Final answer:
During sexual intercourse, sperm travel from the seminiferous tubules in the testes, through the epididymis where they gain motility, then through the vas deferens, ejaculatory duct, and urethra before being deposited in the female reproductive tract.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sperm Transport During Sexual Intercourse
During sexual intercourse, sperm are transported starting from the seminiferous tubules in the testes. Sperm become mature in the epididymis, where they gain motility. Following maturation, they travel through the vas deferens. During ejaculation, contractions propel the sperm from the epididymis, through the vas deferens, and behind the bladder where they combine with fluids from the seminal vesicles to form semen. This semen then passes through the ejaculatory duct, travels through the urethra, and is finally deposited into the female reproductive tract.
The detailed process involves sperm initially leaving the tightly coiled epididymis and being pushed by smooth muscle contraction into the vas deferens. As they move down the vas deferens, they are mixed with seminal fluid to become semen, which leaves the body through the urethra. A single ejaculation may release hundreds of millions of sperm, which are then deposited in the female reproductive tract where they may potentially fertilize an egg. This complex journey allows the sperm to reach and potentially fertilize the female egg, completing the fertilization process.