BRAINCAKEFormation of Gametes
Gametes are made by a process called gametogenesis, which takes place in specialised reproductive organs: the testes and ovaries (the gonads) in mammals, and the anthers and ovules in flowering plants.
In mammals, gametogenesis starts with diploid germ cells in the gonads. The process has three phases:
• Multiplication: germ cells divide repeatedly by mitosis to form many diploid cells.
• Growth: some of these cells enlarge, replicating their DNA and building up cytoplasm ready for meiosis.
• Maturation: the cells divide by meiosis, producing haploid cells that develop into gametes.
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Key terms in this lesson
- gonad
- A reproductive organ that produces gametes, the testis or ovary in animals.
- diploid
- Having two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent, in a cell, for example human body cells.
- haploid
- Having a single complete set of chromosomes, half the diploid number.
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