What is sperm a mixture of?

Question

I have my GCSE child development exam tomorrow and I need to know what sperm actually IS! What does it consist of?
Can't find anything on Google!! Thanks!

Answer 1

Sperm are a mixture of proteins and enzymes...and are the male sex cell (spermatazoa)

Ejaculate is a mixture of spermatazoa cells, seminal fluid, and semin...which is usually what people refer to as "sperm"

Answer 2

If you mean "semen", the fluid that a male ejaculates then it contains the actual sperm themselves plus nutritious fluids from the prostate gland and the seminal gland. Both of these fluids help to nurture the sperm and give it a source of energy for its long swim up to the Fallopian Tube. Sperm itself is made up of a head region which contains the nucleus, a neck region which contains many mitochondria - like mini power stations that supply the energy for the long swim and the tail which is the propulsion unit. I think that this idea might be the answer you are looking for. Three parts, each with its own specific function. The head enters the egg leaving the neck and tail behind. Since it contains the 23 chromosomes - the genetic material - it is the most important part. The male nucleus unites with the female egg nucleus - also containing 23 chromosomes - to make up the chromosome number to the full complement (46). The energy used for the sperm to swim the short distance from the vagina to the oviduct is supposed to be equivalent to a man swimming the length of the River Nile in treacle!!!

Answer 3

Sperm is made up of 23 chromosomes which when fertilised with an egg make 46 chromosomes(23 pairs).Each human has 23 pairs and no other animal.

Sperm either contains the X or Y chromosome.

Sperm with chromosome X with a female egg makes a girl.
Sperm with chromosome Y with a female egg makes a boy.

Answer 4

I think you're a bit confused. Sperm isn't a mixture - they are the tiny wriggling things that fertilise an egg. What is a mixture is semen: it's composed of the sperm plus the fluid they swim in, which is known as seminal fluid.

Answer 5

Actually it is semen, a suspension of sperm cells in seminal fluid. The sperm cells number in the millions per cubic centimeter (ml). The seminal fluid is an ultrafiltrate of plasma containing glucose, electrolytes and proteins. The sperm cells come from the testes and the seminal fluid come from the prostate gland and seminal glands. They combine in the membranous urethra to create this suspension called semen.

Answer 6

Semen is the mixture containing sperm cells and a fluid that is slightly alkaline. The sperm cell itself has a proteinaceous head and flagellum for motility.

Answer 7

Its a mixture of
1.- Mainly prostatic secretions, rich in acid phosphatase. (prostatic phosphatase)
2,.- Phosphorylated Fructose, that acts as a "fuel" for the synthesis of ATP in spermatozoids.
3,.- spermatozoids ;,( they form 0,8 % of total volume depending on the number of previous ejaculations,,,subsequent ejaculations contains much less)
4.- Hyaluronidase ( in the tip or head of spermatozoids)
5.- Alkaline phosphatase /an enzyme)

Answer 8

Sperm consists of spermatazoa (posh name for sperm) and seminal fluid.

Answer 9

its basically a mixture of protien and fructose. there is some other stuff in it to like the occasional white blood cell. and if someone is sick or something there may be bacteria or red blood cells. but mostly just protien and frictose.

Answer 10

Wow, you're right...nobody knows the full ingredients for sure...
Go safe and say it consists of a 'male cell.'