HERVE CONGE, ISM / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY HERVE CONGE, ISM / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Sea urchin sperm. Light micrograph of sea urchin (class: Echinoidea) sperm cells, or spermatozoa. These are the male sex cells and are responsible for the fertilisation of the female ovum (egg). Sea urchin sperm are very similar to human sperm. Each cell consists of a head (oval) that contains the genetic material and a tail that beats to propel the sperm. At the tip of the head is the acrosome, which contains the enzymes necessary to penetrate and fertilise the egg. Sea urchins release millions of sperm cells, through gonopores, into the ocean each breeding season. Magnification: x450 when printed at 10 centimetres wide.
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