Gametogenesis: Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis

General Biology 1
Gametogenesis
• A process by which male and female sex cells or gametes,
i.e., sperms and ova are formed respectively in the male
and female gonads.
• The production of ovum is termed oogenesis and the
production of spermatozoa is called spermatogenesis.
• Both spermatogenesis and oogenesis comprise similar
phases of sequential changes:
 Multiplication phase
 Growth Phase
 Maturation Phase

• Spermatogenesis and oogenesis depend on mitosis and

meiosis.
Spermatogenesis
• Production of sperm
▫ Continuous and prolific
▫ Each ejaculation contains ~100-650 million sperm
• Spermatogenesis occurs continuously from
puberty where spermatogonia divide into
spermatozoa in the testes.
• Occurs in the testes
▫ Seminiferous tubules
• The seminiferous tubules produce haploid cells.
It involves several steps including mitosis and
meiosis. 300 million sperm cells are produced
per day.
Testis
Spermatogenesis
• Spermatogenesis is divided into three phases:
▫ Spermatogonial phase (mitosis)
▫ Spermatocyte phase (meiosis)
▫ Spermatid phase (spermiogenesis or sperm maturation).
Spermiogenesis

Golgi phase - the spermatid starts to form a head and

an axoneme while its DNA undergoes packaging, becoming highly
condensed.
Cap phase - formation of the acrosomal cap
Acrosomal phase - one of the centrioles of the spermatid elongates
to become the tail.
Maturation phase - the remaining cytoplasm and organelles are
removed by phagocytosis of Sertoli cells.
Hormonal Control of Spermatogenesis:
• Increase in gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by
the hypothalamus. GnRH acts on the anterior lobe of
pituitary gland to secrete luteinizing hormone (LH) and
follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). LH acts on the
Leydig’s cells of the testes to secrete testosterone.

• FSH acts on Sertoli

cells of the
seminiferous tubules
of the testes to secrete
an androgen
binding protein
(ABP) and inhibin.
Oogenesis
• The development of ova
▫ Mature, unfertilized eggs cells
▫ Happens in the ovary
• Oogenesis occurs by meiosis
• No more than one ovum is produced per month
therefore females do not have constant mitosis
of their germ cells occurring.
• Oogenesis begins during fetal life. During the
first trimester of pregnancy the oogonia
(primordial germ cells) of the female fetus
divides continuously, mitotically.
Oogenesis
• The oogonia reach a population of 7 million. These
oogonia begin the first meiotic division but stop in
prophase I of meiosis I as a primary oocyte and lie
within the ovaries surrounded by other cells, follicular
cells (together they comprise the primary follicle).
Mitosis (Multiplication phase)
 Oogonia become primary oocytes (both are diploid cells).
 Completed by the end of the third month of fetal development.

(Pre-puberty) Meiosis (Growth phase)

 Primary oocytes begin the process of meiosis but are halted
in prophase I
 Prior to birth there is a huge reduction in primary oocytes to only 2
million.

Meiosis (from puberty through menopause)

 Meiosis does not continue again until puberty, when menarche begins. At
puberty only 400,000 oocytes remain in the ovaries.
 A monthly surge of LH causes the primary oocyte to continue meiosis
from where it left off (prophase I). Every month, one primary oocyte is
hormonally stimulated to begin to enlarge and complete meiosis. This is
stimulated by follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).
 The end result is a secondary oocyte and a polar body.
 Meiosis stops again!
 The secondary oocyte will be released from the ovary
during ovulation without yet becoming an ovum!
Completion of meiosis (post-fertilization)
 The ovulated secondary oocyte begins meiosis II but stops at
metaphase II.
 Penetration of sperm induces the secondary oocyte to go through
its second meiotic division (again with unequal cytokinesis).
 If it does not encounter a spermatozoan, it never undergoes the
second meiotic division but will go through atresia.
 If it encounters a spermatozoan it rapidly completes Anaphase II
and Telophase II to form the ovum and another polar body.
 Only 400 oocytes are used over the reproductive life span of the
female.
The Ovarian Cycle
• A 28-day cycle
• Follicular phase (days 1–14): a dozen or more follicles begin to grow in
response to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).
▫ A follicle is a primary oocyte together with special cells surrounding it that nourish
the oocyte and secrete estrogens.
▫ Only one follicle will actually mature each month; the others that begin the process
soon degenerate.
• Ovulation (day 14): follicle ruptures.
▫ 8 to 10 hours prior to ovulation, the primary oocyte (diploid) undergoes the first
meiotic division.
▫ This produces a secondary oocyte and an insignificant polar body (both haploid).
• Luteal phase (day 15–28): follicle cells transform.
▫ They become a glandular structure called the corpus luteum (word
derivation: corpus, body; luteum, yellow).
▫ The corpus luteum secretes hormones:
 Estrogens
 Progesterone
▫ If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum disintegrates.
Parthenogenesis:
• super-induced modification of gamogenesis in which the
female gamete or egg-cell does not unite with a male gamete
or sperm-cell to form a " zygote," but proceeds to develop
independently.
• production of offspring by a virgin mother.
• it involves the production, activation, and development of a
female egg which is a specialized reproductive cell.

Few Vertebrates: Invertebrates:

 komodo dragons  water fleas
 mole salamders  aphids
 hammerhead sharks  some bees
 some reptiles  some scorpions
 some amphibians  many others
 some fish
 rarley in birds
Parthenogenesis:
 Parthenocarpy:
• development of fruit without fertilization.
• The fruit resembles a normally produced fruit but is
seedless.
Example: Two types:
 pineapple  Vegetative parthenocarpy – no pollination
 Banana  Stimulative parthenocarpy is a process where
 cucumber pollination is required but no fertilization takes
 grape place.
 Orange
 Grapefruit
 Persimmon
 breadfruit