13.2 Spermatogenesis

Question 1

What is the only process in humans that involves meiosis?

Answer 1

gametogenesis

Question 2

What is gametogenesis?

Answer 2

process by which diploid germ cells undergo meiotic division to produce haploid gametes

Question 3

What are spermatozoa?

Answer 3

haploid gametes produced by males

Question 4

What are ova?

Answer 4

haploid gametes produced by females

Question 5

What is the role of sperm?

Answer 5

swim through the female genital tract to reach the egg and fuse with it

Question 6

What is syngamy?

Answer 6

fusion of egg and sperm

Question 7

What is a zygote?

Answer 7

the result of fusion of egg and sperm

Question 8

What is maternal inheritance?

Answer 8

both sperm and egg contribute equally to the genome but the ova provides every other part of the zygote

Question 9

When does spermatogenesis occur?

Answer 9

puberty

Question 10

Where does spermatogenesis occur?

Answer 10

testes; seminiferous tubule

Question 11

What are germ cells?

Answer 11

cells that give rise to spermatogonia

Question 12

Where do the final stages of sperm maturation take place?

Answer 12

epididymis

Question 13

What causes inactivity of mature sperm?

Answer 13

inhibitory substances secreted by the duct deferens

Question 14

Where do spermatids develop into spermatozoa?

Answer 14

seminiferous tubules

Question 15

What is the sperm head?

Answer 15

contains haploid nucleus and the acrosome

Question 16

What is the acrosome?

Answer 16

compartment on the head of the sperm that contains hydrolytic enzymes required for the penetration of the ovum’s protective layers

Question 17

What is the sperm tail?

Answer 17

flagellum

Question 18

What is the sperm neck?

Answer 18

base of the tail that contains mitochondria

Question 19

What is bindin?

Answer 19

protein on the sperms surface that attaches to receptors on the zona pellucida surrounding the ovum