I.

OVERVIEW OF GAMETOGENESIS

Gametogenesis is the process whereby a haploid cell (23 chromosomes) is formed from a diploid cell
(46 chromosomes) through meiosis and cell differentiation.
Gametogenesis in the male is known as spermatogenesis and produces spermatozoa.
Gametogenesis in the female is known as oogenesis and result in the formation of ova.

SPERMATOGENESIS

Spermatogenesis is the origin and development of the sperm cells within the male reproductive organs, the testes. Sperm cells are
produced within the testes in structures called seminiferous tubules. Once the sperm has matured, it is transported through the long
seminiferous tubules and stored in the epididymis of the testes until it is ready to leave the male body.

- Males start producing sperm when they reach puberty, which is usually from 10-16 years old.
- They are produced in large quantities (~200 million a day) to maximise the likelihood of sperm reaching the egg.
- Sperm are continually produced as males need to be ready to utilise the small window of fertility of the female.
- Sperm production occurs in the testes of the male, specifically in the seminiferous tubules.
- Sertoli cells have a role in supporting the developing spermatozoa.

Spermatogonia (primitive germ cell) are the initial pool of diploid cells that divide by mitosis to give two identical cells:

• A1 spermatogonia - will be used to replenish the pool of spermatogonia

- This replenishment of spermatogonia means that males are fertile throughout their adult life.

• Type B spermatogonium – will eventually form mature sperm.

- these cells are known as primary spermatocytes which then undergo meiosis.

Meiosis I produces two haploid cells, known as secondary spermatocytes

Meiosis II produces four haploid cells, known as spermatids
 - The cytoplasmic bridges break down and the spermatids are released into the lumen of the seminiferous tubule
– a process called spermiation.

- The spermatids undergo spermiogenesis (remodelling and differentiation into mature spermatozoa) as they travel along
the seminiferous tubules until they reach the epididymis.

- From the seminiferous tubule they travel to the rete testis, which acts to “concentrate” the sperm by removing excess
fluid, before moving to the epididymis where the sperm is stored and undergoes the final stages of maturation.

Spermatogenesis takes approximately 70 days, therefore in order for sperm production to be continuous and not
intermittent, multiple spermatogenic processes are occurring simultaneously within the same seminiferous tubule, with new
groups of spermatogonia arising every 16 days (spermatogenic cycle). Each of these populations of spermatogenic cells will be
at different stages of spermatogenesis.

Note that once sperm leave the male body and enter the female reproductive tract, the conditions there cause the sperm to
undergo capacitation, which is the removal of cholesterol and glycoproteins from the head of the sperm cell to allow it to bind to
the zona pellucida of the egg cell.
OOGENESIS

Oogenesis differs from spermatogenesis in that it begins in the fetus prior to birth.

Primordial germ cells (which originate in the yolk sac of the embryo) move to colonise the cortex of the primordial gonad(ovary) and replicate
by mitosis to peak at approximately 7 million by mid-gestation (~20 weeks).

Cell death occurs after this peak to leave 2 million cells which begin meiosis I before birth, these are known as primary oocytes. Therefore,
a human female is born with approximately 2 million primary oocytes arrested in meiosis, meaning they have a finite supply of potential
ova.

During childhood, further atresia (cell death) occurs, leaving ~40,000 eggs at puberty.

Once puberty begins, a number of primary oocytes (15-20) begin to mature each month, although only one of these reaches full
maturation to become an oocyte.

Ovulation - ovum is released from the ovary and taken up into the fallopian tube via the fimbriae (finger-like projections of the
fallopian tube).

Fertilisation

The secondary oocyte will only complete meiosis II following fertilisation, giving off a third polar body once meiosis II is completed
and a fertilised egg. If fertilisation never occurs, the oocyte degenerates 24 hours after ovulation, remaining arrested in meiosis II.

If the egg is fertilised however, the peristaltic movements of the fallopian tube move the egg to the uterus where it can implant into
the posterior uterine wall.
 The period of time required for full development of a fetus in utero is referred to as gestation (gestare = “to carry” or “to
bear”). It can be subdivided into distinct gestational periods:

• Pre-embryonic stage - first 2 weeks of prenatal development

• Embryonic stage - during weeks 3–8, a developing human is referred to as an embryo

• Fetal stage - 9th week of gestation until birth and the developing human is referred to as a fetus

The pre-embryonic and embryonic stages of development are characterized by cell division, migration, and
differentiation. By the end of the embryonic period, all of the organ systems are structured in rudimentary form, although the
organs themselves are either nonfunctional or only semi-functional.

Fertilization
The first week of human development begins with fertilization of the egg by sperm forming the first cell, the zygote.

Cleavage Stage – series of rapid mitosis

Following fertilization, the zygote and its associated membranes, together referred to as the conceptus, continue to move
toward the uterus by peristalsis and beating cilia. During its journey to the uterus, the zygote undergoes five or six rapid mitotic
cell divisions. Although each cleavage results in more cells, it does not increase the total volume of the conceptus.
Zygote undergoes series of rapid mitosis which leads to the formation of a ball of cells, the morula.
Each daughter cell produced by cleavage is called a blastomere.

Morula Stage
Approximately 3 days after fertilization, a 16-cell conceptus reaches the uterus. The cells that had been loosely grouped are
now compacted and look more like a solid mass. The name given to this structure is the morula (morula = “little mulberry”).
Blastula Stage
Once inside the uterus, the conceptus floats freely for several more days. It continues to divide, creating a ball of
approximately 100 cells, and consuming nutritive endometrial secretions called uterine milk while the uterine lining thickens. The
ball of now tightly bound cells starts to secrete fluid and organize themselves around a fluid-filled cavity, the blastocoel. At this
developmental stage, the conceptus is referred to as a blastocyst.
Within this structure, a group of cells forms into an:
- inner cell mass or embryoblast which develops to become the embryo; and The cells that form the outer shell
- outer cell mass or trophoblasts - these cells will develop into the chorionic sac and the fetal portion of
the placenta (the organ of nutrient, waste, and gas exchange between mother and the developing offspring).

Implantation
The process of implantation, signals the end of the pre-embryonic stage of development.
References:

https://teachmephysiology.com/reproductive-system/embryology/gametogenesis/

https://www.britannica.com/science/seminiferous-tubule

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/722898177661263703/

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/532902568401156316/

https://www.123rf.com/photo_93918931_stock-vector-fertilized-cell-development-diagram-vector-illustration-educational-medical-
information-.html