GAMETOGENESIS

GAMETOGENESIS

• Process of formation of gametes

• Prepares the germ cells for
fertilization
• During the process:
» The chromosome number is
halved
» Shape of the cell is altered
 GAMETOGENESIS

• The maturation process of gametes is:

» SPERMATOGENESIS in males and
» OOGENESIS in females
• The history of male and female gamete formation is
different, but the sequence of events is the same
• It is the timing of events during meiosis that differ in two
sexes
 GAMETOGENESIS

• GAMETOGENESIS IS DIVIDED INTO 4 PHASES:

» Extra embryonic origin of germ cells and their migration into
the gonads
» An increase in the number of germ cells by mitosis
» A reduction in chromosomal number by meiosis, and
» Structural and functional maturation of the spermatozoa and
eggs
• The first phase is identical in both males and females, whereas
distinct differences exist in the last three phases
 GAMETOGENESIS

• Second week of development  Epiblast  Cells Detach 

Migrate  Yolk sac
• PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS
 PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

• First become recognizable

on day 24 in the
endodermal layer of the
yolk sac
• Identified by their
» Large size
» Pale cytoplasm and
» High content of alkaline
phosphatase
 PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

• PGCs exit from the yolk sac into

the hindgut epithelium
• From hind gut PGCs migrate
through dorsal mesentry into the
primordia of the gonads
• Continue to multiply during
migration
• In mouse 100 cell leave the yolk
sac and about 4000 reach gonads
 PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

• Once the PGCs arrive in the

gonads, they are called as
oogonia or spermatogonia
• Begin a phase of rapid mitotic
proliferation
• The pattern of mitotic
proliferation differs markedly
between male and female
germ cells
 PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

• Oogonia, as mitotically active germ

cells, go through a period of intense
mitotic activity in the embryonic ovary
from the second through the fifth
month of pregnancy in the human.
During this period the population of
germ cells increases from only a few
thousand to nearly 7 million
• Shortly thereafter, large numbers of
oogonia undergo a natural
degeneration called atresia. Atresia
of germ cells is a continuing feature
of the human ovary until menopause
 PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

• Spermatogonia, which are the

male counterparts of oogonia,
follow a pattern of mitotic
proliferation that differs greatly
from that in the female
• Mitosis also begins early in the
embryonic testes, but in
contrast to female germ cells,
male germ cells maintain the
ability to divide throughout life
 PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS

• The seminiferous tubules of

the testes are lined with a
germinative population of
spermatogonia
• Beginning at puberty,
subpopulations of
spermatogonia undergo
periodic waves of mitosis
• This pattern of
spermatogonial mitosis
continues throughout life
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• TESTIS:
» Tunica albuginea
» Mediastinum testis
» Testicular lobules ~
250
» 1-4 seminiferous
tubules in each lobule
» Tubuli recti
» Rete testis
» Ductuli efferentes, 10-
MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

A. SEMINIFEROUS EPITHELIUM
• Complex stratified epithelium
containing two basic cell
populations:
» 1. SPERMATOGENIC
CELLS:
Stem cells which
regularly replicate and
differentiate into mature
sperms as they migrate
toward the lumen
 SERTOLI CELLS

• Pyramidal
• Extend from base to
lumen
• Outlines poorly
defined in LM
• EM – abundant SER,
some RER, prominent
Golgi, Mitochondria++
, Lysosomes
• Nucleus – elongate,
triangular
 FUNCTIONS OF SERTOLI CELLS

• Blood Testis Barrier’s

maintenance.
• Phagocytosis of residual
bodies.
• Give off signals that prevent
the entry of male germ cells
into meiosis.
• Secretions:
» Tubular fluid for sperm
transport
» ABP
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

B. INTERSTITIAL TISSUE:
» INTERSTITIAL CELLS OF
LEYDIG:
At puberty produce and
release testosterone.
 Under the influence of
LH, which binds to
nearly 20,000 receptors
on the surface of each
Leydig cell, and through
a cascade of second
messengers, LH
 SPERMATOGENESIS

• Complex series of changes.

• Similar to oogenesis in reduction division and genetic
recombination.
• Differs from oogenesis in more profound morphological
metamorphosis.
• For convenience, spermatogenesis may be divided into:
» 1. SPERMATOCYTOSIS (Spermatogonial Phase)
» 2. MEIOSIS OF SPERMATOCYTES (Meiotic Phase)
» 3. SPERMIOGENESIS (Spermatid Phase)
 1. SPERMATOCYTOSIS

• During embryonic, fetal and

perhaps early postnatal
periods Primordial Germ
Cells continue to divide
mitotically to produce
spermatogonia
• At and subsequent to
puberty, the
spermatogenesis begins
and continues till the age of
80 or above
• At the base of seminiferous
epithelium are several
 TYPES OF SPERMATOGONIA

THREE TYPES:
» Type “A”
Spermatogonium.
 Dark type A (Ad)
 Pale type A (Ap)
» Type “B”
Spermatogonium.
NOTE:
Dark type A is considered
to be the progenitor or
stem cell.
 SPERMATIDS ( 1n, 1c )

• Do not divide further, but they undergo a series of profound

changes that transform them from an ordinary looking cells to
highly specialized SPERMATOZOA.
• The process of transformation of a spermatid into a
spermatozoon is called SPERMIOGENESIS or SPERMATID
METAMORPHOSIS.
• In human male, each cycle of spermatogenesis takes about 64
days:
• Spermatogonial mitosis: 16 days
• 1st meiotic division: 24 days
• 2nd meiotic division: 16 days
• Spermiogenesis: 08 days
 SPERMIOGENESIS

• During spermiogenesis,
spermatids differentiate
into physically mature
spermatozoa that are
motile.
• Spermatozoa are
pushed toward the
lumen of the
seminiferous tubule.
• From there they pass
to the epididymis where
they are stored until
ejaculation.
SPERMIOGENESIS
 SPERMEIOGENESIS

1. Formation of an acrosome;
» PAS positive granules in
the Golgi, pinch off from
Golgi, Acrosomal
Vesicle – (rich in CHO),
contains hydrolytic
enzymes like
hyaluronidase, acrosin,
an acid phosphatase
and neuraminidase etc.
» Flattens over the
anterior half of the
nucleus.
 SPERMEIOGENESIS

2. Development of a
flagellum:
Hypothalamic releasing
and inhibitory factors

Prostate,
Seminal vesicles,
Epididymis,
Ductus deferens,
Penis and
Scrotum