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The Basics Of Sperm - An Overview

Written By Sanyukta Chavan - September 20, 2024
Read Time - 3 min read

That’s a picture of you winning the sperm race!

Most of us have heard that millions of sperm race towards the egg and only one happens to be the winner. Wondering what winning the race means? It simply means that the sperm fertilizes with the egg which may result in pregnancy. But, do you know the process of sperm formation or how exactly they look? Keep reading to understand the basics of sperm and more!

The Basics Of Sperm - Everything You Need To Know

Let us begin with understanding sperm formation, followed by how it looks and then understand on what basis they are considered to be healthy!

What Is Sperm?

Sperm are male reproductive cells formed in the testes, the male reproductive organ responsible for producing both sperm and testosterone.1 These microscopic cells are responsible for fertilising the egg to initiate pregnancy.1

Where Is Sperm Produced And Stored?

Sperm production also known as spermatogenesis takes place in the testis (two oval-shaped male reproductive organs). And, the process of sperm formation is classified into four stages: Spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes and spermatids.1 Once the sperm is matured, they are stored in the vas deferens (a coiled tube). This tube carries the sperm out of the scrotum (a bag of skin that protects the testicles) during ejaculation.

what is men's spermwhat is men's sperm

How Long Does Sperm Live?

Sperm viability depends on its environment. It starts deteriorating within an hour outside the body due to various environmental stresses like bacterial growth and oxidative damage.However, in the female's reproductive system, sperms can live up to five days due to the conducive environment provided by the cervical mucus.3  This extended lifespan within the female's reproductive system increases the chances of successful fertilisation, as sperm remains viable until ovulation or release of egg.

The Basics Of Sperm Structure

A normal sperm has a head, midpiece and tail. Here’s how each part looks like in detail:

The Basics Of Men's Sperm StructureThe Basics Of Men's Sperm Structure
  • The Head: Smooth and oval shaped that is 5 to 6 micrometers in length and 2.5 to 3.5 micrometers in width. The tip of the head has an acrosome (which contains hydrolytic enzymes) which covers 40-70% of the sperm head and helps to penetrate the egg. 3,4,5
  • The Midpiece: Structure between the head and tail that supplies energy to the tail for movement. 4
  • The Tail: Has whip-like movements to propel (move forward) the sperm towards the egg. 4 The motile tail of sperm is a long flagellum (a slender thread-like structure). The movement of flagella is driven by proteins that use the energy of ATP hydrolysis (a process in which chemical energy is converted into mechanical energy) to slide. 1

A normal sperm will show no visible abnormalities in the above structure! 3

However, to assess any abnormalities in sperm, analysing semen is important. 7 So, before we learn the parameters to evaluate semen, let us first understand the difference between sperm and semen and also learn about the composition of semen.

Sperm vs Semen: Understanding The Difference

Sperm are often confused with semen but they are different. Sperm are the male reproductive cells that fertilise the female egg and begin the process of pregnancy.1 Semen, on the other hand, is the fluid containing sperm along with other components like water, mucus and nutrients.8 This fluid not only provides the nourishment to the sperm but also creates a supportive environment that supports their movement and viability.8 Let us now explore the composition of semen in detail.

What Is Semen Made Up Of?

Semen is usually a combination of secretions from different glands. It includes citric acid, copper, calcium, magnesium, zinc, fructose, and vitamins C and E. Additionally, sperm also contains proteins, electrolytes (sodium and potassium), carotenoids, selenium, urea, lactic acid, and cholesterol. And, the pH of sperm is seen to be in the range of 7.2 to 8.2. 7

Now let us move ahead to understand how sperm health is analyzed.

How Many Sperm Are Needed To Get Pregnant?


Although only one sperm is required to fertilise the egg and achieve pregnancy, a high sperm count is vital. Typically, around 15-200 million sperm are produced per millilitre in single ejaculation which increases the chances of successful fertilisation.10 This underscores the importance of prioritising regular sperm health tests to ensure optimal fertility. 

The Basics Of Sperm Health Tests

Analyzing the semen can provide insights into sperm concentration, motility, volume, count and morphology - which can help evaluate male fertility. And, here are the lower reference limits of semen parameters; based on which sperm analysis is done as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO): 8,9

The Basics Of Men's Sperm Health TestsThe Basics Of Men's Sperm Health Tests

Assessing these semen parameters can help you understand your sperm health so that you can take the necessary steps to improve your fertility.

Putting It All Together…

We hope you’ve now understood the basics of sperm clearly - be it their formation or the way they look! So, whether you’re planning to start a family, wish to know everything about your sperm health or are facing fertility issues, get your semen analysis done right away! 

If you wish to get started, you can consider LifeCell’s SpermScore kit to get insights about your fertility status right from the comfort of your home. This kit helps test 11 sperm health parameters and 14 sperm health conditions.


So, if you’re willing to opt for it, click on SpermScore to order now.

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