Research by Steve Dorus and Scott Pitnick, professors of biology, was featured in an article in The Scientist titled, "How Cryptic Female Choice Shapes the Evolution of Species." The piece highlights how recent research is challenging the traditional narrative of reproduction as a sperm's quest to fertilize a passive egg. Scientists argue that such depictions reflect cultural gender stereotypes rather than biological reality. In fact, recent studies reveal that female reproductive systems play a far more active and complex role than previously acknowledged, highlighting the need to understand both male and female contributions to fully grasp reproductive biology and its implications for evolution and medicine.

The article cited a study published in PNAS by Dorus and Pitnick that reported potential cooperative interactions between male and female cells and proteins, emphasizing the essential role female proteins may play in supporting sperm survival during long-term storage in the female reproductive tract and in preparing sperm for fertilization.

Read the full article in The Scientist.