Formation of a mature female gamete or ovum is called oogenesis.
Oogenesis starts during embryonic stage, 25th week of the fetal age.
Germinal epithelium of ovary divided mitotically to produce millions of gamete mother cell or oogonia.
No oogonia formed or added after birth.
Oogonia enters into meiosis-I and proceeds upto diakinesis of Prophase-I and get suspended, at this stage called primary Oocytes.
Each primary oocyte surrounded by layers of granulose cells and then called primary follicle.
At puberty only 60,000 to 80,000 primary oocytes are left in each ovary.
After puberty primary follicles get surrounded by more layers of granulosa cells and a new theca to form secondary follicles.
The secondary follicle transformed into tertiary follicle, characterized by a fluid filled cavity called antrum.
The theca layers organized into an inner theca interna and outer theca externa.
During the growth of primary follicle into tertiary follicle during puberty, the primary oocyte restarts its first meiotic division and completes it within tertiary follicle resulting two unequal haploid cells.
Large haploid cell is called secondary oocyte.
A tiny cell called first polar body.
The secondary oocyte retains bulk of the nutrient rich cytoplasm of primary oocyte.
The tertiary follicle having secondary oocyte further changes into Graafian follicle.
The secondary oocyte surrounded by a new membrane, zona pellucida.
The secondary oocyte undergoes second meiotic division continued upto metaphase-II and get suspended until entry of sperm.
At this stage Graafian follicle releases secondary oocyte from the ovary by the process called ovulation.
On entry of a sperm into the secondary oocytes stimulates it to complete meiosis-II and there is formation of a haploid ovum and a second polar body (n).
Menstrual cycle:
Reproductive cycle of female primates is called menstrual cycle.
The first menstruation begins at puberty is called Menarche.
Menstrual cycle repeated at an average interval of 28/29 days.
One ovum is released in the middle of each menstrual cycle.
Menstrual cycle has following phases:
Menstrual phase:
1st phase of menstrual cycle.
Menstrual flow occurs.
Lasts for 3-5 days.
Breakdown of endometrial lining and blood vessel.
Mucus and blood comes out through vagina.
It occurs only when ovum released but no fertilization.
Lack of menstruation is the indication of pregnancy.
Follicular phase:
Menstrual phase followed by follicular phase.
Primary follicle becomes Graafian follicle.
Regeneration and proliferation of uterine endometrium.
LH and FSH level increases gradually in follicular phase.
Level of estrogen increases as it is secreted from growing follicle.
It lasts for 5-13 days.
Ovulatory phase:
FSH and LH attain peak level in this period (14th day).
This is called LH surge, which induces rupture of Graafian follicle and release of ovum from the ovary called ovulation.
Luteal phase:
Remaining part of Graafian follicle transformed into corpus luteum.
Coupus luteum produces large amount of progesterone.
Progesterone maintains the uterine endometrium, and prepares it for implantation.
Thickness of uterine endometrium increase in many folds, due to proliferation.
If there is fertilization, corpus luteum grows further and pregnancy continued, menstrual cycle stopped.
In the absence of fertilization corpus luteum degenerates.
Disintegration of endometrium leading to menstruation.
Menstrual cycle ceases around 50 years of age, called menopause.
CBSE Biology (Chapter Wise) Class XII ( By Mr. Hare Krushna Giri )
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