The spermatozoa
Looking at a spermatozoon one distinguishes:
- Head
- Neck
- Mid-piece
- Principal piece
- Endpiece
The head contains the condensed nucleus, which is covered on the top by an acrosome, a cap-like vesicle. Hydrolyzing enzymes that play an important role in the penetration of the protective coverings of the oocyte (corona radiata and pellucid zone) are stored in the vesicle.
The acrosome, in terms of volume, takes up around 40% of the head
In a normal ejaculate numerous malformed sperm cells are also present.
One encounters spermatozoa with the following abnormalities:
- Deviant head forms
- Too small
- Too narrow
- Piriform = pear-like head form
- Two or three heads
- Defects of the acrosomal cap
- Two tails
More information about minimal amounts of sperm cells de spermatozoïdes.