Meiosis in the ovaries to form an egg is called?

• A. Oogenesis
• B. Spermatogenesis
• C. Gametogenesis
• D. Fertilization

Answer: (A)

Oogenesis is the process of meiosis in the ovaries to form an egg. It’s the female-specific form of gametogenesis, producing the haploid female gamete. In oogenesis, germ cells called oogonia enter meiosis during development and become primary oocytes that pause until puberty. After puberty, hormonal cycles resume meiosis to produce a secondary oocyte and a polar body, and if fertilization occurs, meiosis II completes to yield a mature ovum. The mature egg is large and packed with cytoplasm to support early development. Spermatogenesis is the analogous process in males, occurring in the testes to make sperm. Gametogenesis is the general term for the formation of gametes in both sexes, and fertilization is the union of egg and sperm to form a zygote, not their formation.