How do sperm know where the egg is?

Question

Weird question but how do they know how to head for the egg? How do they know what to do when they find the egg and how come they don't try and fertilise each other or other or parts of the male sex organs when they're still in the man? Its like they have a mind of their own!

Answer 1

Keep in mind that your cells are living in an entirely different world. A dark one. They only know if something happening if they bump into it or get some kind of a chemical whiff... sort of like touch and smell. Which works a lot better than you might think because at the small scale that cells are at, chemicals move around REALLY fast.

Eggs make it easy. They WANT to be found. And sperm cells are IMMENSELY sensitive to the chemical signals that eggs put out (they seem to be able to detect a single molecule of 'scent'). Other sperm and cells don't send out those signals, and they certainly don't 'feel' right when they rub up against them. So there's really no chance that they'll try and fertilize the wrong thing.

Even with that sensitivity, they don't generally know where the egg is when they first get on the scene. Instead they spiral out in all directions until they run into something. There's so many of them, they're pretty much bound to run into an egg if there's one around and they live long enough to get there. Still, a lot of things can go wrong along the way, which is why not every couple is equally fertile.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

It is the same as if you were asking something like: "why does the heart pump blood and doesn't get confused with the other liquids we have in the body" or "how can my platelets know where the tissue has been broken and go there to clot, they could be trying to clot in any other space inside me that appears like a broken spot!"
See, as of the sperm going exactly to the place where it will encounter the egg and fertilizing only it, is like when you see a person that you like (man if u r woman or woman if u r a man) you are not going to try with a plant or any other person because you are programmed with that purpose and not other.

Answer 3

this is distinctive from having a baby from a stranger in simple terms as a results of fact there is not any intercourse in contact and which you get some added history of the donor plus understanding that the donor's purpose develop into which you would be able to have a baby, no longer some stranger who unwilling knocked you up from a night of relaxing. I do understand why females and couples choose egg and sperm donation as a results of fact they even have the choose to experience the comparable pleasures possible get in the event that they're fertile. a female chooses egg donation as a results of fact she needs to journey being pregnant and the sensation a female gets whilst the toddler is growing to be in her physique and a guy might use his sperm to have a connection to the youngster plus share the youngster along with his spouse. besides the shown fact that whilst it includes the donors, this is the exhilaration of helping and funds. this is honestly a egocentric concept yet anybody has their motives. I SO consider the adopting element as a results of fact there are infants who go through primary as a results of overlook and no person to love them and look after them. i ought to basically think of a baby being tossed domicile to domicile in foster care to God knows who being abused or having that sorrow of having no parents that love them, and this is quite a kick interior the *** whilst all and sundry of those human beings choose to egg/sperm donation or undertake overseas whilst there is young infants of their very own united states of america that choose help. God bless people who do undertake and maybe if people who're infertile weren't so after their very own self activity and settle for being infertile, they might have a baby with the aid of adoption besides as saving a baby's existence.

Answer 4

the egg gives out a singal to the sperm so they find it....cant remember what type of singal though....

Answer 5

That is the mystery of creation ,Isn't it fascinating!!

Answer 6

Chemotropism.
They can 'smell` it.