M1101: Introduction to Study of Man

General embryology lecture

Male and
Female
Gametes
Dr. Sampath Paththinige MBBS, MSc, PGCert(Med.Ed)
Department of Anatomy
Faculty of Medicine & Allied Sciences, Rajarata university of Sri Lanka
 Objectives
At the end of the lecture students should be able to,
1. outline the process of sexual reproduction
2. revise the steps in meiosis
3. state the importance of ‘independent assortment’ and ‘homologous
recombination’
4. state the location of gametogenesis in male and female
5. outline the process of spermatogenesis
6. state the steps in spermiogenesis
7. illustrate the structure of a mature sperm
8. outline the process of oogenesis and folliculogenesis
9. illustrate the structure of a mature (Graafian) follicle
10. state the meaning of the term ‘ovulation’
11. compare and contrast the processes of spermatogenesis and
oogenesis
Organism - The result of Reproduction

Reproduction = Biological process by which new

offspring /individual organisms are produced from
their parents

1. Asexual reproduction 

2. Sexual reproduction
“Man is a sexually reproducing organism”
Sexual reproduction
Creation of a new organism by combining the
genetic material of two organisms

Gamete Gamete

New
organism
Gametogenesis Gametes

n- Haploid
Cells with 23 chromosomes

Sperm cell
Male/paternal gamete
2n – Diploid
cells with 46 Meiosis Fertilization
chromosomes

Zygote
2n -
n
First diploid
cell of the
Ovum/ Oocyte new organism
2n
Female/maternal gamete
 Sexual reproduction include,
1. Meiosis - Reducing the number of chromosomes by half
Diploid cells (2n – 46 chromosomes)
 Haploid cells/ gametes, (n – 23 chromosomes)

2. Fertilization - Fusion of two gametes and restoration of

original number of chromosomes
Haploid (n) ♀ gamete + Haploid (n) ♂ gamete
 Diploid cell (2n)
What are chromosomes?
Structure of a chromosome

• When DNA replication occurs before cell division

two sister chromatids are formed that are joined
together at the centromere of the chromosome.
• In cell division, two sister chromatids separates
from each other into two different cells forming
two separate (daughter) chromosomes.
 Human chromosomes
• 46 chromosomes in a normal human body cell
23 pairs = 22 pairs of Autosomes + 2 sex chromosomes (X & Y)

• Two chromosomes in each autosome pair

contains similar type of information
(similar or variant forms [Alleles] of the
same genes at similar locations [Locus]
= Homologous chromosomes
• One of each homologous chromosome pair
from mother (Maternal chromosome),
one from father (Paternal chromosome)

• Different information on the X and Y chromosomes determines gender

XX – Female: X contributed from each parent
XY – Male: X from mother and Y from father
 Largest

Human
chromosomes

Numbered from 1 -22

according to the size of
the chromosome
e.g.
Chromosome 1: 249 Mbp
(mega-basepairs)
Chromosome 21: 47 Mbp
Chromosome 22: 51 Mbp

Graphical representation of the

organization of human chromosomes

Smallest
 Karyogram
A picture of a complete set of chromosomes in an organism

Normal human female karyogram: Karyotype: 46,XX

Normal human male karyogram
Karyotype: 46,XY
  Cell division that occurs
during the production of
gametes (sperms and ova)

Meiosis  Results in the reduction

of number of chromosomes
in the cell by half
 Meiosis

Meiosis-I Meiosis-II
• Separates • Splits the sister
homologous chromatids in each
chromosomes chromosome
• End result - two • End result - 4 haploid
haploid cells (23 (n) cells [2 from each
chromosomes, n) cell produced in meiosis-I]
Meiosis-I – Reduction division
Prophase-I Metaphase-I Anaphase-I Telophase-I

•`

Diploid (2n) parent cell; Pairing Homologous chromosome Separation of 2 2 haploid (n)
of homologous chromosomes pairs arranged along the chromosomes in the daughter cells
and cross-over equatorial plane homologous pairs

Meiosis-II (Similar to mitosis)

Prophase-II Metaphase-II Anaphase-II Telophase-II

Each chromosome (with 2 Separation of 2 sister 4 haploid (n)

sister chromatids)arranged chromatids; formation of daughter cells
along the equatorial plane daughter chromosomes

Prophase-I Metaphase-I
Diploid (2n) parent cell
Consequences of meiosis
Anaphase-I Telophase-I
1. Halves the diploid number of
chromosomes, so that each
•`
gamete receives half of the
number of chromosomes (one
Homologous chromosome
pairs arranged along the
set from the pairs) from the
equatorial plane
parent cells

2. ‘Gene shuffling’ –Metaphase-II

Prophase-II Anaphase-II through, Telophase-II
enhances genetic variability
 Chiasma formation and crossover of homologous
chromosomes (in prophase -I)
 Random alignment and distribution of homologous
chromosomes = Independent assortment (in
prophase-I and metaphase-I) 4 haploid (n)
daughter cells
 Chromosomal
crossover –
Homologous
recombination

• Exchange of homologous segments between

non-sister chromatids of homologous
chromosome pairs
• Produces, sister chromatids (later become
daughter chromosomes) with a mixture of
maternal and paternal DNA, so that each
daughter chromosome becomes genetically
different from the others
 Independent assortment of homologous chromosomes

Random alignment
and distribution
homologous
chromosomes
(chromosomes of
maternal origin and
chromosomes of
paternal origin)
along the
equatorial plain,
and subsequent
distribution in to 2
daughter cells

The likelihood that any two gametes from an individual will contain exactly the same set of
chromosomes is 1 in 223 (approximately 1 in 8 million)
Meiosis - Summary

MEIOSIS-I
Interphase Prophase-I Metaphase-I Anaphase-I

Cross-over and homologous recombination

Independent assortment
Meiosis - Summary

MEIOSIS-II
Telophase-I Prophase-II Metaphase-II Anaphase-II Telophase-II
Mitosis Meiosis
Gametogenesis

Meiosis Fertilization

Mitosis
 Gametogenesis

Process of conversion of Primordial germ cells

into mature gametes
Includes,
1. Meiosis
2. Cytodifferentiation - Maturation process of germ
cells to prepare them for fertilization
 Gametogenesis Gametes

n
Spermatogenesis

Sperm cell
Spermatogonia Male/paternal gamete
Meiosis
Fertilization

Oogenesis Zygote
2n -
n First diploid
Oogonia (2n) cell of the
Ovum/ Oocyte new
Primordial germ cells (2n) Female/maternal gamete organism
 Spermatogenesis

Transformation of spermatogonia into

Spermatozoa/ sperm cells

• Takes place within the seminiferous tubules of testis

• Begins (meiosis starts) at puberty
• Continuous process
• Takes 60 - 65 days
 Male reproductive system

Ductus deferens
Seminal vesicle
Ejaculatory duct
Prostate gland
Bulbourethral gland
Urethra

Penis
Epididymis

Testis
Male reproductive system – Testis and seminiferous tubules
Spermatogenesis

Spermatogonium

Primary spermatocyte

Secondary spermatocyte

Spermatid
Spermiogenesis
Sperm cell / Spermatozoon
 Spermiogenesis = Spermatidspermatozoon

• Nucleus get condensed

• Golgi material transforms into
acrosome
• Mitochondria get arranged in
the middle piece
• Tail is formed
• Most of the cytoplasm is shed
 Mature sperm/ spermatozoon
Neck
Plasma membrane
Middle piece Head

Tail
Mitochondria

Nucleus

Acrosome
 Oogenesis

Transformation of oogonia into

mature ovum/ oocyte

• Takes place within the ovary

• Meiotic division starts before birth, temporary stops at birth
and restarts after puberty
• Meiosis is not completed unless fertilization occurs
 Female reproductive system
Uterine tube/ Fallopian tube

Uterus

Ovary

Vagina
 Oogenesis and follicular development

Embryonic/ fetal life ➝ Birth

• Oogonia starts meiosis-I
• Meiosis-I is arrested in prophase-I

and form Primary oocyte

• Oocyte gets surrounded by
a layer of follicular cells
forming a

Primordial follicle
• Primordial follicle containing the primary oocyte continues
to be in resting stage from birth till puberty

After puberty,
• Each month, 15 to 20 follicle begins to develop forming
Primary follicle  Secondary / Antral follicle
• Only one of the developing secondary follicles reach full
maturity forming a Dominant follicle which will become a
Tertiary/ Pre-ovulatory/ Graafian follicle

Primary oocyte

• All other follicles

degenerate and
become atretic
• Primary oocyte within the
mature Graafian follicle
completes meiosis-I
• After meiosis-I one cell
receive most of the cytoplasm
and reach meiosis-II
- Secondary oocyte
• The other cell becomes the
first polar body7.
• The secondary oocyte arrests in
the metaphase-II
 A follicle about to
rupture

1. Peritoneal cavity
2. Follicular fluid 1. Secondary oocyte in
3. Follicular cells with metaphase-II
secondary oocyte 2. Dividing 1st polar body
 Rupture of the mature follicle
release the secondary oocyte
into the abdomino-pelvic
cavity
- Ovulation

Fimbriae (finger like projections

extending from the end of the fallopian
tube) envelop the ovulation site and
direct the oocyte into the fallopian tube
• Meiosis-II is completed only if the oocyte meets
a sperm (Fertilization)
•

• The second polar body is released at the completion of

meiosis-II in fertilization
Oogenesis

At birth
After puberty with
each cycle
(Dominant follicle)
At ovulation

Fertilization
Oogenesis and follicular development
Oogenesis and follicular development - Summary
 Clinical correlates
Non-disjunction in meiosis and aneuploidy

• Lengthy interval between the onset of meiosis

(embryonic/fetal period) and its completion (till 45-50
years) affects the function of primary oocytes
[abnormality in spindle formation and repair
mechanisms]
• May cause non-disjunction of homologous chromosomes
(in meiosis-I) or sister chromatids (in meiosis-II)
• Produces gametes with abnormal number (gain or loss) of
one or more chromosomes
• When these gametes are fertilized with a normal sperm
produces offspring with numerical chromosomal
abnormalities – ‘Aneuploidy’ – ‘Trisomy’ or ‘Monosomy’

• Reason for the

increased incidence
of aneuploidy in the
offspring of older
mothers.
 Clinical correlates
Non-disjunction in meiosis and aneuploidy

Trisomy – presence of an extra chromosome

- Babies with autosomal trisomies do not survive till birth, except in the
trisomies in chromosomes with low gene count (Chromosome 21, 18 and 13)

e.g.
Trisomy 21:
Down syndrome
47,XX,+21
Or
47,XY,+21

Chromosome 21 has only

234 protein coding genes;
Chromosome 1: 2058, Abnormal facial features and a karyogram of Down syndrome
Chromosome 22: 488
 Clinical correlates
Non-disjunction in meiosis and aneuploidy

Monosomy – absence of a chromosome

- Autosomal monosomies are incompatible with life

e.g.
Monosomy X:
Turner
syndrome
45,X

Teenage girl with features of Turner syndrome

and her karyogram
Meiosis Oogenesis Spermatogenesis
Next First week of embryonic development
 “I dream of men who take the next step
instead of worrying about the next thousand steps.”
Theodore Roosevelt

Sampath