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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.
Spermatogenesis, the process for producing spermatozoa, takes place in the seminiferous tubules. During spermatogenesis, the DNA of spermatogenic cells in the seminiferous tubules is subject to damage from such sources as reactive oxygen species. [1] The genomic integrity of spermatogenic cells is protected by DNA repair processes. [2]
Leydig cells release a class of hormones called androgens (19-carbon steroids). [8] They secrete testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), when stimulated by the luteinizing hormone (LH), which is released from the anterior pituitary in response to gonadotropin releasing hormone which in turn is released by the hypothalamus.
Animation of the migration of spermatozoa from their origin as germ cells to their exit from the vas deferens.A) Blood vessels; B) Head of epididymis; C) Efferent ductules; D) Seminiferous tubules; E) Parietal lamina of tunica vaginalis; F) Visceral lamina of tunica vaginalis; G) Cavity of tunica vaginalis; H) Tunica albuginea; I) Lobule of testis; J) Tail of epididymis; K) Body of epididymis ...
Because its main function is to nourish developing sperm cells through the stages of spermatogenesis, the Sertoli cell has also been called the "mother" or "nurse" cell. [10] Sertoli cells also act as phagocytes, consuming the residual cytoplasm during spermatogenesis. Translocation of cells from the basal lamina to the lumen of the ...
Testosterone is also synthesized in far smaller total quantities in women by the adrenal glands, thecal cells of the ovaries, and, during pregnancy, by the placenta. [158] In the testes, testosterone is produced by the Leydig cells. [159] The male generative glands also contain Sertoli cells, which require testosterone for spermatogenesis.
Testosterone secretion by the interstitial cells of the testes then causes the growth and development of the mesonephric ducts into male secondary sex organs. [7] The Müllerian ducts atrophy, but traces of their anterior ends are represented by the appendices testis ( hydatids of Morgagni of the male), while their terminal fused portions form ...
Although controversial, [61] off-label clomiphene citrate, an antiestrogen, may also be effective by elevating gonadotropin levels. [60] Though androgens are absolutely essential for spermatogenesis and therefore male fertility, exogenous testosterone therapy has been found to be ineffective in benefiting men with low sperm count. [62]