The sperm, much more than a fertilizing tool

By Patience Asanga

We’ve always known that the sperm’s role in reproduction is basically fertilisation of the female’s egg, but recent research published in the journal of Communication Biology indicates that the sperm might be more involved in reproduction than we think.

In a study carried out on mice by a group of scientists from the Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia, it was discovered that sperm plays a role in increasing the success of reproduction.

In this study, the researchers analysed the uterus of female mice after mating with male mice that had undergone a vasectomy and those that were still intact. The result showed that the sperm does more than fertilising the egg, it also sends out signals that temper the female’s immune response to pregnancy.

The head of the research team, Professor Sarah Robinson of the Robinson research institute, was quoted saying, “this [discovery] overturns our current understanding of what sperm are capable of – they are not just carriers of genetic material, but also agents for convincing the female to invest reproductive resources with that male.”

The researchers equally stated that sperm quality also affects the implantation and development of the foetus in the womb. According to them, this discovery could help manipulate fertility and reproductive outcomes.

Also, the study suggests that the various hormonal activities that are involved in picking out the best sperm for fertilisation of the female’s egg increase the chances of having a healthy baby.