Fertilization in sea urchin.

  • The acrosome releases enzymes to digest the jelly coat.
  • Actin filaments bind to receptors in the vitelline layer.
  • The sperm and egg plasma membranes fuse and become depolarized, preventing polyspermy - the ability of other sperm to fertilize the egg.
  • The sperm nucleus enters and fuses with the egg's nucleus.
  • The vitelline layer swells to form a fertilization envelope that also blocks polyspermy.