WASHINGTON

UNIVERSITY
Medical Embryology

Medicine College & Health

Science
1 DR : Omar Mohammad Hamad
Family Medicine Specialist
Introduction
Gametogenesis 1
EMBRYOLOGY
 A Branch of biomedical science, it deals with
formation & development of embryo ( from
fertilized egg to a new adult) ,other said from single
cell to a baby in 9 month.

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 Prenatal period:
 before birth 38 weeks from conception to birth
(average) “fetal” age
 Gynecologic timing has been from LMP
therefore refers to 40 weeks “gestational”
age
 Date of conception has been difficult to
time
 LMP is on average two weeks before
ovulation

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 Embryogenesis: the 1st 8 weeks of human
development , also called (organogenesis).

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 Fetal period: the period from that point on until
birth , when differentiation continues while the
fetus grows & gains weight

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Reproduction of cell
 take place by process called cell division, either:
1- mitotis : in somatic cells, the resulting cells from
division are diploid
2- meiosis : in germ cells, the resulting cells are
haploid .

 Cells are either somatic or germ cells &

multiplication occur either by mitosis or meiosis .

 Human development occur from fertilization.

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 Each somatic cell contains diploid nomber. of
chromosomes (46).
 Each gamet cell contains a haploid no. of
chromosomes (23).
 In each somatic cells , the chromosomes (46) are
arranged as 23 pairs , 22 pairs of matching
chromosomes called autosomes ( identical) , 1
pair of sex chromosome .

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Gametogenesis
 Conversion of germ cells into male & female
gametes. Includes :
1-oogenesis
2- spermatogenesis

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Oogenesis:
 Is the process whereby oogonia differentiate into
mature oocytes, it occurs in specialized structure in
the cortex of the ovary called ovarian follicle.
 When the female primordial germ cells reach the
developing gonads during 6th week of embryonic
development, they differentiate to oogonia, the
oogonia increase in the number , due to repeated
mitotic division & arranged in clusters by the end
of 3rd month of gestation.

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 The majority of these cells continue to divide by
mitosis, but some begin meiosis & arrest in prophase
of meiosis I & become Primary oocyte .

 They continue to increase in number . till reaches its

maximum about 7 million by the 5th month.

 Then they begin to degenerate & become atretic. By

7th month the majority have degenerated, while all
the surviving primary oocytes have entered prophase
of meiosis I surrounded by a layer of flat follicular
epithelial cells, both of them (oocyte+follicular
cells) called primordial follicle .
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 At birth all primary oocytes (nearly 600000-
800000) started prophase of meiosis I but instead of
proceeding into metaphase, they enter diplotene
stage (resting stage).

 During childhood, most of them become atretic;

only approximately 40000 are present at puberty, &
fewer than 500 will be ovulated.

 Maturation of oocytes begins before birth.

 Maturation of oocytes continues at puberty.
 Maturation of sperm begins at puberty.

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Maturation of ovarian follicle
1. primordial follicle: ovum surrounded by
single layer of flattened cells called (follicular
or granulosa cells), later these cells become
cuboidal.

2. primary follicle (preantral) : when the

follicular cells become stratified layer of
granulosa cells around oocyte & secrete a layer
of glycoproteins on the surface of oocyte (zona
pellucida).
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3. Secondary follicle (antral) : when fluid –filled
spaces appear between granulosa cells.
Coalescence of these spaces forms the (antrum).
The granulosa cells at the periphery called
(theca), the outer layer called (theca externa),
while the inner layer called (theca interna).

4. Mature (Graafian follicle) or (preovulatory):

when the antrum enlarges & the granulosa cells
surrounding the oocyte remain intact forming
cumulus oophorus, the mature follicle here is
about 20-25 mm in diameter.

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 With each ovarian cycle, a number of follicles
begin to develop, but usually only one reaches full
maturity, the others degenerate & become atretic.
 When the secondary follicle is mature, a surge in
luteinizing hormone (LH), induces the
preovulatory growth phase.
 Meiosis 1 is completed, resulting in formation of 2
daughter cells of unequal size each with 23 single
structured chromosomes (one, the secondary
oocyte, receives most of the cytoplasm; & the
other, the 1st polar body, receives none.

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 Thecell then enters meiosis 2 but arrests in
metaphase approximately 3 hours before
ovulation.

 Meiosis 2 completed only if the oocyte is

fertilized; otherwise, the cell degenerates
approximately 24 hours after ovulation

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Menstrual cycle
 Cyclic changes in the endometrium of the uterus
Occurs every lunar month(28 days) starts from
menarche till menopause
Stages:
 Menstrual-
30-60 cc of blood is lost due to degeneration of
corpus luteum and subsequent lowering of
progesterone

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 Proliferative-
 7-10 days after bleeding is stopped
 Coincides with the follicular stage of the ovarian
cycle due estrogen secreted by the the follicular
cells of the growing follicle
 Stratum basalis replace the endometrium- 2-3
mm thickness
 Uterine glnds & arteries grow

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 Secretory phase:
 Start immediately after ovulation
 Due effect of progesterone secreted by corpus
luteum
 Last 10-14 days
 Endometrium 5-8 mm thickness ready for
implantation
 Glands are tortous & secret uterine milk
 Arteries are spiral & coiled

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Male gametogenesis

Spermatogenesis &
Spermiogenesis
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Spermatogenesis
 Isa complex series of changes by which
spermatogonia are transferred into spermatozoa
.

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In the male infant
 Germ cells can be
recognized in the sex
cords of the testis as large,
pale cells surrounded by
supporting cells .
 Supporting cells, which are
derived from the surface
epithelium of the gland in
the same manner as
follicular cells, become
sustentacular cells, or
Sertoli cells .
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Shortly before puberty,
 the sex cords acquire a
lumen and become the
seminiferous tubules.
 Maturation of Sperm
Begins at Puberty
 At about the same
time, primordial germ
cells give rise to
spermatogonial stem
cells.

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Spermatogenesis

can be divided into

a. spermatocytosis
b. meiosis
C. spermiogenesis

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A. spermatocytosis
 Spermatogonia proliferate by mitotic division to
replace themselves and to produce primary
spermatocytes

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B. Meiosis

 2 successive
divisions
 Meiosis I produce
secondary
spermatocytes
 Meiosis II produce
spermatids

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 The progeny of a single spermatogonium form a
clone of germ cells that maintain contact
throughout differentiation
 Spermatogonia
and spermatids
remain
embedded in
deep recesses of
Sertoli cells
throughout their
development.

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The sertoli cells are supporting cells that have
several functions.
1. They form the blood-testes
barrier: nutrients, and
circulating substances do not
directly reach the germ cells
2. They form invaginations
surrounding the spermatocytes,
spermatids and developing
spermatozoa and are nutritive to
them.
3. They also produce antigen-
binding proteins, which are
necessay for spermiogenesis.

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C. Spermiogenesis
 The series of changes resulting in the transformation
of spermatids into spermatozoa include
1. formation of the acrosome, which covers half of the
nuclear surface and contains enzymes to assist in
penetration of the egg and its surrounding layers
during fertilization ;

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2. condensation of the nucleus;
3. formation of neck, middle piece, and tail; and
4. shedding of most of the cytoplasm

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 In humans, the time required for a
spermatogonium to develop into a mature
spermatozoon is approximately 74 days, and
approximately 300 million sperm cells are
produced daily.
 When fully formed, spermatozoa enter the lumen
of seminiferous tubules. From there, they are
pushed toward the epididymis by contractile
elements in the wall of the seminiferous tubules.

 Although initially only slightly motile,

spermatozoa obtain full motility in the
epididymis.
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Clinical Correlates
Abnormal Gametes

A. Primordial follicle with two oocytes.

B. Trinucleated oocyte.
C. Various types of abnormal spermatozoa.
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