Why Are Egg Cells Larger Than Sperm?

In humans, they are several times larger than a typical body cell and about 10,000 times larger than sperm cells. There's a reason why egg cells, or oocytes, are so big: They need to accumulate enough nutrients to support a growing embryo after fertilization, plus mitochondria to power all of that growth.

Why is an egg bigger than a sperm?

An egg is about 30 times as wide as a sperm cell! ... Like a sperm cell, the egg contains a nucleus with half the number of chromosomes as other body cells. Unlike a sperm cell, the egg contains a lot of cytoplasm, the contents of the cell, which is why it is so big. The egg also does not have a tail.

Is egg cell bigger than sperm?

The sperms' target, is the egg. Since it is so much bigger than sperm, the egg is the source of cytosol and organelles,particularly mitochondria, for the future zygote. Unlike sperm, the egg has not completed meiosis - it's stuck in the Metaphase II stage of division.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.