Male ejaculate is called “Semen”.
Composition:
It is a mixture of sperm and secretion of seminal vesicles, prostate and cowper’s gland.
The bulk of semen (60%) is formed by secretion of Seminal vesicles.
Volume:
Each ejaculation contains approximately 2.5 ml to 5 ml of semen (50-150 Million Sperms).
Oligospermia (Low Sperm Count): 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen.
Azoospermia: Complete absence of sperms in semen.
Appearance:
Color: White-Milky White.
Consistency: Viscous sticky.
pH: 7.2-7.7.
The color of semen is due to prostatic secretions while consistency and stickiness is due to cowper's gland and seminal vesicle secretions.
Semen contains many different chemicals viz. Hormones, nutrients and other compounds.
Fructose present in semen acts as a source of energy for sperm.
Seminalplasmin, an antibacterial substance found in semen prevents it from microbial attack from the flora of the pathway that is in male urethra and female reproductive tract.
After ejaculation it coagulates within 5 minutes and then decoagulates and becomes fluidy again. (Necessary for fructose utilization by sperms).