Sperm transport and seminal plasma

• Sperms are produced in Testis and undergo maturation process.
• “Testicular sperm” need to undergo more maturation steps before they are ready to fertilize.
• Transported from the testes to the epididymis, where they mature, and acquire the ability to swim.
• Then moved to the vas deferens, for storage.
• At ejaculation, the sperm are transported out of the vas and mix with accessory gland secretions:
• prostatic fluid (pH slightly acidic to neutral; contains citric acid and zinc)
• seminal vesicle fluid (pH strongly alkaline; contains fructose)

Testes and Epididymides,	(2-5%)	Spermatozoa
Seminal Vesicle	(65 - 75 %)	Citrate, Amino Acids, Flavins, Enzymes. Fructose (2–5 m/mL of semen– This is the main energy source for sperm) Prostaglandins (to suppress the female immune response against semen) Phosphorylcholine, Vit. C and Proteins.
Prostate	(25 - 30%) Acidic, watery	Cirtic acid, Acid phosphatase, Zinc and Proteolytic Enzyme.
Bulbourethral Glands (Cowper gland)	Less than 1%	Mucoproteins, Sialic acid. the secretion also helps to lubricate the distal urethra

*Zinc ( In Prostate secretion)
– Health level of Zinc is around 135 – 140 mg/mL in healthy men
Zinc helps to stabilize chromatin that contain DNA.
Zinc deficiency can lower fertility because sperm became more fragile.