Lecture 6- Gametogenesis Flashcards
- After colonising the gonad, germ cells:
- Proliferate by mitosis
- Reshuffle genetically and reduce to haploid by meiosis
- Cytodifferentiation into mature gametes
- Timing and scale varies between sexes

oogenesis
- female: ovum
- very few gametes (around 400 in lifetime)
- intermittent production (1/month)
- 1/400th of reproductive potential
spermatogenesis
- male: sperm
- huge number (200 million/ day)
- continous production
- essentially disposable cells
2 main functions of meisosis
- Reduce the chromosomes number in the game to 23
- Ensures every gamete is genetically unique
- MEIOSIS HAS …….. successive cells division:
2
- Meiosis 1 and 2
meiosis produces
Produces 4 daughter cells
In females only one develops into a mature oocyte, others form polar bodies

Genetic variation
Arises from:
-
Crossing over (meiosis 1)
- Exchange of regions of DNA between 2 homologous chromosomes
-
Independent assortment
- Random orientation of each bivalent along the metaphase plate with respect to other bivalents
- 8.4 million different varieties
- Random segregation

spermatogensis describes
the production of male gametes
spermatogensis overview
- Occurs in the testicle
- Sperm is formed in the seminiferous tubule (spermatogensis)
- Process of maturation of the sperm happens from the outside to the inside of the seminiferous tubules
- Diploids spermatogonium are found closest to the interstitium
- These become primary spermatocytes, then secondary spermatocytes and then the haploid spermatid is found at the centre of the seminiferous tubule
- These are then transferred through the lumen
- Leydig cells are found surrounding the seminiferous tubules in the interstitium
- Produce testosterone to promote spermaturation
- Process of maturation of the sperm happens from the outside to the inside of the seminiferous tubules
- Sperm is formed in the seminiferous tubule (spermatogensis)
- Spermatids that emerge from the walls of the seminiferous tubules
- swim down the lumen of the seminiferous tubules and these tubules convalesce at the rete testis
- The rete testis concentrates the sperm and then pass onto the ductili efferentes to do the same
- The sperm emerge from the ductili efferentes into the head of the epididymis (storage tube for sperm)
- Upon ejaculation the sperm are released into the Vas deferens

epididymis
(storage tube for sperm)
Cells that aid spermatogenesis
- Sertoli cells
- Tight junctions form the blood testes barrier
- Leydig cells
Sertoli cells
- spermatogenesis occurs supported by Sertoli cells.
- Nurture developing sperm
- Tight junctions form the blood testes barrier
- Separates basal and adluminal compartment
- Provides correct environment for sperm to mature
- Prevent the immune system from recognising the genetic diversity of the sperm cell
raw material for spermatogenesis
spermatogonia
- Available for up to 70 years
spermatogonia divide to
- Divide by mitosis to give rise to
- Ad spermatogonium (resting; reserve stock)
- Ap spermatogonium (active: maintain stock and from puberty onwards produce Type B spermatogonia which give rise to primary spermatocytes)
Primary spermatocytes divide by meiosis giving rise to
- Secondary spermatocytes and then spermatids
- Each primary spermatocyte forms 4 haploid spermatids which differentiate (spermiogenesis) into spermatozoa

spermiation
- release of sperm into seminiferous tubules
Spermatogenic cycle (time) and waves (space)
- Not all stages in spermatogenesis are visible in a single cross section of seminiferous tubule
- Cells tend to appear in groups with same maturation stage
-
Spermatogenic cycle defined as time taken for reappearance of the same stage within a given segment of tubule (16 days)
- Diff stages in spermatogenesis are also ordered in space as well as time
- Each stage follows in an orderly sequence along the length of the tubule
- The distance between the same stage is called the spermatogenic waves

outline steps of spermatogenesis
- Spermatogonia (2N, 2C)- found towards the edge of the seminiferous tubule
- Spermatogonia replicates genetic info and moves towards the interior- primary spermatocyte (2N, 4C)
- Primary spermatocye is sanwiched between adjacent Sertoli cells and are separated by from the exterior of the tube by tight junctions
- Tight junctions between Sertoli cells help to form the blood testis barrier
- To prevent autodestruction of gametes
- Primary spermatocyte –>secondary spermatocytes- meosisis 1
- 1N, 2C
- Secondary spermacotcye undergo meosisiss 2 forming haploid spermatid (1N, 1C)
- Haploid spermatids undergo final maturation
- Sperms are transported out of the testes via the epididymis
spermiation
Spermatids released in lumen of seminiferous tubule
spermiogenesis
remodeling of sperm as they pass down seminiferous tubule, through rete testis and ductuli efferentes and into the epididymis to finally form spermatozoa
spermatids are
- Non- motile (transport via Sertoli cell secretions assisted by peristaltic contraction) until they reach epididymis












