Sperm cell anatomy, illustration - Illustrations

Sperm cell anatomy, illustration. Internal structure of a sperm cell (spermatozoon), the male sex cell. Each sperm cell consists of a head (lower left), mid-piece (bright pink) and tail. The head contains the acrosome (blue), which will pierce the egg's membrane during fertilisation, and the nucleus, which contains the genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA). The mid-piece contains the centriole, and numerous mitochondria (ovals) that provide the energy necessary for the cell to swim. The tail contains microtubules arranged in a central axial filament (axoneme) that rotates in a twisting motion to propel the sperm towards the egg for fertilisation.