BRAINCAKESpermatogenesis
Spermatogenesis is the production of sperm. It takes place in the seminiferous tubules of the testes, starting at puberty and continuing throughout a man's life. Each tubule is lined by a layer of germ cells called the germinal epithelium, and development proceeds from the outer edge of the tubule towards the central lumen.
The stages are:
• Multiplication: diploid cells of the germinal epithelium divide by mitosis to form many diploid spermatogonia (2n).
• Growth: some spermatogonia enlarge to form primary spermatocytes (2n), and their DNA replicates.
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Key terms in this lesson
- acrosome
- A vesicle covering the front of a sperm head, containing digestive enzymes that help it penetrate the egg.
More in Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction
- Chromosome Mutation
- Non-disjunction
- Down's Syndrome
- Turner's Syndrome
- Oogenesis
- The Male Gamete
- The Female Gamete
- Gametogenesis in Plants
All 28 lessons in Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics