Structure of Gametes

STRUCTURE OF GAMETES
Sperm
 Antony Von Leeuwenhook, the pitch microscopist discovered sperm in 1673. First
consider as parasitic animal in semen in 1685 wrote sperm were seeds (both sperma,
semen mean seed).
 Nicolas Hart Soeker, the co-discoverer of sperm, draw a picture miniscule human
(homunculus) with inn the sperm.
 Sperm consist of a haploid nucleus, a propulsion system to move the nucleus and a
sac of enzyme that enable the nucleus to enter the egg.
 In most species (except nematodes) almost all cytoplasm eliminated during sperm
maturation, living only certain organelles that are modified for spermatic function.
 During course of sperm maturation, haploid nucleus becomes very streamlined and
its DNA tightly compressed.
 In front of compressed haploid nucleus lies acrosomal vesicle or acrosome derived
from Golgi apparatus and contains enzyme that digest proteins and complex sugars.
 The enzyme stored in acrosome used to lyze the outer covering of egg.
 In many species a globular actin protein lies between the sperm nucleus and
acrosomal vesicle.
 These proteins are used to extend a finger like acrosomal process from the sperm
during the early stage of fertilization.
 In sea-arching recognition of sperm and egg involves molecules on acrosomal process.
Together acrosome and nucleus form head.
 In most species sperm is able to travel by flagella axonemal flagellar protein formed
by microtubules emanating from centriole at the base of sperm nucleus.
 The core of axonemal consists of 2 central microtubules surrounded by 9 doublet
microtubule.
 Protofilament are made up of tubulin.
 Another protein dynein attached to microtubule provide the force for sperm
propulsion.
 Dynein is an ATPase hydrolyze ATP and convert chemical energy to mechanical energy
to propel sperm.
 Kartagener triad- Genetic syndrome lack dynein (Immotile) and 50% of chance having
heart of right side of the body (immotile cilia center of embryo).
 The ATP needed to whip flagellum and propel sperm comes from rings of
mitochondria located in mid piece of sperm.
 In many species a layer of dense fibers has interposed between the mitochondrial
sheat and axonemal.
 This fibre stiffer the sperm tail thickness decreases towards tip. The fiber probably
prevent sperm head from wipped around suddenly sperm cell undergone extensive
modification for transport of its nucleus to egg.
 In mammals, the sperm released during ejaculation are able to move but they do not
have capacity to fertilize an egg.
 Final stage of mammalian sperm maturation, cumulatively referred as capacitation do
not occur until sperm has been inside female reproductive tract for certain period of
time.
The Egg
 All the material necessary for the beginning of growth and development must be
stored in the matured egg OVUM.
 At that time oocyte either synthesizes or absorbs protein such as yolk that acts as food
reservoir for developing embryo.
 Thus bird’s egg swollen with accumulated yolk.
 Even egg with little yolk are larger than sperm.
Cytoplasm of egg includes

Protein
 The early embryonic cells need a supply of energy and amino acids. This is
accomplished by accumulating yolk protein in the egg.
 Many of these yolk proteins are made in liver, fat bodies and travel through maternal
blood to oocyte.
Ribosomes & t-RNA
 Early embryo needs to make many of its own protein and in same species there is a
burst of protein synthesis soon after fertilization protein synthesis requires ribosome
and t-RNA.
Messenger RNA
 Oocyte not only accumulate protein but also accumulate m-RNA which encode
protein.
Morphogenic Factors
 Molecules that direct the differentiation of cells in to certain cell types are present in
egg.
 These factors include transcription factors and paracrine factors.
Protective Chemicals
 The embryo cannot run away from predators or move to a safer environment, so it
must equipped to deal with threads.
 Many eggs contain ultraviolet filters and repair enzyme that protect them from
sunlight, yolk of bird contains antibodies.
 Within enormous volume of egg cytoplasm resides a large nucleus.
 Few species (Sea Urchin) the female pronucleus is haploid at time of fertilization.
 Other species most mammal egg nucleus is diploid, the sperm enter the egg meiotic
divisions are complex.
 Enclosing cytoplasm is egg cell membrane. Outside cell membrane is extracellular
envelope that forms a fibrous mat around the egg involved in sperm egg recognition.
 In vertebrate the structure called vitelline envelope required for species specific
binding of sperm.
 In mammal vitelline envelope is a separate and thick extracellular matrix called
zonapellucida.
 Mammalian is also surrounded by cumulus which made up of the ovarian follicular
cells that were nitrating the egg at the time of its release from ovary.
 Innermost layer of cumulus immediately adjacent to zonapellucida is corona radiate.
 Lying immediately beneath the cell membrane of egg is a thin shell of gel-like
cytoplasm called cortex contains a high concentration of globular actin molecules.
 During fertilization, the actin polymerize to form long cable known as microfilaments
which is necessary for cell division and are also used to extend egg surface small
projection called microvillion.
 Also with in the cortex are cortical granules.
 The membrane bound golgi derived structure contain proteolytic enzyme so it is
homologous to acrosomal vesicle.
 In addition to digestive enzyme, cortical granule contain mucopolysaccharides
adhesive glycoprotein, hyaline protein.
 Enzyme and mucopolysaccharides prevent polyspermy.
 Hyaline and adhesive glycoprotein surrounded the early embryo and provide support
for cleavage.
 Many types of egg have a layer of egg jelly (Sea Urchin) outside vitelline envelope. This
is most used to activate sperm.
 The egg is a cell specialized for receiving sperm and initiating development.

Structure of Gametes

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Structure of Gametes

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STRUCTURE OF GAMETES

Cytoplasm of egg includes

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