What Is Sperm

Sperm are, perhaps, the most important part of the male reproductive system. Their sole purpose is to fertilize an egg, but they must have a lot of help in doing so.

Sperm is, perhaps, the most important part of the male reproductive system. This is because its function is essential to pro-creation since, without it, this would not be possible. So what is sperm and how does it work?

A sperm is a very tiny male sex cell. A sperm cell is necessary in the fertilization of an egg, which is, of course, provided by the woman.

Each sperm is made up of three parts. The head contains the genetic material that will help determine the make up of the baby. The piece just behind the head is called the midpiece and is often referred t as the sperm cell's motor. The final part is called the tail. This part makes the sperm move and is what enables it to swim from the woman's vagina into her uterus after ejaculation has taken place.

Sperm generally swim very slowly, (about .12 inches or 3mm per hour) with much tail movement required to complete this process. This, combined with the small window of time allotted between a woman's ovulation and the end of conception ability makes the chances of pregnancy less likely than one might think. What increases those chances are, in fact, the many sperm released during ejaculation. So where does sperm come from?

Sperm is made in the testes where it takes approximately 72 days for one sperm to grow. In order for sperm production to take place, a temperature that is three to five degrees below body temperature is required. The testes are stored in the scrotum, a sack-like structure which hangs outside the body in order to regulate the temperature at which they are produced and stored.

If the body becomes too cold, the scrotum contracts to bring the testicles in toward the body. If the body becomes too warm, the opposite occurs. The testicles hang on either side of the penis.

Through ejaculation, a male usually releases anywhere from 400 to 500 million sperm. When sperm build up in the scrotum, the body rids itself of them in usually one of three ways. The male will ejaculate them through sexual intercourse, they will be discharge during urination, or they will break up and dissolve with other bodily fluids.

Upon exiting the body, they are assisted by what is called semen. This is a mixture of sperm and other bodily fluids that help the sperm eventually reach their destination. While many sperm die before they reach an egg, many are kept alive, again helped along by the semen. Once those sperm reach the egg, fertilization can occur.