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Schematic summary of spermatogenesis in humans
Nabeel A. Affara
Figure 1. Schematic summary of spermatogenesis in humans. Spermatogenesis is the formation and development of spermatozoa, and includes spermatocytogenesis and spermiogenesis. Spermatogonia are cycling stem cells, which become type A and type B committed spermatogonia before giving rise to spermatocytes. After two meiotic divisions, spermatocytes develop into spermatids, which in turn develop into spermatozoa. These mature male germ cells develop in the seminiferous tubules of the testes, and consist of a head, a body, and a tail that provides propulsion. The head consists mainly of chromatin (i.e. nucleic acid and associated histone protein packed into nucleosomes) (fig001nac).
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