Gamete Transfer and Fertilization

Maybe there's too much of datin or too much of growth and development lately due to my BIology option paper, I just couldn't control myself to post this to share with you people!!! =) well, not necessary you have to be a biology student only you will understand this. you people have learnt this in secondary school ler...enjoy!!!

This passage is a little unusual. It presents the story of a human sperm in its journey from the testis of a male to the ovum of a female. When you are reading the passage, remember that the human characteristics (i.e. the ability to think and to have emotions) given to the sperm, is solely to help you learn only, do not get confused.

‘It’s not much fun sitting in this epididymis prison. Unless we can escape soon we’ll die a natural death. Only a few days before my life have run its full course. (Sigh) It passes awfully quickly. Formed in the seminiferous tubules in the testis and then locked up almost straight away.’

‘Future prospects? Poor, very poor. Either reabsorption into the body or to be flushed out with the urine- what a way to go! Hold it… Something’s happening… Hey! The walls are moving in on us. Good grief we’re being forced along this narrow passageway… what does the sign say? Vas deferens- This Way to the Urethra. Is this a reprieve, are we going to get out of this prison finally? Cross roads ahead… what do they say? Seminal Vesicles& Prostate gland. There sure is a lot of liquid stuff joining us. There are so many of us here- I didn’t realize but there must be millions and millions of us!’

‘It feels like we’re being swept up in waves- the passageway closes in and then relaxes again. There seems to be some light at the end of this passageway… Hang on fellows… wait for me!!’

‘WOW! What was that? Something just projected us into another wider passageway. Seems as if that’s the last bit of help I get- from here on in I’ll have to swim. The sign says Vagina to Uterus via the Cervix… everyone else seems to be going that way so I’ll follow. Apart from anything else, I’m being attracted to something- I don’t know what, but I seem to be pulled towards the top of this place. Into the uterus… nothing much happening, just swimming, swimming and more swimming. The troops are thinning out though- lots of them seem to have lost their energy and died. Wimps- it’s only been two days!’

‘Even I’m getting tired now. The sign up ahead says Fallopian tube this way. What’s left of us are following… hang on… what on earth is that… a huge sphere rolling towards us. That must be our goal mate- the ovum. Lucky there aren’t any more of them- one is usually made each month, but sometimes there can be more than one. If this one gets past us it will pass back through the system and leave the vagina, so we can’t let it go… not after all this trouble.’

‘We’re all aiming at our target now. Look at them go- Bam! Biffo! Thump!- no good, they’re not getting anywhere. I’m nearly at the front now- it’ll be my turn soon. The amour around the ovum seems to be getting weaker, so… maybe… perhaps if I… what about that spot… Here I go. GOT IT! GOT IN! HOORAY FOR ME!! Whammo, just in time, as soon as I got inside the amour went rock solid again- no chance for anyone else now. At least I can stop swimming- the ovum’s moving for me.’

‘Hey, where’s my tail gone? Dirty trick that, I lost it. Still I have the payload that the guards in the prison were telling us to deliver- ‘you’ve got 23 bits of information and you have to give it to the ovum. She’ll have 23 bits as well. That’ll make in all when you do your job’ quick aren’t they? 23+ 23= 46- takes real genius to work that out!’

‘Aah, I’ve got it- we’re heading for the uterus. Apparently, something happens and then we get implanted into the uterus wall and divide and grow for 9 months and something called a ‘human’ grows and develops. I don’t know what these human things are- they sound dreadful!’

‘What’s happening- the movement… the walls are closing in. I seem to be losing my identity and merging with the ovum- is this what they call an identity crisis? I think this is the end for me now, I’ve done my job, they can’t ask for more than that… farewell!’

this was given by my f5 Biology teacher... =)