[thechat] What you wear can help you conceive

[Hugh Blair]

>From the "What perfume are you wearing, and where?" department:

"Human sperm become excited when exposed to the scent of lily 
of the valley, doubling their speed and homing in on the 
aroma, a German scientist said on Wednesday.

Hans Hatt, a biology professor at Ruhr University in Bochum, 
said knowledge about a newly discovered odor receptor on the 
sperm's surface could enable researchers to devise alternative 
contraception methods or ways to boost fertility.

"This is the first time sperm has been shown to respond to 
smell," Hatt, who said the findings came after three years of 
study, told Reuters. "The application of the substances in a 
salve to the vaginal area could raise the chance of conceiving."

He said receptors in the sperm's membranes are attracted to 
two chemical compounds, cyclamal and bourgeonal, used in the 
cosmetics industry to imitate the plant's smell.

Another compound, undecanal, was found to block the attraction 
and could be used for contraceptive ends, he added."

http://snurl.com/138s

-- 
   Hugh