Semen Composition

Semen is the fluid secreted by the male sexual glands that contains spermatozoa, or sperm cells. This fluid is discharged from the body through the process known as ejaculation and used to fertilize the female ova (egg).

Human semen is mainly composed of seminal plasma, the fluid secreted by the accessory male reproductive organs (the seminal vesicles and the prostate gland). Semen's texture and cohesion comes from a small amount of viscous mucus that is contributed by the bulbourethral glands.

Seminal plasma is meant to protect and feed the spermatozoa during the journey through the female reproductive tract to the ova. Because the normal environment of the vagina is too acidic for cells to live, aside from the presence of local cells which are part of the immune system, sperm must contain a series of basic amines designed to counter the vaginal acidity and protect the DNA inside the sperm cell from destruction.

Lastly, the mucus and texturizing proteins serve to increase sperm cell mobility inside the vagina and cervix by creating a less viscous channel for the sperm cells to swim through, and preventing their diffusion out of the semen.

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