Mitochondria provide energy for the sperm and therefore enabling the cell to mov
ID: 47983 • Letter: M
Question
Mitochondria provide energy for the sperm and therefore enabling the cell to move using its flagellum. During fertilization only the head of the sperm enters the egg. What can be inferred about the fate of the sperm's mitochondria?
The mitochondria will be utilized by other sperm in order to travel faster
The sperm's mitochondria does not enter the egg, therefore the resulting offspring will have mitochondria inherited from the mother
The sperm's mitochondria enters the egg, therefore the resulting offspring will have mitochondria inherited from only the father
The mitochondria will be utilized by other sperm in order to travel faster
The sperm's mitochondria does not enter the egg, therefore the resulting offspring will have mitochondria inherited from the mother
The sperm's mitochondria enters the egg, therefore the resulting offspring will have mitochondria inherited from only the father
The sperm's mitochondria will enter the egg along with the chromosomes, therefore the resulting offspring will have mitochondria from both the mother and the fatherExplanation / Answer
Answer is The sperm's mitochondria does not enter the egg, therefore the resulting offspring will have mitochondria inherited from the mother
When the sperm enters the egg, the sperm head disconnects from its flagellum and the egg travels down the Fallopian tube to reach the uterus. Mitochondria in mammalian sperm are usually destroyed by the egg cell after fertilization. Thus, children of the same mother are hemizygous for maternal mtDNA and are thus identical to each other and to their mother.