Sperm: It is the male gamete produced in the testes of the male reproductive system. It consists of three parts – head, middle piece and the tail. It helps in the fertilization of the ovum (female reproductive cell) which gives rise to the zygote eventually a living organism.

Structure of a Sperm

• It is a microscopic, motile structure composed of a head, neck, a middle piece and a tail.
• Whole body is covered by plasma membrane.
• The sperm head contains an elongated haploid nucleus and the anterior portion is covered by a cap-like structure acrosome.
• The middle piece contains numerous mitochondria which produce energy for sperm motility needed for fertilization.
• Tail helps the sperm cell to swim to reach the egg cell.
• Seminal plasma along with sperm constitutes the semen.

• Acrosome: Acrosome is the cap-like structure situated in the head region of the sperm.
• Nucleus: Nucleus of the sperm contains the necessary genetic information.
• Mitochondria: Mitochondria is present in the middle piece of the sperm and provides the energy for locomotion of the sperm.
• Flagellum: Flagellum is required for the locomotion of the sperm.

Types of Sperms

There are two types of sperm cells: X sperm and Y sperm.

X sperm

• X sperm on combining with the X chromosome of the female produces a zygote with XX chromosomes.
• Thus, the X sperm produces a female offspring.

Y sperm

• Y sperm on combining with the X chromosome of the female produces a zygote with XY chromosomes.
• Thus, the Y sperm produces a male offspring.

What Is Sperm Made Of?

• Sperm might look like tiny tadpoles, but they are made of one single cell. Each sperm cell has two basic parts: the head and the tail.
• Sperm heads are oblong or oval-shaped. They contain genes to pass along to the next generation. A typical human cell has 46 chromosomes, half of which are contained in a sperm’s head, and the other half of which come from the female egg.
• The sperm’s tail is much longer than the head and is powered by mitochondria. The energy from the mitochondria in a sperm’s tail allows it to swim and move through the female reproductive tract, increasing its chance of fertilizing an egg.

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By Team Learning Mantras