Fertilisation and Implantation:

Getting pregnant:
 For a woman to get pregnant there must be gamete development and (oogenesis
and spermatogenesis), fertilization and implantation

Chromosomes and Replication:

 1 chromosome (n)
o Single stranded (1 chromatid)
 After replication:
o 1 chromosome (2N)
o Double stranded (2 identical sister chromatids)
 After Mitotic Division
o Centromere divides during Mitotic division and Meiosis 2 division
o 1 chromosome (n)
o Single stranded (1 chromatid)

Mitosis:
 The process of nuclear division in somatic cells (during cell division &
multiplication) where each chromosomes divides into two
 1 cell with 46 chromosomes (diploid) to 2 daughter cells each with 46
chromosomes (diploid)

Meiosis:
 Cell division that forms gametes (sperm and eggs) each with a haploid number of
chromosomes
 1 cell with 46 chromosomes (diploid) to 4 daughter cells with 23 chromosomes
(haploid)
 Meiosis I  halves number of chromosomes
 Meiosis II  halves DNA content of each chromosome

Gametogenesis (meiosis)
 Male gametes: in the testis (spermatogenesis process)
o Mitosis
o Meiosis I
 when they start they become a primary spermatocyte
 When the complete the phase they become a secondary
spermatocyte or oocyte
o Meiosis II
 End up with a gamete (sperm or ovum  haploid)
 In spermatogenesis 1 germ cell becomes 4 sperm cells
 In oogenesis 1 germ cell becomes 1 ovum (egg)
o This is because in meiosis 1 and meiosis II the egg divides into the large
main egg and a small polar body

Male Gamete Physiology:

 Spermatogenesis
 o In the testis:
o Mitosis, meiosis I and II, Spermiogenesis, spermiation
 Spermiogenesis  process of becoming elongated (oval) mature
spermatids
 Spermiation  releasing the spermatids as spermatozoa
 Epidiymis (maturation  membrane surface changes so this increases the ability
to bind to the ZP of the egg)
 Female genital tract  capacitation: sperm becomes hypermotile.
o Gains ability to bind to the ZP and the ability to undergo the AR,
o acrosome reaction – ability to penetrate ZP and fuse with the egg
membrane)

Oogenesis (Egg Development)

 Primordial germ cell  Mitosis  oogonia  (meiosis I)  primary oocyte
(arrested diplotene stage of prophase I)
 The primary oocytes become incorporated into follicles during fetal life
 Meiosis II  Secondary oocyte (arrested in metaphase II)
 Ovum  Fertilized ovum or Zygote

 Female gametes – go through stages of follicle development: primordial, primary,

primary/pre-antral, secondary/antral, pre=ovulatory/Graafian
Follicle Type 1st formation
Primordial 14-20/40 (fetal life)
Primary (preantral) 20/40 (fetal life)
Secondary (Antral) End of pregnancy (fetal life)
Pre-ovulatory (graafian) During reproductive life (adult life)
 Follicles continuously leave primordial pool (under all circumstances) and grow
constantly until ovulation or atresia

Germ cell numbers (female)

 6 weeks gestation: 10,000
 16-20 weeks: 6-7million (max oogonal content of ovary)
  Birth: 1-2 million (newborn inflant has lost over 80% of original germ cell
endowment)
 Onset of puberty: 300,000 (only 400-500 will fully develop and ovulate over next
35-40 years)
 Age 37-38years – 25,000
 Menopause: 100
 Post Menopause: none

Fertilisation:
 Fertilization occurs when the sperm penetrates the zona pelludia of the egg. The
sperm then fuses with the egg plasma membrane (oolemma)
 Egg metabolic activation
o Cortical granule reaction  block to polyspermy (at ZP and egg oolemma)
o Resumption of meiosis II in egg nucleus
 The endometrium is receptive for implantation for only a few days
 Fertilized egg (ovum) or Zygote
o 2 polar bodies
o 2 pronuclei

Early embryo development:

Implantation:
 The window of endometrial receptivity is restricted to days 20-24 of a 28 day
normal cycle
o Endometrial receptivity
 Defined in terms of:
 Biochemical changes
 Morphological changes
 Synchrony is required between embryo (blastocyst) development and
endometrial development
 There are 3 stages of implantation (apposition, adhesion and invasion).
Implantation is complete by 14 days post fertilization (day 28 of cycle, around the
time of the missed period)