Gametogenesis and the Female Cycle

Gametogenesis studies the process of gamete formation. Ova (sing: ovum) and sperm are gametes. The production of these special sex cells involves the process of meiosis. Meiosis is also called reduction division, because it involves reducing the total number of chromosomes in a single cell by exactly one half. In humans, this means a reduction from 46 to 23 chromosomes. The full complement of chromosomes in a regular somatic cell (body cell) is termed the diploid number. The reduced number of chromosomes present in gametes is termed the haploid number.

Meiosis occurs in organs known as gonads. Gonads are body structures that produce two products: gametes and sex hormones. The gonads of the male are the testes, and the gonads of the female are the ovaries. Only gonadal cells destined to become eggs and sperm undergo the process of meiosis.

This series of micrographs provides a study of the gonads, as well as the stages of development of the ovum (pl: ova) within the ovary.

1. Micrographs
• Seminiferous Tubules
• Primordial Follicle
• Primary Follicle
• Secondary Follicle
• Vesicular Follicle
• Corpus Luteum
• Corpus Albicans
2. Quiz