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Spermatogenesis - physiology
Spermatogenesis - anatomy/histology
Oogenesis
100

At what stage of life does spermatogenesis begin, and how does its pattern of production differ from oogenesis?

  • It begins at puberty and is continuous throughout life, whereas     oogenesis is cyclical and finite.
100

In which structure of the testis does spermatogenesis primarily occur?


  • Seminiferous tubules
100

Approximately how many oocytes are ovulated during a lifetime?

  • ~400
200

How many mature sperm cells are produced from one primary spermatocyte after completion of meiosis?

  • Four sperm cells
200

Which supporting cell type in the seminiferous tubules nourishes developing sperm cells and forms the blood–testis barrier?

- BONUS: What hormone do they respond to?

  • Sertoli cells
  • Respond to FSH
200

At puberty, how many oocytes typically begin to resume meiosis during each menstrual cycle, and how does this compare to spermatogenesis?

  • Usually one oocyte per cycle resumes meiosis.
  •  Oogenesis is cyclical and finite, spermatogenesis is continuous and self-renewing
300

Approximately how many sperm are produced per day in a healthy adult male?

  • 200 million sperm per day
300

List the cells in the spermatogenic lineage in order from earliest to most mature.

Spermatogonia → Primary spermatocyte → Secondary spermatocyte → Spermatid → Spermatozoon

300

During oogenesis, the oocyte undergoes two periods of meiotic arrest. When do these occur?

  • Arrest 1: before birth
  •  Arrest 2: after ovulation until fertilisation
400

How long does the complete process of spermatogenesis take from spermatogonium to mature spermatozoon?

  • ~64 days
400

Name two key structural changes that occur during spermiogenesis as spermatids mature into spermatozoa.

  • Formation of the acrosome
  • Development of the flagellum 
  •  Condensation of the nucleus 
  •  Loss of excess cytoplasm 
  •  Mitochondria arranged in the midpiece
400

List the stages of follicular development in order from earliest to most mature

  • Primordial follicle → Primary follicle → Secondary follicle → Graafian (mature) follicle
500

How is spermatogenesis continuous and effectively unlimited?

  • ongoing stem cell division 
  • for each spermatogonia that goes through mitosis, one daughter cells differentiates/matures, and one contributes back to sperm pool
500

What is the difference between spermatocytogenesis and spermiogenesis? 

- BONUS: where do each occur?

  • Spermatocytogenesis is the mitotic and meiotic division of spermatogonia into spermatids, while spermiogenesis is the morphological maturation of spermatids into spermatozoa
  • Bonus - Near basal membrane vs twoards lumen
500

During oogenesis, how many functional gametes are produced from one primary oocyte, and what happens to the other cells formed during meiosis? 

Bonus question: Why does spermatogenesis produce four functional gametes from one primary spermatocyte, while oogenesis produces only one functional ovum?

  • from each occyte → 1 ovum is produced + 2–3 polar bodies (typically degenerate)
  • Bonus: Because oogenesis concentrates cytoplasm and nutrients into a single large cell to support early embryonic development, while spermatogenesis prioritises producing many small motile sperm.