c> around 7 million primordial oocytes. The oocytes then enter a prolonged
c> dictyate resting stage and meiosis recommences at
c> ovulation to be completed
c> (ie reach the haploid stage) after sperm entry.
c> Errors accumulate largely
c> as chromosomal factors (eg Downs syndrome) By contrast, spermatogenesis
c> starts at puberty and is continuous. Thus a sperm
c> produced by a 50 year
c> old man (do I give myself away here?) has been
c> through many more division
c> cycles than the equivalent gamete in a female. This leads to genetic
c> errors primarily through DNA breakage and replication errors.
Ahhhhh, thankyou sir!
regards,
james
(re: Murdoch University vet/anatomy prof reply; Perth, W.Oz.)
