Gametogenesis is a biological process by which diploid or haploid precursor cells undergo cell division

and differentiation to form mature haploid gametes. Depending on the biological life cycle of the
organism, gametogenesis occurs by meiotic division of diploid gametocytes into various gametes.

Gametogenesis, by definition, is the development of mature haploid gametes from either haploid
or diploid precursor cells. The precursor cells undergo cell division in order to become gametes.
This may sound like a very technical definition, but by the end of this lesson you'll understand it.

Organisms can be either diploid or haploid. Those that are diploid, like you and me, have two
copies of their DNA per cell. Those that are haploid have one copy of their DNA per cell. As
mentioned in the definition, gametes are all haploid. So, if you are already a haploid cell, you
undergo regular cell division (mitosis). However, if you are diploid you have to make haploid
gametes. That is, you have to create cells with only one copy of DNA each. This is also done by
a special type of cell division called meiosis.

During the process of mitotic cell division a cell makes a complete copy of its DNA. Then,
when the cell divides, the DNA is split between the two daughter cells. Thus, each daughter cell
gets a complete, exact copy of the parent cell's genetic information (DNA). This type of cell
division is a one-step process.

Meiotic cell division is a two-step process. Meiosis begins with a diploid cell that has two copies
of DNA. One comes from the father and one from the mother. The cell divides twice producing
four haploid cells. The first division is called Meiosis I. It involves replication of chromosomes
but allows 'gene shuffling' between the maternal and paternal chromosomes. The second division
is called Meiosis II. It results in haploid cells.

Spermatogenesis is the process in which an animal produces spermatozoa from spermatogonial stem
cells by way of mitosis and meiosis. The initial cells in this pathway are called spermatogonia, which
yield primary spermatocytes by mitosis. The primary spermatocyte divides meiotically (Meiosis I) into
two secondary spermatocytes; each secondary spermatocyte divides into two spermatids by Meiosis II.
These develop into mature spermatozoa, also known as sperm cells. Thus, the primary spermatocyte
gives rise to two cells, the secondary spermatocytes, and the two secondary spermatocytes by their
subdivision produce four spermatozoa.

www.theodora.com/anatomy/the_spermatozoon.html

Spermatozoa are the mature male gametes in many sexually reproducing organisms. Thus,
spermatogenesis is the male version of gametogenesis, of which the female equivalent is oogenesis. In
mammals it occurs in the seminiferous tubules of the male testes in a stepwise fashion.
Spermatogenesis is highly dependent upon optimal conditions for the process to occur correctly, and is
essential for sexual reproduction. DNA methylation and histone modification have been implicated in
the regulation of this process.
Song, Ning; Liu, Jie; An, Shucai; Nishino, Tomoya; Hishikawa, Yoshitaka; Koji, Takehiko (2011).
"Immunohistochemical Analysis of Histone H3 Modifications in Germ Cells during Mouse
Spermatogenesis". Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica. 44 (4): 183–90. doi:10.1267/ahc.11027.
PMC 3168764  . PMID 21927517.

The spermatozoa or male germ cells are developed in the testes and
are present in enormous numbers in the seminal fluid. Each consists
of a small but greatly modified cell. The human spermatozoön
possesses a head, a neck, a connecting piece or body, and a tail (Fig.
6).

The head is oval or elliptical, but flattened, so that when viewed in

profile it is pear-shaped. Its anterior two-thirds are covered by a layer
of modified protoplasm, which is named the head-cap. This, in some
animals, e. g., the salamander, is prolonged into a barbed spear-like
process or perforator, which probably facilitates the entrance of the
spermatozoön into the ovum. The posterior part of the head exhibits
an affinity for certain reagents, and presents a transversely striated
appearance, being crossed by three or four dark bands. In some
animals a central rodlike filament extends forward for about two-
thirds of the length of the head, while in others a rounded body is seen
near its center. The head contains a mass of chromatin, and is
generally regarded as the nucleus of the cell surrounded by a thin
envelope.
The neck is less constricted in the human spermatozoön than in
those of some of the lower animals. The anterior centriole,
represented by two or three rounded particles, is situated at the
junction of the head and neck, and behind it is a band of
homogeneous substance.
The connecting piece or body is rod-like, and is limited behind by a
terminal disk. The posterior centriole is placed at the junction of the
body and neck and, like the anterior, consists of two or three rounded
particles. From this centriole an axial filament, surrounded by a
sheath, runs backward through the body and tail. In the body the
sheath of the axial filament is encircled by a spiral thread, around
which is an envelope containing mitochondria granules, and termed
the mitochondria sheath.
The tail is of great length, and consists of the axial thread or
filament, surrounded by its sheath, which may contain a spiral thread
or may present a striated appearance. The terminal portion or end-
piece of the tail consists of the axial filament only.
 FIG. 7– Scheme
showing analogies in the process of maturation of the
ovum and the development of the spermatids (young spermatozoa).

Krause gives the length of the human spermatozoön as between 52μ

and 62μ, the head measuring 4 to 5μ, the connecting piece 6μ, and the
tail from 41μ to 52μ.
By virtue of their tails, which act as propellers, the spermatozoa are
capable of free movement, and if placed in favorable surroundings, e.
g., in the female passages, will retain their vitality and power of
fertilizing for several days. In certain animals, e. g., bats, it has been
proved that spermatozoa retained in the female passages for several
months are capable of fertilizing.
The spermatozoa are developed from the primitive germ cells which
have become imbedded in the testes, and the stages of their
development are very similar to those of the maturation of the ovum.
The primary germ cells undergo division and produce a number of
cells termed spermatogonia, and from these the primary
spermatocytes are derived. Each primary spermatocyte divides into
two secondary spermatocytes, and each secondary spermatocyte into
two spermatids or young spermatozoa; from this it will be seen that a
primary spermatocyte gives rise to four spermatozoa. On comparing
this process with that of the maturation of the ovum (Fig. 7) it will be
observed that the primary spermatocyte gives rise to two cells, the
secondary spermatocytes, and the primary oöcyte to two cells, the
secondary oöcyte and the first polar body. Again, the two secondary
spermatocytes by their subdivision give origin to four spermatozoa,
and the secondary oöcyte and first polar body to four cells, the mature
ovum and three polar bodies. In the development of the spermatozoa,
as in the maturation of the ovum, there is a reduction of the nuclear
chromosomes to one-half of those present in the primary
spermatocyte. But here the similarity ends, for it must be noted that
the four spermatozoa are of equal size, and each is capable of
 fertilizing a mature ovum, whereas the three polar bodies are not only
very much smaller than the mature ovum but are incapable of further
development, and may be regarded as abortive ova.

Oogenesis, ovogenesis, or oögenesis /ˌoʊ.əˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/[1] is the differentiation of the ovum (egg cell) into
a cell competent to further development when fertilized.[2] It is developed from the primary oocyte by
maturation.

Gilbert

Oogenesis—the differentiation of the ovum—differs from spermatogenesis in several ways.

Whereas the gamete formed by spermatogenesis is essentially a motile nucleus, the gamete
formed by oogenesis contains all the materials needed to initiate and maintain metabolism and
development. Therefore, in addition to forming a haploid nucleus, oogenesis also builds up a
store of cytoplasmic enzymes, mRNAs, organelles, and metabolic substrates. While the sperm
becomes differentiated for motility, the egg develops a remarkably complex cytoplasm.

The mechanisms of oogenesis vary among species more than those of spermatogenesis. This
difference should not be surprising, since patterns of reproduction vary so greatly among species.
In some species, such as sea urchins and frogs, the female routinely produces hundreds or
thousands of eggs at a time, whereas in other species, such as humans and most mammals, only a
few eggs are produced during the lifetime of an individual. In those species that produce
thousands of ova, the oogonia are self-renewing stem cells that endure for the lifetime of the
organism. In those species that produce fewer eggs, the oogonia divide to form a limited number
of egg precursor cells. In the human embryo, the thousand or so oogonia divide rapidly from the
second to the seventh month of gestation to form roughly 7 million germ cells (Figure 19.19).
After the seventh month of embryonic development, however, the number of germ cells drops
precipitously. Most oogonia die during this period, while the remaining oogonia enter the first
meiotic division (Pinkerton et al. 1961). These latter cells, called the primary oocytes, progress
through the first meiotic prophase until the diplotene stage, at which point they are maintained
until puberty. With the onset of adolescence, groups of oocytes periodically resume meiosis.
Thus, in the human female, the first part of meiosis begins in the embryo, and the signal to
resume meiosis is not given until roughly 12 years later. In fact, some oocytes are maintained in
meiotic prophase for nearly 50 years. As Figure 19.19 indicates, primary oocytes continue to die
even after birth. Of the millions of primary oocytes present at birth, only about 400 mature
during a woman's lifetime.

Oogenic meiosis also differs from spermatogenic meiosis in its placement of the metaphase plate. When
the primary oocyte divides, its nucleus, called the germinal vesicle, breaks down, and the metaphase
spindle migrates to the periphery of the cell. At telophase, one of the two daughter cells contains hardly
any cytoplasm, whereas the other cell has nearly the entire volume of cellular constituents (Figure
19.20). The smaller cell is called the first polar body, and the larger cell is referred to as the secondary
oocyte. During the second division of meiosis, a similar unequal cytokinesis takes place. Most of the
cytoplasm is retained by the mature egg (ovum), and a second polar body receives little more than a
haploid nucleus. Thus, oogenic meiosis conserves the volume of oocyte cytoplasm in a single cell rather
than splitting it equally among four progeny.