Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Human Reproduction

Question:

At what stage of life is oogenesis initiated in a human female ?

Options:

During Menstrual cycle.

At puberty.

During menarch.

During embryonic development.

Correct Answer:

During embryonic development.

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (4)- During embryonic development.

Oogenesis, the process of egg cell (ovum) development in females, begins during embryonic development, not at any particular stage of the menstrual cycle, puberty, or menarche.

The process of formation of a mature female gamete is called oogenesis which is markedly different from spermatogenesis. Oogenesis is initiated during the embryonic development stage when a couple of million gamete mother cells (oogonia) are formed within each fetal ovary; no more oogonia are formed and added after birth. These cells start division and enter into prophase-I of the meiotic division and get temporarily arrested at that stage, called primary oocytes. Each primary oocyte then gets surrounded by a layer of granulosa cells and is called the primary follicle . A large number of these follicles degenerate during the phase from birth to puberty. Therefore, at puberty only 60,000-80,000 primary follicles are left in each ovary. The primary follicles get surrounded by more layers of granulosa cells and a new theca and are called secondary follicles.