This document explains the scientific basis of spermatozoon movement, highlighting the role of cellular respiration and ATP in facilitating flagellum contraction and relaxation.
Extract
[...] The two media are therefore correlated by the action of the mitochondria. The medium with dioxygen thus allows the spermatozoon to carry out cellular respiration and thus synthesize ATP. In the third medium, it does not need to do so since ATP is provided, so it can directly consume it to perform movements. In summary, the spermatozoon is equipped with mitochondria to carry out cellular respiration. It is therefore essential for it to have dioxygen and glucose (present in seminal fluid) in order to carry out cellular respiration. [...]
[...] I therefore conclude that this medium is not beneficial for its movement. Then, in the third medium, the spermatozoon is in the presence of ATP that has been added and is in a non-oxygenated medium. I observe that its mobility increases from 1 AU to 5 AU in about 7 hours. I conclude that ATP is essential for the movement of the spermatozoon. ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is a molecule made up of 3 phosphate groups, a nitrogenous base which is adenine, and a pentose carbohydrate composed of 5 carbon atoms), here it is a ribose. [...]
[...] To perform a movement, muscles need exploitable energy, ATP. It was also observed in this photograph that there are mitochondria, which are essential organelles for muscle movements. Next, we can look at another experiment. This is an experiment that highlights what the spermatozoon needs to move. We measure their mobility in AU over time in hours with a constant presence of fructose, a molecule very similar to glucose (the difference is explained by the fact that the IUPAC name of fructose is pentahydroxyhexan-2-one and the IUPAC name of glucose is pentahydroxyhexanal). [...]
