Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Oogenesis02:07

Oogenesis

In human women, oogenesis produces one mature egg cell or ovum for every precursor cell that enters meiosis. This process differs in two unique ways from the equivalent procedure of spermatogenesis in males. First, meiotic divisions during oogenesis are asymmetric, meaning that a large oocyte (containing most of the cytoplasm) and minor polar body are produced as a result of meiosis I, and again following meiosis II. Since only oocytes will go on to form embryos if fertilized, this unequal...
Oogenesis01:22

Oogenesis

Oogenesis,  the process of developing egg cells (female gametes), occurs within the ovaries and is fundamental to female fertility. This sequence begins during fetal development when diploid oogonia in the developing ovaries undergo mitotic divisions to produce primary oocytes. By birth, these primary oocytes enter prophase I of meiosis but become arrested in this stage, remaining suspended until puberty.
Each primary oocyte is surrounded by a layer of pre-granulosa cells, forming what is known...
Folliculogenesis01:20

Folliculogenesis

Folliculogenesis is the development of ovarian follicles, the specialized structures within the ovarian cortex where oogenesis, or egg development, occurs. This process is essential for female reproductive health and begins during fetal development when primordial follicles are formed. Each primordial follicle comprises a primary oocyte in the center, surrounded by a single layer of squamous pre-granulosa cells. These follicles remain dormant in late prophase I of meiosis until triggered by...
Meiosis II01:57

Meiosis II

Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each containing...
Meiosis II02:02

Meiosis II

Meiosis II entails cell division and segregation of the sister chromatids, resulting in the production of four unique haploid gametes. The steps for meiosis II are similar to mitosis, except that meiosis II occurs in haploid cells, whereas mitosis occurs in diploid cells.
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle01:30

Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle

The ovarian cycle is meticulously regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This cycle orchestrates the release of a mature oocyte, essential for reproduction.
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle.  At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Programmed meiotic errors facilitate dichotomous sperm production in the silkworm, <i>Bombyx mori</i>.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

A proximity labeling approach to identify proteins that associate with synaptonemal complex components in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> females.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

The synaptonemal complex component corolla regulates meiotic crossover formation in Drosophila melanogaster.

Chromosoma·2025
Same author

The Drosophila mauritiana synaptonemal complex protein C(3)G repatterns the recombination landscape of Drosophila melanogaster.

PLoS genetics·2025
Same author

Patterns of crossover distribution in Drosophila mauritiana necessitate a re-thinking of the centromere effect on crossing over.

Genetics·2025
Same author

The passing of the last oracle: Adelaide Carpenter and Drosophila meiosis.

Chromosoma·2024
Same journal

Pitch selectivity in ferret auditory cortex.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

A cell size-dependent competition between geometry and polarity governs nuclear and spindle positioning in early embryos.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Trophic cascades drive sustainability in the agricultural heritage rice-fish coculture system.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Tracking Satb2-positive retinal ganglion cells in zebrafish unveils developmental functional reorganization.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

RhoGAP54D promotes cell size asymmetry and inhibits pulsatile myosin activity in Drosophila neural stem cells.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Increased rates of hybridization in swordtails are associated with water pollution.

Current biology : CB·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Whole Ovary Immunofluorescence, Clearing, and Multiphoton Microscopy for Quantitative 3D Analysis of the Developing Ovarian Reserve in Mouse
12:36

Whole Ovary Immunofluorescence, Clearing, and Multiphoton Microscopy for Quantitative 3D Analysis of the Developing Ovarian Reserve in Mouse

Published on: September 3, 2021

Oogenesis: when most is good enough.

R Scott Hawley1

  • 1Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA. rsh@stowers.org

Current Biology : CB
|April 26, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Male meiosis halts with unaligned chromosomes, but oocytes proceed. This difference highlights the spindle assembly checkpoint's permissive role in female meiosis, not just chromosome orientation.

More Related Videos

Production and Use of Customizable Agarose Molds for Scaffold-Free Mouse Ovarian Follicle Culture
09:50

Production and Use of Customizable Agarose Molds for Scaffold-Free Mouse Ovarian Follicle Culture

Published on: October 24, 2025

Analysis of Chromosome Segregation, Histone Acetylation, and Spindle Morphology in Horse Oocytes
12:11

Analysis of Chromosome Segregation, Histone Acetylation, and Spindle Morphology in Horse Oocytes

Published on: May 11, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Whole Ovary Immunofluorescence, Clearing, and Multiphoton Microscopy for Quantitative 3D Analysis of the Developing Ovarian Reserve in Mouse
12:36

Whole Ovary Immunofluorescence, Clearing, and Multiphoton Microscopy for Quantitative 3D Analysis of the Developing Ovarian Reserve in Mouse

Published on: September 3, 2021

Production and Use of Customizable Agarose Molds for Scaffold-Free Mouse Ovarian Follicle Culture
09:50

Production and Use of Customizable Agarose Molds for Scaffold-Free Mouse Ovarian Follicle Culture

Published on: October 24, 2025

Analysis of Chromosome Segregation, Histone Acetylation, and Spindle Morphology in Horse Oocytes
12:11

Analysis of Chromosome Segregation, Histone Acetylation, and Spindle Morphology in Horse Oocytes

Published on: May 11, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Cellular biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Meiosis is a critical cell division process for sexual reproduction.
  • The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) ensures proper chromosome alignment before cell division.
  • Differences in meiotic progression exist between male and female gametes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate why oocytes can complete meiosis despite misaligned chromosomes, unlike male meiosis.
  • To determine the role of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) in this observed difference.
  • To explore whether chromosome orientation on the spindle contributes to oocyte meiotic completion.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of male and female meiosis.
  • Observation of chromosome behavior and spindle dynamics during meiosis.
  • Assessment of the spindle assembly checkpoint's activity in both sexes.

Main Results:

  • Unaligned chromosomes arrest male meiotic progression.
  • Oocytes with misaligned chromosomes can successfully complete meiosis.
  • The SAC in oocytes is more permissive to chromosome misalignment than in male meiosis.

Conclusions:

  • The permissive nature of the SAC in oocytes is the primary reason for their ability to complete meiosis despite chromosome misalignment.
  • Chromosome orientation on the spindle is a less significant factor in oocyte meiotic completion compared to SAC regulation.
  • This study reveals sex-specific differences in meiotic regulation crucial for successful reproduction.