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Spermatogenesis

6 April, 2016 - 17:26

Spermatogenesis occurs in the wall of the seminiferous tubules, with the most primitive cells at the periphery of the tube and the most mature sperm at the lumen of the tube (Figure 18.14). Immediately under the capsule of the tubule are diploid, undifferentiated cells. These stem cells, each called a spermatogonium (pl. spermatogonia), go through mitosis to produce one cell that remains as a stem cell and a second cell called a primary spermatocyte that will undergo meiosis to produce sperm.

The diploid primary spermatocyte goes through meiosis I to produce two haploid cells called secondary spermatocytes. Each secondary spermatocyte divides after meiosis II to produce two cells called spermatids. The spermatids eventually reach the lumen of the tubule and grow a flagellum, becoming sperm cells. Four sperm result from each primary spermatocyte that goes through meiosis.

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Figure 18.14 During spermatogenesis, four sperm result from each primary spermatocyte. The process also maps onto the physical structure of the wall of the seminiferous tubule, with the spermatogonia on the outer side of the tubule, and the sperm with their developing tails extended into the lumen of the tubule.
 

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Visit this site (http://openstaxcollege.org/l/spermatogenes2) to see the process of spermatogenesis.