Gametogenesis:

Spermatogenesis & Oogenesis

Dr. Naveen Kumar

MMMC Manipal
 Gametogenesis

 New life begins with the fertilization – two gametes unite to form a zygote

 Male gamete- sperm, female gamete- oocyte

 Gametes are derived from primordial germ cells

 Gametogenesis – Conversion of primordial germ cells into gametes

Germ cells undergo gametogenesis, which includes meiosis type of cell division
to reduce the number of chromosomes to half (23 chromosomes /haploid cells)
Spermatogenesis - Formation of
spermatozoa (male gametes)

 Begins at the age of puberty and continues into old age

 Formed in seminiferous tubules of the testes

 Just before puberty, primordial germ cells give rise to spermatogonial stem cells

 These stem cells form Type A Spermatogonia - initiation of spermatogenesis

 Type A cells undergo limited number of Mitosis - gives more type A and type B
cells (44+X+Y)

 Type B cells divide to form Primary spermatocytes (44+X+Y)

Type A- Reserve stem cells
Type B- Differentiating cells
 Stages of spermatogenesis (Schematic)

Type A Spermatogonia 44 XY

Mitotic
division

Type A Spermatogonium 44 XY 44 XY Type B Spermatogonium

44 XY Primary spermatocyte

Type A- Reserve stem cells

Type B- Differentiating cells
Stages in spermatogenesis……

Primary spermatocyte
44 XY

First Meiotic
division

Secondary spermatocyte 22+ X 22+ Y Secondary spermatocyte

Second Meiotic
division

Spermatids 22+ X 22+ X 22+ Y 22+ Y Spermatids

 Spermiogenesis

The process by which a spermatid is

Spermatids
transformed into a spermatozoon

22+ X 22+ X 22+ Y 22+ Y

Circular spermatids contain a

nucleus, golgi apparatus,
centriole and mitochondria
Spermatozoa
 Process by which a spermatid becomes a spermatozoa

Golgi apparatus forms acrosomal cap

Head

Nucleus forms head

Neck
Proximal centriole lies in neck
Middle piece

Mitochondria forms sheath

of middle piece
Distal centriole becomes ring
shaped and forms annulus
Principal Axial filament grows out from centriole.
piece
It is present in middle piece and tail
 Structure of spermatozoa

 Head – Piriform shape, Contains chromatin

 Covered by acrosomic cap with enzymes

 Neck- Contains funnel shaped basal body and centriole

 Middle piece- Part between the neck and annulus - surrounded by

mitochondria

 Tail (principal piece & tail piece) -Remaining part of the axial filament

 Annulus- ring like structure at the point where the middle piece joins tail.

Entire spermatozoon is enclosed in a plasma membrane

 Oogenesis

 Once the primordial germ cells reach

the ovary- they differentiate into oogonia

 Before birth, Oogonia undergo mitotic divisions. But never after birth

 Oogonia divides to form primary oocyte

 Primary oocytes remain arrested in prophase of meiosis 1 (in female
fetus) until onset of puberty. Completes meiosis I just before ovulation
becomes secondary oocyte

 Secondary oocyte enters Meiosis II which is completed if the oocyte is

penetrated (fertilized) by the sperm

 If not fertilized, secondary oocyte does not complete the meiosis and is
thrown out of the uterus with the menstrual flow
 Stages of oogenesis
44 XX Oogonium
Oogonium (44+X+X)

Mitotic division
Forms primary oocyte (44+X+X)
Primary Oocyte 44 XX
First Meiotic division
Each primary oocyte- undergo 1st meiotic Prophase Till puberty
division – produces one secondary oocyte
(22+X) and 1st polar body (22+X)
22+ X 22X 1st polar body
Secondary Oocyte

Second Meiotic division

Each secondary oocyte- enters 2ndmeiotic Metaphase ovulation
division – Produces
1- ovum (22+X) and 2nd polar body (22+X) 22+ X 22X
Ovum 2nd polar body
Process of oogenesis v/s spermatogenesis

 The process is similar to spermatogenesis but with few differences

1. One primary oocyte (diploid) forms only one ovum (haploid)

Whereas, one primary spermatocyte (diploid) gives rise to 4- spermatozoa (haploid)

2. When the spermatocyte divides the cytoplasm is equally distributed to daughter

cells, but in Oogenesis, almost all cytoplasm goes to one daughter cell which forms
the secondary oocyte and becomes Ovum , while other daughter cell becomes
polar bodies – eventually degenerate

The concentration of cytoplasm in one oocyte provides nourishment for the

developing embryo after fertilization
 Spermatogenesis V/s Oogenesis

Spermatogenesis Oogenesis
1. Single Ovum / month
1. 300 millions sperms/day
2. Ovum production up to menopause age
2. Sperm production till death (45 – 50 years)
3. 64 days taken for sperm production 3. 14 days taken for Ovum production
4. Sperms are motile 4. Ovum is immotile
5. Sperm is small but long (60x2µm) 5. Ovum is largest cell (120µm in diameter)
Facts
 Single ejaculation: 200-300 miliion sperms are emitted

SPERMATOZOA  Amount of semen: 3-4ml. 100 million/ ml.

(22+X and 22+Y)
 20million sperm/ml or 50 million/ total ejaculate: fertile

 < 10million per ml.-sterility

OVUM
(22+X)
 Total number of oocytes at birth : 600,000 -800,000

 Most of it become atretic during childhood

 At the beginning of puberty – 400,000

 About 500 oocytes are ovulated in reproductive age

 Approx 400,000 oocytes present at puberty – out of which less that 500 will
get matured and ovulated

 Some may mature very late (at the age of 40 years or more)- but
vulnerable to damage as they age

 So risk of having children with chromosomal abnormalities high as the

maternal age increases
Thank You