Sperm are produced, stored, and delivered by the male reproductive system. The male reproductive system includes the testes, urethra, vas deferens, prostate gland, critical blister, and penis. Read more for detailed explanation.
- The testes contain coiled structures called seminiferous tubules, which are the sites of sperm production.
- They produce over 12 billion sperm monthly.
- The epididymis lies on top of the seminiferous tubules.
Immature sperm move from the seminiferous tubules to the epididymis to grow and be stored.
Function of Testicle in Sperm Production
Sperm are produced in the male testicle (testis). The testis is filled with small coiled tubes (seminiferous tubules) through which sperm move as they are produced. Each seminiferous tubule is lined with sperm nurse cells (Sertoli cells) and sperm stem cells (Spermatagonia). Outside the tube and between the tubes lie testosterone-producing cells (Leydig cells), whose product is necessary to controling sperm production. Hormonal agents produced by the Leydig cell promote sperm production indirectly, by acting upon the nurse cells, which in turn manage the sperm cells. From start to finish, it takes approximately 70 days to make sperm, and sperm in numerous stages of advancement can be found throughout the testis.
Storage Location in Male Body
A man’s sperm, which is carried in semen that’s made by glands such as the prostate, is kept in a duct called the vas deferens. Sperm are kept in the epididymis till completely established. The epididymis is located on the back part of the testis, the male’s reproductive organ.
Waves of Sperm Production
Spermatagonia stem cells begin to divide at staggered times and continue dividing throughout a man’s lifetime. Spermatagonia have to achieve two things: make more bacterium cells to keep the process going and kick some of the germ cells down the path to make fully grown sperm. Bacterium cells also jumble up or recombine the genes on the chromosomes in new methods. Germ cells achieve this by undergoing both mitosis (duplication of DNA) and meiosis (recombination of DNA) in the early stages of making sperm. This is why men don’t lack sperm and why not all of Dad’s kids look exactly alike.
Goal of a Sperm
The sperm starts out appearing like a typical round cell and winds up with highly specialized features for one job: to fertilize an egg. Excess cytoplasm is eliminated to lower drag. The cell nucleus consisting of the sperm’s chromosomes is securely packaged and housed in the lengthened sperm head. The majority of excess organelles are removed with the cytoplasm, but the powerhouses of the cell (mitochondria) are located right behind the head like engines behind a rocket. Cellular structures that package enzymes (Golgi apparatus) are recycled to form the acrosomal cap, an enzyme-filled package on the front of the head that help the sperm permeate the cells surrounding the egg. Other cellular structures (the centrioles) are also recycled to create the sperm tail which is used for propulsion and steering.
Finishing Touches
The newly produced sperm is not much of a swimmer and does not have much fertilizing ability yet. These features are obtained when the sperm go through the epdidymis, a firmly coiled spermatic duct that sits atop the testis. Unique proteins are added to the sperm membrane and others are gotten rid of, resulting in a highly specialized and equipped cell that can swim to the egg, bind to the egg and penetrate the egg. With these ending up touches, sperm are prepared to go with the next ejaculation
Production of Semen and Ejaculation
Sperm cells are just the smallest part of the fluid that is climaxed. Other fluids are contributed to the sperm as the sperm are ejaculated. The climaxed sperm are pushed through the ejaculatory duct and fluid from numerous glands (influential vesicles, prostate, and Cowper’s gland) are added along the method. Most of fluid in semen originates from the seminal vesicles and prostate gland. A typical ejaculate is in between a teaspoon and tablespoon of fluid including a minimum of 30 million sperm. Withdrawal birth control techniques tend not to work very well due to the fact that the sperm-rich portion of the ejaculate is the very first part of the climax.
