Why so many sperm cells?

2014/09/28 by K. Reynaud Z. Schuss, Schuss, K. Reynaud Z., Nathalie Rouach +3 · 2 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #92C30 92C17 #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Biological Physics (physics.bio-ph) #Cell Behavior (q-bio.CB) #Diffusion and Search Dynamics #FOS: Biological sciences #FOS: Physical sciences #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1409.7941

openalex publication_date 2014/09/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

A key limiting step in fertility is the search for the oocyte by spermatozoa. Initially, there are tens of millions of sperm cells, but a single one will make it to the oocyte. This may be one of the most severe selection processes designed by evolution, whose role is yet to be understood. Why is it that such a huge redundancy is required and what does that mean for the search process? we propose to discuss here these questions and consequently a new line of interdisciplinary research needed to find possible answers.

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• Rare Events and Redundancy in Random Walkers Target Search in a Finite Domain

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