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Spermatogenesis
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Spermatogenesis is the process that makes sperm. It starts with germ cells, the cells set aside for reproduction, and ends in haploid sperm, meaning sperm with half the genetic material. All of this happens inside the seminiferous tubules, a bundle of coiled tubes inside the testis.
The path has three steps. First mitosis, the ordinary division of cells, which multiplies the spermatogonia, the starting cells. Then meiosis, a special division that turns diploid cells, which have the full set of genetic material, into haploid ones. And finally spermiogenesis: the last step does not build new cells but remodels the ones already there, turning round spermatids into sperm that can move.
Once formed, the sperm leave the tubules for the epididymis, a coiled duct attached to the testis, and finish maturing there. If there are too few of them, if their shape changes, or if they do not move well, fertility can drop.
In brief
Spermatogenesis is the process by which germ cells give rise to haploid sperm inside the seminiferous tubules, which are housed in the testis.
It happens in three steps: mitosis multiplies the spermatogonia, meiosis makes the diploid cells haploid, and spermiogenesis turns round spermatids into motile sperm.
The last step does not build new cells: it remodels the ones already there.
Once formed, the sperm move to the epididymis, where they mature; a low count, a change in shape, or poor motility can reduce fertility.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingHistology, Spermatogenesis, StatPearlsPublished
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