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Sperm in the Female Tract - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 07:57, 8 September 2008
, 07:57, 8 September 2008→Privileged Pathways
== Privileged Pathways ==
== Privileged Pathways ==
* Sperm must travel through the highly convoluted cervix.
* During oestrus, the cervix produces mucus.
** '''Sialomucin''': Low viscosity mucus produced by basal areas of cervical crypts.
** '''Sulfomucin''': More viscous mucus produced in apical portions of the cervical epithelium covering the tips of cervical folds.
* The difference in viscosity of the mucus creates two distinct environments within the cervix.
* Sperm encountering sulfomucin are washed out of the tract.
* Sperm encountering sialomucin swim into it, creating 'privileged pathways' in deeper cervical crypts. Sperm then traverse the cervix through these pathways.
* Thus, the cervix acts as a filter to immotile sperm because in order to survive; the sperm must actively swim into the 'privileged pathways'.
== Hyperactivation ==
== Hyperactivation ==