The terms “sperm” and “semen” are often used interchangeably, but they are different things.
Spermatozoa(sperm) are microscopic sex cells that carry genetic material. About 20 million to 600 million sperm are released with each ejaculation.
Semen, also called ejaculate, is the bodily fluid released during ejaculation. An average of about 2 to 5 milliliters of semen is released with each ejaculation. About 1% to 5% of semen is made up of sperm cells. Semen also contains components such as water, salts, nutrients, waste products of metabolism, and cellular debris.
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A Note on Gendered LanguageThis article uses “male” to refer to the reproductive tract that produces semen and sperm, and “female” to refer to the reproductive tract that produces ova (eggs) and carries a pregnancy.Verywell Health recognizes thatgender and sex are not binaryand that these labels do not apply to every individual.
A Note on Gendered Language
This article uses “male” to refer to the reproductive tract that produces semen and sperm, and “female” to refer to the reproductive tract that produces ova (eggs) and carries a pregnancy.Verywell Health recognizes thatgender and sex are not binaryand that these labels do not apply to every individual.
This article uses “male” to refer to the reproductive tract that produces semen and sperm, and “female” to refer to the reproductive tract that produces ova (eggs) and carries a pregnancy.
Verywell Health recognizes thatgender and sex are not binaryand that these labels do not apply to every individual.
Sperm vs. Semen Characteristics
Composition and Quantity
Up to 500 million sperm can be released with each ejaculation.
Composition of Sperm
Sperm are very tiny cells that can only be seen under a microscope. The head of the sperm is mainly a cell nucleus, containing chromosomes (genetic substances responsible for transmitting specific characteristics of an individual).
Themitochondria, which generates energy for the cell, is located in a small middle portion of the sperm.
Theflagellum(the tail of the sperm) is a hairlike bundle of filaments. It gives movement to the sperm cell to help it reach and fertilize the ovum.
Composition of Semen
Semen has many components in its fluids and secretions (called seminal plasma), which are added to the sperm cells as they travel through the reproductive tract. These include:
Function
Sperm fertilizes (unites with) an ovum andcreates a zygote. The zygote matures into an embryo, and the embryo develops into a fetus.
While human body cells have 46 chromosomes, sperm cells have 23 chromosomes. When sperm cells unite with the ovum, which also contains 23 chromosomes, the total reaches 46. The ovum carries an X chromosome, whilesperm cells can carry either an X or a Y chromosome.If a sperm cell carrying an X chromosome fertilizes the ovum, the fetus will be genetically female. If a sperm cell carrying a Y chromosome fertilizes the ovum, the fetus will be genetically male.
Semen helps transport and protect sperm through the male and then female reproductive tracts on its journey to meet the ovum.
Appearance and Texture
Sperm are extremely small, each about 0.05 millimeters (mm), or one-600th of an inch.
Sperm cells are made of these three sections:
Semen can vary (between people and between ejaculations from the same person) intexture, color, odor, and taste.
Generally, semen is a thick and cloudy fluid that’s either white or grayish.
After ejaculation, semen forms a gel. This helps protect sperm from the acidic environment of the vagina. Within 20 to 30 minutes, enzymes from the prostate gland in the semen liquefy the gelled semen to free the sperm for transportation.Seminal plasma remains in the vaginaas the sperm travel through the cervix, towards the ovum.
How Long Sperm Lives Inside and Outside of the Body
What Is a Refractory Period?The four phases in the sexual response cycle are:Initial excitement phaseGrowing plateau phaseHighest sexual (orgasmic) phaseLast resolution phaseAfter orgasm, there is arefractory periodin which the body returns to its normal state and “recovers.” During this period, the penis becomes flaccid (not firm or stiff).The amount of time it takes before an erection, sexual function, and ejaculation become possible again varies from a few minutes to a few days. This time depends on the individual and factors such as age.
What Is a Refractory Period?
The four phases in the sexual response cycle are:Initial excitement phaseGrowing plateau phaseHighest sexual (orgasmic) phaseLast resolution phaseAfter orgasm, there is arefractory periodin which the body returns to its normal state and “recovers.” During this period, the penis becomes flaccid (not firm or stiff).The amount of time it takes before an erection, sexual function, and ejaculation become possible again varies from a few minutes to a few days. This time depends on the individual and factors such as age.
The four phases in the sexual response cycle are:
After orgasm, there is arefractory periodin which the body returns to its normal state and “recovers.” During this period, the penis becomes flaccid (not firm or stiff).
The amount of time it takes before an erection, sexual function, and ejaculation become possible again varies from a few minutes to a few days. This time depends on the individual and factors such as age.
Sperm and Semen Production and Development
The male reproductive system has parts outside and inside the body.
The external male reproductive body parts include:
The internal male reproductive body parts are:
The Process of Sperm and Semen Development and Ejaculation
The process from sperm production to ejaculation involves:
Does Ejaculation Before Puberty Contain Sperm?Beforepuberty, the seminiferous tubules that produce sperm contain simple, round cells. During puberty, hormones such as testosterone transform these cells into sperm cells.Reproduction is not possible before the sexual maturity that comes with puberty.
Does Ejaculation Before Puberty Contain Sperm?
Beforepuberty, the seminiferous tubules that produce sperm contain simple, round cells. During puberty, hormones such as testosterone transform these cells into sperm cells.Reproduction is not possible before the sexual maturity that comes with puberty.
Beforepuberty, the seminiferous tubules that produce sperm contain simple, round cells. During puberty, hormones such as testosterone transform these cells into sperm cells.
Reproduction is not possible before the sexual maturity that comes with puberty.
How Female Sexual Fluids Differ
Fluids associated with female sexual and reproductive function are:
Summary
Female sexual fluids include arousal fluid, cervical discharge, female ejaculation fluid, and “squirting.”
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MyHealth Alberta.Spermatozoa (sperm).Britannica.Ejaculation.Nemours KidsHealth.Male reproductive system.MedlinePlus.Semen analysis.Britannica.Sperm.Britannica.Semen.Nemours TeensHealth.Male reproductive system.Columbia Health.Is it normal if my boyfriend’s semen is chunky?International Society for Sexual Medicine.Does semen volume determine or influence fertility?UCSF Center for Reproductive Health.Conception: how it works.Shih CM, Huang YJ, Lai JCM, Hsieh MY.Exploring research on elevating male’s multiple sexual climaxes. Engineering Proceedings. 2023;38(1):31. doi:10.3390/engproc2023038031International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is the refractory period?MedlinePlus.Sperm release pathway.International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is vaginal discharge and what is the purpose of it?Planned Parenthood.What types of fluids come out of the vagina and vulva during masturbation?Pastor Z, Chmel R.Differential diagnostics of female “sexual” fluids: a narrative review. Int Urogynecol J. 2018;29(5):621-629. doi:10.1007/s00192-017-3527-9
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MyHealth Alberta.Spermatozoa (sperm).Britannica.Ejaculation.Nemours KidsHealth.Male reproductive system.MedlinePlus.Semen analysis.Britannica.Sperm.Britannica.Semen.Nemours TeensHealth.Male reproductive system.Columbia Health.Is it normal if my boyfriend’s semen is chunky?International Society for Sexual Medicine.Does semen volume determine or influence fertility?UCSF Center for Reproductive Health.Conception: how it works.Shih CM, Huang YJ, Lai JCM, Hsieh MY.Exploring research on elevating male’s multiple sexual climaxes. Engineering Proceedings. 2023;38(1):31. doi:10.3390/engproc2023038031International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is the refractory period?MedlinePlus.Sperm release pathway.International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is vaginal discharge and what is the purpose of it?Planned Parenthood.What types of fluids come out of the vagina and vulva during masturbation?Pastor Z, Chmel R.Differential diagnostics of female “sexual” fluids: a narrative review. Int Urogynecol J. 2018;29(5):621-629. doi:10.1007/s00192-017-3527-9
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MyHealth Alberta.Spermatozoa (sperm).Britannica.Ejaculation.Nemours KidsHealth.Male reproductive system.MedlinePlus.Semen analysis.Britannica.Sperm.Britannica.Semen.Nemours TeensHealth.Male reproductive system.Columbia Health.Is it normal if my boyfriend’s semen is chunky?International Society for Sexual Medicine.Does semen volume determine or influence fertility?UCSF Center for Reproductive Health.Conception: how it works.Shih CM, Huang YJ, Lai JCM, Hsieh MY.Exploring research on elevating male’s multiple sexual climaxes. Engineering Proceedings. 2023;38(1):31. doi:10.3390/engproc2023038031International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is the refractory period?MedlinePlus.Sperm release pathway.International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is vaginal discharge and what is the purpose of it?Planned Parenthood.What types of fluids come out of the vagina and vulva during masturbation?Pastor Z, Chmel R.Differential diagnostics of female “sexual” fluids: a narrative review. Int Urogynecol J. 2018;29(5):621-629. doi:10.1007/s00192-017-3527-9
MyHealth Alberta.Spermatozoa (sperm).
Britannica.Ejaculation.
Nemours KidsHealth.Male reproductive system.
MedlinePlus.Semen analysis.
Britannica.Sperm.
Britannica.Semen.
Nemours TeensHealth.Male reproductive system.
Columbia Health.Is it normal if my boyfriend’s semen is chunky?
International Society for Sexual Medicine.Does semen volume determine or influence fertility?
UCSF Center for Reproductive Health.Conception: how it works.
Shih CM, Huang YJ, Lai JCM, Hsieh MY.Exploring research on elevating male’s multiple sexual climaxes. Engineering Proceedings. 2023;38(1):31. doi:10.3390/engproc2023038031
International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is the refractory period?
MedlinePlus.Sperm release pathway.
International Society for Sexual Medicine.What is vaginal discharge and what is the purpose of it?
Planned Parenthood.What types of fluids come out of the vagina and vulva during masturbation?
Pastor Z, Chmel R.Differential diagnostics of female “sexual” fluids: a narrative review. Int Urogynecol J. 2018;29(5):621-629. doi:10.1007/s00192-017-3527-9
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