Final answer:
The tail of the sperm, a long flagellum, enables the sperm cell's motion, which is essential for it to travel and reach the egg cell for fertilization. Sperm gains motility in the epididymis and travels through the male and female reproductive tracts to meet the oocyte.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tail of the sperm, which is a long flagella, is used for the cell’s motion. This structure is crucial for allowing sperm cells to travel towards the egg cell for fertilization. The midpiece of the sperm is packed with mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, which produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy that powers the movement of the sperm. The tail itself moves in a propeller-like fashion, rotating to push the sperm forward.
Sperm cells begin their journey from the seminiferous tubules in the testes, moving through the epididymis where they gain motility and are then transported during ejaculation through the into the female reproductive tract. Upon reaching the oocyte in the fallopian tube, sperm must burrow through protective layers such as the corona radiata and bind receptors on the zona pellucida, initiating an acrosomal reaction to eventually penetrate and fertilize the egg.