Embryology

OUTLINE

GAMETOGENESIS
Spermatogenesis
Oogenesis

FERTILIZATION
Cleavage
Morula
Gastrulation
Implantation
Rotation
 Important Terms
Gamete: egg or sperm
Gametogenesis: production of eggs or sperm
Oogenesis: production of eggs
Spermatogenesis: production of sperm
Spermiogenesis: differentiation of sperm morphology
Follicle: where eggs mature in the ovary
Ovulation: release of egg from follicle
Polar body: nonfunctional product of meiotic divisions in oogenesis
Zygote: Fertilized egg
 Important Terms
SOME MORE TERMS

Oogonia: mitotically dividing cells in the ovary, will become Oocytes

Primary oocyte: decision has been made to undergo meiosis, cell has
grown. Cells are arrested at this stage until puberty.

Secondary oocyte: has completed first meiotic division the division

was unequal in terms of cytoplasm

Ovum: Ovulated egg, ready to be fertilized. If fertilized, the second

meitoic division will occur, another polar body will be given off.
 Male Anatomy
• Primary Organ
– testes, genetically determined in mammals
- testis releases hormones that then control the
development of secondary sex characteristics
1) Secondary Organs
– internal duct system
• e.g., vas deferens, epididymus
– external genitalia
2) Secondary Sexual Characters
– e.g., deepening of voice, coloration, facial hair
Eutherian Mammal Testes
Seminiferous tubules (ST)
• Each testicular lobule
contains several coiled
seminiferous tubules (ST)
– ST site of sperm
production
• Each ST ~ 1.3 ft in humans
• Total length of ST almost
the length of a football
field
Testicular development
• Develops in the
abdominal cavity
from the medulla
of the primordial
gonad
 Hormonal control of testicular
migration
• Migration of testis thought to involve 2
hormones produced by testis

1) MIH – mullerian inhibiting hormone

1) Involved in transabdominal migration

– Testosterone- stimulates genitofemoral nerve to

produce nueropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide
(CGRP)
– CGRP stimulates transinguinal and scrotal migration
 Abnormalities in testis migration
1) Cryptorchism “abdominal” testis
-testis does not descend properly
- detrimental to spermatogenesis and normal
testicular metabolism
- Rise in humans in US and Europe by about
250% in the last 30-40 years
- Leads to arrested spermatogenesis
- 4-7 degrees C below body temp ideal
Testicular Histology
Testis is made up of 2 major
compartments

1) Region inside
seminiferous
tubules
Spermatozoa development

2)Interstitial space
outside ST
-Leydig cells,
-Androgen Production
Seminiferous Tubules
• Seminiferous tubules
are lined by a germinal
epithelium
• Primary product is
spermatozoa
• Two cell types are
found within ST
– Germ cells
– Sertoli cells
Interstitial space
• Outside the ST lie
Leydig cells
– Responsible for
androgen production
in response to LH
 Blood testis barrier
Limits fluid transfer
between adluminal
and basal and
interstitial
compartments

Prevents gametes
entering interstitial
space
Johnson and Everitt 4.1
 Blood testis barrier 2
• The two compartments are separated by a
blood testis barrier
– Consists of a series of gap and tight
junctions that serve as a physiological
barrier separating the sertoli cells from the
capillaries located in the interstitial space.
– Function: prevents immune response to
“foreign” protein of gametes
•Sperm granuloma
Spermatogenesis
It is the process in which spermatozoa are produced from
spermatogonial stem cells by mitosis and meiosis. It occurs
in the testis.
 Cells of Spermatogenesis process
1- Spermatogonium: are the first
cells of spermatogenesis.

2- Primary spermatocytes:They
appear larger than spermatogonia.
They immediately enter the prophase
of the first meiotic division, which is
extremely prolonged.

3- Secondary spermatocytes: smaller

than primary spermatocytes. They
rapidly enter and complete the second
meiotic division.
 Cells of Spermatogenesis process

4- Spermatids: formed from the division of secondary spermatocytes,

They are small with an initially very light (often eccentric) nucleus.

5- Spermatozoa: The mature human spermatozoon is about

60 µm long and actively motile. It is divided into head, neck and tail.

Spermiogenesis process :
is the final stage of
spermatogenesis, which
sees the maturation of
spermatids into mature,
motile spermatozoa.
Temporal organization of
spermatogenesis
Spermatogenic cycle:
-Time for the completion of
spermatogenesis very
consistent within a species

Individual Spermatogonium
begin to divide mitotically
and meiotically at regular
time interval for a given
species
Temporal organization of
spermatogenesis (2)
Duration of cycle of the
seminiferous epithelium:

- spermatagonium starts to
undergo new cycle after
aprox. ¼ of the time for
complete spermatogenesis
has passed
Spatial organization of
spermatogenesis
Spermatogenic wave:
Each region of
seminiferous tubule at
a slightly different
stage of
spermatogenesis
-aids in providing a
steady supply of
sperm
Sperm structures vary widely

Lombardi 5-1
 Sperm anatomy
• Head and tail
components of mature
spermatozoan
– Head contains genetic
material (1N)
– Tail responsible for
generating propulsive
forces

Lombardi 5-2
 Sperm Anatomy 2
• Sperm head
– Lysosomal cap
containing hydrolytic
enzymes’: acrosome
cap

– Nucleus containing
chromatin

Lombardi 5-2
 Spatial organization of
spermatogenesis (2)

Johnson and Everitt Figure 4.9

 Disruption of spermatogenesis?
Declining sperm counts
since 1930s

Graph from report “ Male Reproductive Health and Environmental

Chemicals with Estrogenic Effects” 1995 report by Danish EPA
(students.whitman.edu/~cushinda/ mentrends.htm)
How might contaminants disrupt
spermatogenesis?
Testicular Cancer
3 fold increase since
1940
Leading cancer??
 Disruption of spermatogenesis?

http://www.nearingzero.net/screen_res/nz071.jpg
The Ovary

• Paired, solid
• Size changes little with reproductive
activity
Ovarian Histology

•Serosa – outer covering of tough connective tissue

•Germinal epithelium – single layer of cells once
thought to produce the germ cells – get larger during
pregnancy
• Ovarian Stroma or Cortex – contains follicles and
scar tissue, some blood vessels- Thicker than the
medulla
• Ovarian Medulla: contains blood vessels, nerves,
lymph
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
Follicle follicle –
The follicle is the functional unit of the ovary.
One female gamete, the oocyte, is contained in each follicle
composite ovarian structure that will produce mature that
will produce mature oocyte
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
Primordial Follicle
germ cell (oocyte) with a single layer with a single layer of
mesodermal mesodermal cells around cells around i
All follicles start as primordial follicles and thought to be finite
At birth, the ovaries contain around 1 million primordial follicles.
It can take almost a year for primordial follicles to grow and
develop to the ovulatory stage.
Primordial follicles are surrounded by cells called GRANULOSA
CELLS, which are the primary producers of estrogen.
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
•Primary follicle:
•Some primordial follicles move to the primary stage every
day.
•This process starts during puberty and lasts until menopause.
• The first indication that a primordial follicle is beginning to undergo further
development is that the flattened follicular cells become COLUMNAR
• A homogeneous membrane, the zona pellucida, appears between the
follicular cells and the oocyte
• With the appearance of the zona pellucida the follicle is now referred to as a
• multilaminar primary follicle.
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
Secondary Follicle
• The follicular cells proliferate to form several layers of cells that constitute the
membrane granulosa.
• The cells are now called granulosa cells.
Granulosa cells start to increase estrogen production.
The inside of the follicle also forms tiny pockets of
nutrient-rich follicular fluid.
At a later stage, this forms the antrum, which is the follicle’s
fluid-filled cavity.
 Further Follicular Development

• The follicular cavity rapidly increases in size. As a

result, the wall of the follicle (formed by the
granulosa cells) becomes relatively thin
• The oocyte now lies eccentrically in the follicle
surrounded by some granulosa cells that are given
the name of cumulus oophoricus (orcumulus
oophorus, or cumulus ovaricus).
• The granulosa cells that attach the oocyte to the
wall of the follicle constitute the discus proligerus.
 Further Follicular Development

• As the follicle expands the stromal

cells surrounding the membrana
granulosa become condensed to
form a covering called the theca
interna (theca = cover).
• The cells of the theca interna later
secrete a hormone called estrogen,
and they are then called the cells of
the thecal gland.
 Further Follicular Development

Outside the theca interna some fibrous

tissue becomes condensed to form
another covering for the follicle.
This is the theca externa.
The theca interna and externa are
collectively called the theca folliculi, the
two layers being described as the tunica
interna and the tunica externa
respectively
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
Tertiary Follicle
Another name for tertiary follicles is ANTRAL FOLLICLES.
Their development occurs through the secondary follicles
that form the antrum.
Tertiary follicles can been seen on an ultrasound scan at this
stage.
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
Graafian
Follicle:
This is the stage
in which the
mature follicle
can now
ovulate.
Structurally Recognizable Ovarian Follicles
•Corpus luteum: Once ovulation occurs and the follicle is
empty, it transforms into the CORPUS LUTEUM.
•Consists of follicular theca cells and granulosa cells.
•It is responsible for producing progesterone during early
pregnancy.
Two Cell Steroidogenesis

Common in mammalian ovarian follicle

Part of the steroid pathway in
✔– Granulosa
✔– Theca interna
Regulated by –
Hypothalamic-pituitary axis
–Paracrine factors