Sperm Cell
A sperm cell is the male gamete: a specialised cell whose haploid nucleus is delivered to the nucleus of the egg cell during fertilisation 1.
Adaptive Features
| Feature | Advantage |
|---|---|
| Flagellum (tail) | Provides motility, so the sperm can swim to the egg cell |
| Many mitochondria | Release the energy needed for swimming |
| Enzymes in the acrosome | Digest a path through the jelly coat of the egg cell |
| Haploid nucleus | Fertilisation restores the diploid chromosome number |
| Small size | Millions can be produced and released at once |
Comparing the Gametes
| Feature | Sperm cell | Egg cell |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Very small | Much larger |
| Motility | Mobile, swims by its flagellum | Non-motile |
| Numbers | Produced in very large numbers | Comparatively few |
| Stores | Little cytoplasm | Energy stores for the zygote |
Fertilisation is the fusion of the nuclei of the sperm and egg cells, forming a diploid zygote, which divides to form an embryo 1.
Related
- Cell - Specialised cells have specific functions.
- Egg Cell - The female gamete that the sperm fuses with.
- Nucleus - Carries the haploid genetic material.
- Mitochondrion - Powers the swimming movement.
- Reproduction - Gametes and fertilisation.
- Biology - Cambridge IGCSE life-science area.
Footnotes
-
Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 syllabus for examination in 2026, 2027 and 2028 - Gametes as specialised cells (2.1.6f), fertilisation and gamete comparison (16.4.3-16.4.6). ↩ ↩2