Cytoskeletal Architecture of Human Oocytes with Focus on Centrosomes and Their Significant Role in Fertilization

Cytoskeletal functions are critically important for successful fertilization and for all stages of subsequent development. The present chapter is focused on the role and assessment of the centrosome–microtubule complex in the MII oocyte, in sperm, and the formation of the zygote aster after fertilization as a criterion for assessing developmental potential. We will present methods for sperm and egg quality assessment to help increase the success rate for fertilization and development, particularly when intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is applied. ICSI is one of the current treatments to overcome male factor infertility, and it critically depends on quality assessment of sperm and egg cytoskeletal integrity. We will further propose methods to assess cytoskeletal formation in heterologous fertilization to distinguish centrosome-related male factor infertility from oocyte-factor centrosomal or regulatory defects.