News Health & Medicine Fine-scale structure of egg crucial for fertility The shape of a protein that forms a key coating on an egg provides an atomic view of conception By Laura Sanders December 3, 2008 at 1:14 pm - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to print (Opens in new window) Print If fertility had a shape, this would be it. EGG UP CLOSE Ridges of proteins coat the outside of a human egg and aid in fertilization. New structural analyses shed light on this process.