PART I 1. How are in vivo fertilization and in vitro fertilization similar? How are they different?

In vivo fertilization and vitro fertilization are two forms or ways of fertilizing an ovum. They are both. On the other hand, in vivo (in the living body) occurs in oviducts (fallopian tubes) of the female reproductive tract, and takes place within hours following sexual intercourse. Only one of the approximately 300 million sperm released into a female's vagina during intercourse can fertilize the single female egg cell (ovum).The successful sperm cell must enter the uterus and swim up the fallopian tube to meet the ovum cell, where it passes through the thick coating surrounding the egg. This coating, consisting of sugars and proteins, is known as the zona pellucida. The tip of the head of the sperm cell contains enzymes which break through the zona pellucida and aid the penetration of the sperm into the egg. Once the head of the sperm is inside the egg, the tail of the sperm falls off, and the perimeter of the egg thickens to prevent another sperm from entering. The sperm and the egg each contain only half the normal number of chromosomes, a condition known as the haploid chromosome state. When the genetic material of the two cells fuses, fertilizationis complete. In humans, a number of variables affect whether or not fertilizationoccurs following intercourse. One factor is a woman's ovulatory cycle. Human eggs can only be fertilized a few days after ovulation, which usually occurs only once every 28 days. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a procedure in which eggs (ova) from a woman's ovary are removed, fertilized with sperm in a laboratory procedure, and then the resulting fertilized egg (embryo) is returned to the woman's uterus. IVF is one of several assisted reproductive techniques (ART) used to help infertile couples toconceive a child. If after one year of having sexual intercourse without the use of birth control, a woman is unable to become pregnant, infertility is suspected. Some of the reasons for infertility are damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, hormonal imbalance, or endometriosis in the woman. In the man, low sperm count or poor quality sperm can cause infertility.

2. Are Darrell and Thomas fraternal or identical twins? How is the formation of fraternal twins different from the formation of identical twins? Fraternal twins come from the fertilization of two different eggs, whether it happens in the lab, as with in vitro fertilization, or spontaneously during a double ovulation (one in 80 to 90 pregnancies).

In cases involving the Assisted Reproductive Technique (ART), fraternal eggs are fertilized from four to eight at a time, and anywhere from three to six are presented to the uterus (by insemination) for implantation. Of these, only some "take," the others miscarrying (silently because it's so early). Twins and triplets are becoming more frequent today because of ART. The less favorable fertilized eggs are not used, which may bring up ethical questions for the prospective parents. Identical twins (and triplets!) come from the splitting of only one fertilized egg. These twins are called identical because, of course, they will have identical DNA (genes). Fraternal twins can look similar, but identical twins usually look very much alike. An ultrasound can tell if the twins are identical only when there's one sac. But identical twins can also be seen with two sacs and with one or two placentas. It really depends on how early the fertilized egg was split. The earlier, the more likely a doubling of everything, including placenta and sac. The later, the more likely the two babies will share a placenta or a sac. But fraternal twins are two babies from two ovulations and two fertilizationsthere must be two sacs and two placentas. So in summary, a set of identical twins may present with only one sac, or with doubling of everything; fraternal twins must have a doubling of everything. A single-sac pregnancy of identical twins, by the way, is extremely dangerous. There's a strong likelihood of cord entanglement and fetal death. This is an extremely high-risk type of twin pregnancy. We obstetricians are always relieved to see a membrane between two sacs.

3. In the time remaining, write down as many questions as you can that are raised by this story. Think of as many scenarios as you can that would lead to this situation. a. Is assisted fertilization the answer to infertility? b. What are the chances that Darrel and Thomas have different fathers? c. Hannah had sex with two different men at the time of ovulation. d. There were two sperm donors that fertilized Hannah's eggs e. Two eggs were fertilized by the same sperm donor

PART II 1. What does each band represent? Account for the two bands shown by each individual. Why is it necessary to run more than a single gel? Gel electrophoresis is a way of sorting and measuring DNA strands. It sorts the DNA strands according to lengths. The gel is the filter that sorts the DNA strands. The DNA samples are placed at one end of the gel. By adding electric current, the DNA could be moved through the gel. Each band that we see represents a group of DNA strands with the same length. It is necessary to run more than a single gel so as to assure the accuracy of the test.

2. What conclusions regarding paternity can be drawn from the gel results? Which scenarios listed in Part I, Question 3, are no longer likely in light of this evidence? Which scenarios remain possible? Why? After analysing the results of the gel electrophoresis, I conclude that Nathan is not the father of Darrel since they dont share any common band or DNA strand. Scenario E is no longer applicable in this kind of situation due to the fact that Thomas and Darrel have different fathers. The scenario D applies in this kind of situation since there are two sperm donors who fertilized two eggs from the same woman.

PART III 1. What conclusions can be drawn from the results shown in gels 5-8? What are the only likely scenarios explained by this evidence? Based on the results, I can conclude that Patient #2 is the father of Darrel since they share common DNA strands. Only scenario D explains the results of the gel electrophoresis.

Assignments 1. Brainstorm as many issues as you can that are raised by this case. a.) A question on whether the paternal father has any rights on the child.

2. Comment on the strengths and limitations of technology regarding reproduction and/or DNA as evidence. The use of technology in reproduction is one choice couple make when desperate to have a child. It gives hope to mothers who have tried to get pregnant but cannot conceive. The process is performed by medical practitioners in the laboratory therefore everything is maintained stable and the way it should be. The growing status of the fetus is also monitored well. Though, this process is also very tedious and would need a lot of attention and care. It is also very expensive, stressful process, with only about a 25 percent chance of success in most cases. An example would be the in- vitro fertilization. DNA typing has often been portrayed in the media and courtroom as a controversial technology, because it has been characterized by so many defense attorneys. When there are no physical evidence t turn to, attention is drawn to DNA testing as it is said to be reliable and stable. In comparision to protein, DNA in quite resistant to degradation by common environmental insults. DNA testing can therefore often be performed on samples that have been exposed to detergents, acids and bases, gasoline, salt, and bacterial contamination. Importantly, DNA is also long-lived in comparison to protein. It does degrade over time, but reliable information can be obtained from samples that are years old. With increased experience and standardization of testing methods, these assaults are heard less frequently. Despite this, there have been some legitimate criticisms of DNA testing, based on concerns about allele frequencies in certain populations. The worry was that the chances of a random match may be higher than stated because the database used was inappropriate for the subpopulation of people containing the suspect.

3. Generate a list of ethical rules and procedures for reproductive clinics and technicians. Compare your lists to any rules that exist for such professionals. Rules: 1. The laboratory must be maintained clean. 2. Apparatuses must also be clean and must only be used once 3. Technicians should wear laboratory gowns, masks and gloves when doing their work