What is spermatogenesis?

Question:

Spermatogenesis:

Spermatozoa are cells. Since sperm cells do not look like normal cells or have normal cell morphology, it can be easy to assume that they are not cells. However, when we think of them as just another cell it becomes easier to understand spermatogenesis.

Just like any other cell, a sperm cell has to undergo a development and growing stage. In all cells we consider this either mitosis or meiosis. So the next question we ask is, how do sperm cells (spermatozoa) develop? This is when we look into the steps of how a sperm cell becomes a sperm cell.

The first step is mitosis: a spermatogonium which is 2n becomes a primary spermatocyte (2n). Then the primary spermatocyte undergoes meiosis 1 and becomes two secondary spermatocytes (2n). The third step consists of the secondary spermatocytes undergoing meiosis 2 and becoming four spermatids (1n). These spermatids will further develop into a mature spermatozoa.

Once a sperm cells development is broken down into its steps, it is easy to see that it is not complicated. It is a simple case of mitosis and meiosis, just like with all other cells.

This leaves us with the original question: What is spermatogenesis?

Answer and Explanation: