The discussion revolves around whether gametes undergo a form of mitosis after their initial formation through meiosis. Participants explore the replication processes of gametes, particularly focusing on sperm and ova, and consider related phenomena in different organisms.
Participants express uncertainty regarding the replication of gametes and whether sperm undergo mitosis after their formation. Multiple competing views exist regarding the processes involved in gamete production and the definitions of gametes in different contexts.
Participants reference various sources and examples, but there are limitations in the clarity of definitions and processes discussed, particularly regarding the distinction between gametes and other cell types. The discussion remains open-ended with unresolved questions about the specifics of gamete replication.
MathewsMD said:The "best answer" in the following link says: "these cells continue dividing, producing billions of sperm cells per day." Is this correct? Do sperm undergo countless divisions (mitosis) once they are formed in the haploid phase?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100214071825AAgcIhS (I know it's not the best source, but it pertains to the topic above and I can't seem to find the exact answers I'm looking for elsewhere).
atyy said:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10019/ - it looks like the primordial germ cells are diploid, so that doesn't seem to be what you are asking about.
Off the top of my head, a close phenomenon might be the mitosis of haploid yeast cells.
MathewsMD said:Another question closely related: in females, is there a general range of maximum potential ova? How many gametes do females develop by the end of gestation?