Spermatogenesis
Also known as: sperm production · sperm development
The roughly three-month process by which the testes produce mature sperm, driven by FSH and high testosterone inside the testes.
Sperm develop inside the seminiferous tubules, supported by Sertoli cells (FSH-dependent) and by testosterone made locally by Leydig cells (LH-dependent). Testosterone inside the testes is far higher than in blood.
The full cycle takes around three months, so any change in the hormone signal shows up in semen results only after a lag. Clinicians repeat semen analyses for that reason.
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RELATED TERMS
Semen Parameters
The measured features of a semen sample: volume, concentration, total count, motility and morphology, read against WHO reference ranges.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
The pituitary hormone that grows ovarian follicles and supports sperm development in the testes.
Luteinising Hormone (LH)
The pituitary hormone that tells the testes to make testosterone and triggers ovulation in women.
HPG Axis (Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal Axis)
The hormone loop from hypothalamus (GnRH) to pituitary (LH, FSH) to gonads (testosterone, oestradiol, sperm or eggs).
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