Final answer:
The epididymis is where spermatozoa are stored until they mature. This process involves the sperm gaining motility and being able to fertilize an egg, and takes about 9 to 10 weeks. Mature sperm are held in the tail of the epididymis until ejaculation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sperm Maturation and Storage
The site where sperm are stored until they mature is known as the epididymis. This is a coiled tube attached to the testes where newly formed spermatozoa (sperm cells) are sent after their formation to further mature. Although sperm originate in the seminiferous tubules of the testes where spermatogenesis occurs, they are not fully mature until they have passed through the epididymis.
In the epididymis, sperm undergo several changes; they gain motility and the capability to fertilize an oocyte (egg cell). The head of the mature sperm consists mainly of the nucleus, with the acrosome containing enzymes critical for fertilization. The tail of the sperm, which grows in the epididymis, gives it the ability to move actively. This maturation process takes about 9 to 10 weeks. Importantly, once the sperm have matured, they are stored in the tail of the epididymis until ejaculation.
During ejaculation, mature sperm leave the epididymis and are transported by smooth muscle contraction through the ductus deferens and eventually expelled from the body.