Question

What are spermatozoa? Mention its pathway during ejaculation.

Answer 1

Hint: A human male, consists of specialized sex organs, that involves primary and secondary organs, as well as the associated ducts and glands. The primary sex organ is the one that produces gametes.

Complete answer: Motile sperms or male gametes are known as spermatozoa. These are sex cells produced by human males that contain necessary genetic information to be passed on to the next generation. They are microscopic and motile particles and are introduced to the female reproductive tract for fertilization to take place. A human sperm cell or spermatozoa consists of mainly four parts: head, neck, middle piece and tail. Each of the parts has specific functions. The head part consists of the genetic information or the DNA in the nucleus. Above the nucleus, lies the acrosome, where the enzyme sperm lysin is secreted, which digests the outer layer of the ovum during fertilization. The second portion is the neck, where the centriole is present which initiates the process of cleavage of the formed zygote. The middle portion consists of several pairs of mitochondria and provides energy for its movement. The tail is the longest part and helps in sperm motility.

During the process of ejaculation, sperms move through a series of ducts present in the male reproductive system, before being released into the vagina of the female. The organ where the spermatogenesis, as well as storage, occurs is the testes, which are the primary male reproductive organs. Afterwards, it gets transported through a series of ducts known as right before maturation, the sperms are transferred to a series of a convoluted tube known as seminiferous tubules, rete testis, vasa efferentia and epididymis. Epididymis is a place where further maturation takes place. After maturation, it is passed through the vas deferens and finally the urethra, where it is ejaculated out.

Note: The process by which sperms are produced is known as spermatogenesis. It involves a series of cell division, including both meiosis and mitosis. The process starts from a diploid cell known as spermatogonia and ends at a haploid cell stage known as spermatozoa.