Nucleus of a sperm cell

As spermatogonia commit to this differentiative pathway they have already begun to incorporate testis-specific histone variants into their chromatin Meistrich et al. This process, which is driven by the rapid movement of protons out of the cell through ion channels on the flagellum, underlies tail activation. The head of the sperm contains enzymes that will help break the egg barrier. See Article History. Small RNAs in the animal gonad: guarding genomes and guiding development. The proposed functions of others include the regulation of early embryonic gene expression and stabilization of the nuclear matrix.

How many chromosomes does a human sperm cell contain? The function of spermatozoa is to fertilize the egg cell during fertilization, creating a new organism called zygote that will develop from embryo to fetus during the 9 months of pregnancy. Sperm differentiation is therefore directed by the products from both parental chromosomes, even though each nucleus is haploid.