Spermatocytogenesis begins with the mitotic division of spermatogonia on the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and proceed towards the lumen.
Spermatogonia are activated to form active type A spermatogonia. There may be several generations of type A spermatogonia.
Most of type A spermatogonia divide to form intermediate spermatogonia.
Some of the type A are retained as resting type A spermatogonia. In this way, the type A cells provide daughter cells for the formation of spermatozoa but are not depleted in the process.
Intermediate spermatogonia divide to form type B spermatogonia, which undergo the last of the mitotic divisions to form primary spermatocytes. Spermatocytogenesis is concluded by the meiotic divisions, which produce secondary spermatocytes, then spermatids.
The formation of spermatids marks the end of spermatocytogenesis and the beginning of spermiogenesis.
The entire divisional process of spermatocytogenesis, from spermatogonia to spermatid takes approximately 45 days in bulls.
Participants