Question

Which one of the following statements is false in respect of viability of mammalian sperm?
(A) Sperm is viable for only up to $24$ hours.
(B) Survival of sperm depends on the ${P_H}$ of the medium and is more active in the alkaline medium.
(C) Viability of sperm is determined by its motility.
(D) Sperms must be concentrated in a thick suspension.

Answer 1

Sperm is the reproductive cell of the male which undergoes sexual reproduction by fusion with the female reproductive cell, egg. Mostly mammals produce the motile sperms with the tail like filament called flagella for its locomotion.

Complete answer:
The testis is the primary reproductive organ in the male. It produces millions of sperms during its lifetime. After the production, these sperms move to the secondary reproductive organ called prostate. There the organ produces the prostatic fluid which helps in the nourishment of the sperm and the store sperms until the reproduction happens.

This fluid along with the sperm is called as the semen, when the reproduction happens this fluid moves out. Since this prostatic fluid is capable of storing sperm viable for several days but not for $24$ hours. Hence this option is wrong. The prostatic fluid is mostly maintained in an alkaline range of $7.4 - 8$ and this fluid is very thick. The movement of the sperm indicates the sperm viability. Hence except the first option, all the other options are correct.

Thus the correct answer is option (A)

Note: During the reproduction, the sperm forcefully moves out from the epididymis of the prostate gland into the deferent duct. Then it moves through the duct and reaches the pelvic cavity. And then they move to the external environment through the urethra.