can an egg cell only be fertilized and start dividing by a sperm cell?

generally yes. although some species have evolved so that the female can fertilise her own egg and the species has done away with the males IIRC.

A frog egg can be "fertilized" by poking it with a needle.

lol i was talking about the human female egg cells - only sperm can fertilize them right?

lol i was talking about the human female egg cells - only sperm can fertilize them right?

 

That's by far the easiest, cheapest, funnest, and most effective way to do it.

lol sure it is

 

so your sure it is just sperms?

You can also do it clone style. Cut out the egg's nucleus, and insert the nucleus from an adult cell. I think they need to zap it to make it think it's been fertilized. It's much more trouble, seems to carry risks of abnormal development, and has a terribly poor success rate (think less than 1%).

You can also do it clone style. Cut out the egg's nucleus, and insert the nucleus from an adult cell. I think they need to zap it to make it think it's been fertilized. It's much more trouble, seems to carry risks of abnormal development, and has a terribly poor success rate (think less than 1%).

 

Mostly because of problems with genomic imprinting. I don't think there are any human parthenotes in existence, most of the research has been carried out in animal models.