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The reproductive system: gametogenesis and the ovarian cycle

Published on January 31, 2024   18 min

A selection of talks on Gynaecology & Obstetrics

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0:00
Hello, my name is Dr. Victoria Garside. I'm an ARC DECRA Fellow in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Melbourne in Park Fell, Victoria, Australia. Today, I will be presenting to you the reproductive system, gametogenesis, and the ovarian cycle.
0:19
Gametogenesis is the process that produces gametes or germ cells of an organism. In humans, the male gamete is sperm produced by the testis, and in females, the egg or ovum is released by the ovary. Gametes are special cells as they are the only cells in our body that are haploid, which means they only have one copy of all the chromosomes. This is termed n and is 23 in humans; 22 autosomes, and one sex chromosome, X or Y. All of the rest of the cells of the body are called somatic cells and are diploid, which means they contain two copies of all the chromosomes, and this is called 2n, for a total of 46 chromosomes. When the egg is fertilized by the sperm, this creates a new diploid organism, the zygote or the embryo.
1:06
What are the reproductive purposes of the male and the female? The male is responsible for the generation of the sperm or spermatogenesis, as well as hormone secretion and the delivery of the sperm. A female is responsible for the generation of the egg or ovum by oogenesis, as well as hormone secretion, reception of the sperm, fertilization, the generation of the zygote; gestation, the period of pregnancy whereby the fetus grows into a fully formed baby; parturition, the birth of the offspring, and lactation, the production of milk for the baby. This is a broad and simplified overview of reproduction. For this talk, I will specifically focus on the process of gametogenesis; in the male that is spermatogenesis, and in the female, oogenesis. The ovarian cycle in females is as these are a highly complicated process.

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