Insight into Sperm-less Conception of Virgin Mary from Reproductive Biology Perspective

Abstract

Introduction The activation of an unfertilized female gamete to form a new individual in animals and plants is called parthenogenesis [1-3]. Parthenogenesis is a sexual, but unisexual, form of reproduction. It is not an asexual form of reproduction where somatic organs and cells are formed by cleavage or budding. Parthenogenetic reproduction requires the presence of a germ cell and its transformation to a zygote [4-7]. Almost all the offspring formed through this method are female and have the ability to continue their lineage on their own. Some of these species also have males, and when necessary the female can reproduce by mating with a male. Some species, however, have no males, and mating is not usual. These species can reproduce only by parthenogenesis. Parthenogenetic reproduction takes place in certain female plant species too [8]. This form of reproduction is not seen in male plants. In the latter, pollens are either degenerated or sterile [9]. The purest form of parthenogenesis is seen in daphnia which do not have males. Some species can use parthenogenesis both out of necessity and facultatively. Certain species like phylloxera do not mate during the summer; its females lay eggs, from which offspring are formed. However, the same phylloxera mate with males in autumn to produce stronger eggs for winter. Among the species which reproduce in this way, fertilized eggs produce female offspring, while the unfertilized eggs produce the male offspring. Among certain animals that reproduce parthenogenetically, heterosis, a form of reproduction through polyploid hybridization between taxonomically different species, is seen. In rudimentary or incomplete parthenogenesis, the zygote reaches only a certain stage in its embryological development. In complete parthenogenesis, however, fully developed female organisms are formed from unfertilized eggs. Parthenogenesis is a common form of reproduction in invertebrates like insects and arthropods. In vertebrates, parthenogenesis can be seen commonly in some fish species, amphibians, some birds, turkeys, and reptilians. Honeybees have the potential for parthenogenetic reproduction such Abstract How the Virgin Mary, a symbol of chastity and a lofty figure, conceived Jesus Christ has been a mystery since the beginning of the Christian era and will remain so. Just as we do not have a biological tissue sample belonging to Jesus Christ to subject to tests, we do not have any biological material which might identify the Virgin Mary as a mosaic, chimera or hermaphrodite. Although current scientific knowledge offers us the possibility that this pregnancy was an example of parthenogenesis (activation of an unfertilized female gamete to form a new individual animal or plant), the presence of the Y chromosome in Jesus complicates the matter. Thus, the present review aims to present data which to explain scientific alternatives as to how the Virgin Mary might have conceived Jesus Christ. We believe that the answer to this scientific problem may be of benefit in the treatment of infertile patients wishing to become pregnant. ISSN: 2576-2842