Introduction Individuals tend to question how life came about and how we ended up as the Homo sapiens that we are male or female respectively. Little do they know there are several processes, which take place before we eventually become the person we are. “It appears to be reasonably established that the functional gametes of many organisms are derived from primordial germ cells already present in early embryogenesis”(Clement 3). Before gametogenesis, the primordial germ cells drift towards the gonads, where eventually they differentiate into gametes. However, gametogenesis is the process leading to gamete production, the development and maturing of sex cells through meiotic division. This is a situation whereby two diploid precursors undergo cell division and differentiation to form mature haploid gametes. There are two forms of gametogenesis, spermatogenesis (male), and oogenesis (female). “Meiosis and gametogenesis are critical processes in the transmission of genetic material to subsequent generations during sexual reproduction”(Frederic 8346). In other words, gametogenesis is the production of sperm and eggs, through the process of meiosis. “During meiosis, two cell divisions separate the paired chromosomes in the nucleus and then separate the chromatids that were made during an earlier stage of the cell’s life cycle, resulting in gametes that each contain half the number of chromosomes as the parent”(Boundless 1).
As stated, there are two forms of gametogenesis, spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Spermatogenesis is the assembling of mature spermatozoa; it is the process whereby male primary germ cells go through division and produce spermatogonia from which spermatocytes are derived. These spermatocytes gradually divide into spermatids, which mature into sperms. “During spermatogenesis, four sperm result from each primary spermatocyte, which divides into two
Cited: Zuckerman, B. “Cytogenetic, Host – Parasite Interactions, and Physiology”. (2012): 3-10. Frederic, Chalmel. “The Conserved Transcriptome in Human and Rodent Male Gametogenesis”. 104,No.20 (2007): 8346-8351. Jagiello, David. “Bio regulators of Reproduction” (2012): 122-125. Clement, Markert. “The Developmental Biology of Reproduction”(2012): 3-6. “Gametogenesis (Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis)” Boundless. Accessed Monday march 9th 2013. “Gametogenesis” Wikipedia, accessed Monday march 9th 2013. Cuschieri Alfred “Gametogenesis” staff.um.edu.mt/acus1/GAMETOGENESIS.html accessed Monday march 9th 2013.