Why does the sperm go after the egg?

[vaughan905]

I have always thought the whole process of conception is nothing short of a miracle and wonder. But after I actually took some time in the last few days to actually read about it in details, I was even more amazed. God's creation is indeed amazing.

Now after reading all of this, I came up with this question. A question that I couldn't find an answer for via google searching.

We know that when the sperm finally pentrates and fertilizes the egg, a human life begins (sorry if I am mixing some of the terms and stages) - but the sperm obviously has no idea that what it is doing is helping in conceiving and a new baby. The question then is, why does the sperm try to reach the egg? Is there a known answer to this or is it something that we don't have an idea of yet? is the sperm simply trying to mate like humans do (their version of sex) or is it something else?

In other words, why does the sperm want to penetrate the egg? what is the reward of goal? (let us take humans out of this for a second, since this is strictly from the sperm's prospective)

I am very curious to know the answer to this. I don't know if this sounds more like a philosophical question, but I am sure there is a scientific answer to it.

 

[katiecakes]

ive been wondering the same thing!

 

[Sunny.X]

Oh I'm excited to see if anyone actually knows the answer. What an interesting question!

 

[JAJuly2013]

The whole goal of the sperm is to penetrate the egg. It's just how they are wired. That's their goal and their sole purpose. I know that when a sperm is in the fallopian tube and it gets closer to the egg, a chemical reaction happens which causes the sperm to go into hyper-mode and it swims faster and harder until it gets to the egg. I have found a few really good videos on this on YOUTUBE.

Here is a very informative video you may want to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrVmDgh4v4

 

[Sunny.X]

Wow, what an amazing watch! Thank you for posting JAJuly2013. X

 

[emalou90]

Why do we want to pro create? It's the same question really just a different way of thinking.
They have just developed that way, evolved if you will.

Why do we have toes?
Or fingers?
Or hair in weird places?

 

[reveerie]

Sperm chemotaxis is a form of sperm guidance, in which sperm cells (spermatozoa) follow a concentration gradient of a chemoattractant secreted from the oocyte and thereby reach the oocyte.

 

[reveerie]

Sperm chemotaxis is a form of sperm guidance, in which sperm cells (spermatozoa) follow a concentration gradient of a chemoattractant secreted from the oocyte and thereby reach the oocyte.

so some chemicals from ovaries attract sperms.

 

[MaisyMay]

I read that sperm can kind of smell the egg (obviously they don't have a sense of smell) but it's a similar concept, they're attracted to a chemical that the egg excretes.

 

[babyzoe]

like PPs said...the sperm is attracted to a chemical excreted by the egg...the closer the sperm get, the faster they swim towards it

 

[Londonbump81]

OMG! that video is fab, I knew pretty much what happens but it's so complex, we really are amazing beings!