ PLUS fertilization medium. Volume 2: 0.5 mL human sperm; 4.0 mL Vitrolife G-IVF™ PLUS fertilization medium. Materials and FME Layout

Timetable Day A=0: Unclamp clamp A of Type 2 FME. Description Once the clamp on the FME is released, the sperm will fertilize the ova over the course of hours. The experimental procedure is essentially a form of in-vitro fertilization, fertilization that occurs outside the body.

Analyzing Results There are several indicators of successful fertilization. These include the presence of male and female pronuclei within the fertilized egg, and the development through DNA replication and cell division into a primitive embryo, a blastocyst. These indicators can be visually confirmed using a stereo microscope. Pronuclei Blastocyst

Our team has hypothesized that the microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station will affect the process of fertilization. We cannot conclude as to the nature of the effects, as prior research suggests that gravity affects sperm motility and enzyme production in varying ways which may either impair or improve sperm fertility.

Ground Truth Experiment We cannot report on the results of the ground validation experiment at this time due to difficulties in securing the experimental materials that have prevented us from conducting the experiment.

Image Credits Some images slightly modified from original form. [ISS in Orbit]. (2009, November 25). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from [In-Vitro Fertilization]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from Sperms of the Human Body [Sperm Under Microscope]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from [Space Shuttle Atlantis in Orbit]. (2006, September 17). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from Human Fertilization [Diagram of Fertilization]. (2012, May 31). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from [Fertilized Egg Cell]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from Completely Hatched Blastocyst [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2016, from