Oogenesis in the female is the process that produces fertile eggs, ready for fertilisation by the male sperm. Each egg has only one of each of the 23 human chromosomes - normal body cells have a pair of each, having 46 chromosomes in total.
To produce egg cells, the process of oogenesis takes place in the female ovary. Progenitor cells divide through a cell division process called meoisis, which is also known as a reduction division.
Instead of one cell splitting into two identical cells, four cells are produced which have half the normal number of chromosomes - they are described as being haploid.
The four cells are all genetically different because the process of meiosis involves cross overs of the chromosomes during division, so mixing up the genes inherited from the woman's mother and the woman's father. This variation produces fitter offspring as it widens the genetic variation that is possible.
To produce egg cells, the process of oogenesis takes place in the female ovary. Progenitor cells divide through a cell division process called meoisis, which is also known as a reduction division.
Instead of one cell splitting into two identical cells, four cells are produced which have half the normal number of chromosomes - they are described as being haploid.
The four cells are all genetically different because the process of meiosis involves cross overs of the chromosomes during division, so mixing up the genes inherited from the woman's mother and the woman's father. This variation produces fitter offspring as it widens the genetic variation that is possible.
