Research by British and Japanese scientists have found the secret of the winning spermatozoa, that is, those who gain the first place in fertilizing the egg.
It seems the secret is in the rhythm and movements of the head and tail that sperm make, whose patterns are very similar to the fields that form around the magnets. This issue helps to propel them and reach their difficult destination.
More than 50 million sperm are involved in the race for the ovum. Of them, only 10 reach the goal but, as we all know, this race does not recognize a second or third place: only one can remain.
To find out the secret of these tiny runners, the team of researchers measured the rate of individual sperm cell queues in order to understand the flow of fluid formed around the sperm. According to Dr. Hermes Gadelha, lead author of the study, a simple mathematical formula explains the rhythmic patterns that are created. These movements are the ones that contribute to the spermatozoa moving towards the ovum.
According to the researchers in the journal Physical Review Letters, knowing more about sperm could help discover more effective treatments against male infertility.
