Abstract

Oogenesis is the process of formation of female gametes. This process

begins inside the fetus before birth. The steps in oogenesis up to the
production of primary oocytes occur before birth.Oogonia are diploid egg
mother cells in the ovary of female organisms, these cells have a large
nucleus and small amount of cytoplasm, they are formed from primitive
germ cells, it gives rise to ova, this process is called oogenesis.

Location
Oogenesis occurs in the outermost layers of the ovaries. As with sperm
production, oogenesis starts with a germ cell, called an oogonia but this cell
undergoes mitosis to increase in number, eventually resulting in up to one
to two million cells in the embryo.
Oogenesis

Duration

Oogenesis takes place in only 12 days, so the nurse cells are very
metabolically active during this time.

Phases

There are four phases to oogenesis; namely, the multiplication phase,

growth phase, maturation phase, and ovulation phase.

i) Multiplication phase:

1. This phase occurs during the fetal development process.

2. There are a few unusual-looking larger cells found in the
germinal epithelium of the ovary.
3. These cells undergo mitotic division and produce a
couple of million oogonia or mother egg cells.
ii) Growth phase:

1. In this phase, the initial oocyte develops and it is quite

time-consuming.
2. The oogonium grows into larger primary oocytes.
3. To form a primary follicle, each primary oocyte is then
surrounded by a layer of granulosa cells.

iii) Maturation phase:

1. Every primary oocyte goes through two stages of

development.
2. The consequences of maturation divisions in oogenesis,
on the other hand, are significantly different from those in
spermatogenesis.
3. The original oocyte divides into two unequal haploid
daughter cells during the first meiotic division.

iv) Ovulation phase:

1. The process of production of the ovum is called

ovulation.
2. This process occurs at the stage of puberty.
 3. The primary oocytes become larger in size when the
menstrual cycle begins,
4. The follicle cells increase in number, causing the follicle
to become larger.

Schematic representation of oogenesis

A primary oocyte begins the first meiotic division, but then
arrests until later in life when it will finish this division in a
developing follicle. This results in a secondary oocyte, which
will complete meiosis if it is fertilized.

the gamete formed by oogenesis contains all the materials

needed to initiate and maintain metabolism and development.