Acrosome – Class 12 | Chapter – 3 | Biology Short Notes Series PDF

Acrosome: The acrosome is an organelle found in sperm that contains proteolytic enzymes needed for fertilization. The proteolytic enzymes help digest the zona pellucida surrounding the egg in order to facilitate sperm-egg fusion. Acrosome, a cap like structure present at the tip of the sperm, is a lysosome like organelle derived from Golgi apparatus. It contains a variety of digestive enzymes that break the egg membrane facilitating the penetration of a sperm into an egg.

Functions of Acrosome

• It is present at the anterior end of the elongated nucleus, present in the sperm head as the cap-like structure.
• It is derived from the Golgi apparatus.
• It contains proteolytic enzymes such as hyaluronidase and acrosin.
• These help the sperm to penetrate the zona pellucida layer of the ovum and enter the cytoplasm of the ovum, so that nucleus of sperm and the ovum can fuse.

Follow on Facebook

By Team Learning Mantras