CELLULAR MECHANISM OF

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
PRECY ANN MAE D. REYES
 Gametogenesis

 General process of
gamete formation in
both males and
females.
 the production of sperm
(spermatogenesis) and
eggs (oogenesis), takes
place through the
process of meiosis.
 Spermatogenesis
• Formation of male gametes
• occurs in the wall of the seminiferous tubules, with stem cells at the periphery of the
tube and the spermatozoa at the lumen of the tube.

 Mother cells are called

spermatogonia
(spermatogonium)
 Each spermatogonium consists of
2n number of chromosomes.
 In human it is 46 chromosomes
(22autosomes and XX/XY
sexosomes).
 The supporting cells are called as
sertoli cells which help in providing
nutrition and helps in
spermiogenesis-maturation of
sperms.
3 steps in spermatogenesis

1) The multiplication of the spermatogonia by the process of

mitosis;

2) The double meiotic division of the spermatocytes which

reduces the chromosome number from diploid to haploid;
and

3) Spermiogenesis, during which each spermatid develops

into a sperm cell with a head and tail.

 The entire process of spermatogenesis takes about 64 days.

Spermatogenesis: During
spermatogenesis, four sperm
result from each primary
spermatocyte, which divides into
two haploid secondary
spermatocytes; these cells will go
through a second meiotic division
to produce four spermatids.
 Spermiogenesis
 Spermiogenesis is an orderly process taking
approximately 24 days, during which a
round spermatid will transform into a sperm
cell.
Four basic processes
during spermiogenesis

• Nuclear condensation
• Acrosome formation
• Development of flagellum
• Cytoplasmic reduction
Oogenesis
 occurs in the
outermost layers of
the ovaries
 Begins soon after
fertilization, as
primordial germ cells
travel from the yolk
sacs to the gonads,
where they begin to
proliferate mitotically.
 They become oocytes once they enter the
stages of meiosis several months after birth.
 Now called primordial follicles, they are made
up of oogenic cells from the primordial germ
cells surrounded by follicle cells from the
somatic line.
 The oocyte is then arrested in the first
meiotic prophase until puberty.
 At puberty, between 4 to 10 follicles begin to develop, although
only 1-2 are actually released. Surrounding each oocyte is a zona
pellucida, membrana granulosa, and theca cell layer.

 Each oocyte finishes its first meiotic division, creating a secondary

oocyte and polar body, which serves no further function.

 It begins the next meiosis cycle and is arrested in its second

metaphase, at which point it is released from the ovary in
ovulation.

 It will not finish the meiosis cycle until it encounters the stimuli of
a sperm.
The process of oogenesis occurs in the
ovary’s outermost layer. A primary oocyte
begins the first meiotic division, but then
arrests until later in life when it will finish
this division in a developing follicle. This
results in a secondary oocyte, which will
complete meiosis if it is fertilized.
Fertilization

 means the fusion of two mature cells, an

ovum and a spermatozoan to form a single
cell the zygote.
Generalized mammalian egg cell. By Mia Nicolacoudis – Own work, CC BY 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69615546
 Yolk- nutrients to support growth of the developing embryo.
 Jelly layer/ Zona pellucida- surrounds the egg, composed of
glycoproteins (proteins that have sugars stuck to them), that
releases species-specific chemoattractants (chemical-attractors)
that guide sperm to the egg.
 Vitalline envelope- membrane outside the cell’s plasma
membrane which separates the zona pellucida/jelly layer from the
egg.
 Cortical granules- vesicles containing enzymes that will degrade
the proteins that hold the vitalline envelope around the plasma
membrane when fertilization occurs.
 By OpenStax College –
Anatomy & Physiology,
Connexions Web site.
http://cnx.org/content/c
ol11496/1.6/, Jun 19,
2013., CC BY 3.0,
https://commons.wikime
dia.org/w/index.php?
curid=30132983

 Bindin- proteins on the plasma membrane

which are species-specific proteins that
recognize and bind to receptors on the egg
plasma membrane.
 Acrosome- organelle on the sperm head which
contains digestive enzymes that will degrade
the jelly layer/zona pellucida to allow the sperm
to reach the egg plasma membrane.
 Sperm is attracted to and contacts the jelly layer/zona pellucida.

 The interactions between receptors on the sperm cell and glycoproteins on the egg
cell initiate the acrosome reaction. Digestive enzymes are released from the
acrosome, and they destroy the jelly layer/zona pellucida thus creating a pathway for
the sperm to approach the egg.

 The sperm reaches the egg plasma membrane and the sperm and egg plasma
membranes fuse. This interaction is mediated by the sperm bindin proteins, which
binds to bindin receptor proteins on the egg plasma membrane. This interaction is
species-specific, with slightly different versions of the bindin protein and the bindin
receptor proteins in every different species.

 Fusion of the sperm and egg membranes initiates electrical depolarization of the
entire egg plasma membrane, temporarily (for 10-20 seconds) preventing any other
sperm from fusing with the egg plasma membrane. This membrane depolarization,
mediated by an influx of sodium ions, is the fast block to polyspermy.
 The membrane depolarization initiates a cross the wave of calcium released
across the plasma membrane.

 The calcium wave initiates the cortical reaction in the egg: the cortical

granules fuse with the egg plasma membrane, releasing digestive enzymes
that degrade the bindin receptor proteins that serve as sperm docking sites,
and the proteins that hold the vitalline layer against the plasma membrane.

 The cortical reaction results in lifting away of the vitalline layer away from
the egg plasma membrane, to create the fertilization envelope. The
fertilization envelope is a barrier that prevents additional sperm from
reaching the egg, and is the slow block to polyspermy.

 These events culminate in egg activation, causing the egg to recognize that
fertilization has occurred and resulting in initiation of development.
Fertilization [image] Realmagik. Retrieved June 1, 2012 from http://www.realmagick.com/fertilization
 Karyogamy- fusion of male and female
pronuclei that combines the paternal and
maternal chromosomes.
Summary
 END

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