What are the developing female stem cells in a fetus called?
Oogenesis The process by which female gametes develop is called oogenesis. The female stem cells that produce the gametes are called oogonia (sing. oogonium). During development of the embryo these stem cells migrate into the ovary. In the developing female fetus, oogonia become primary oocytes that begin the first division of meiosis. However, this division is not completed and the primary oocytes remain “frozen” in the prophase stage of the first meiotic division. At birth, oogonia are no longer present. Each primary oocyte is surrounded by a single layer of squamous epithelial cells called follicular cells. The primary oocyte together with its follicular cells is called a primordial follicle. There are about two million primordial follicles with their primary oocytes in the ovaries at birth suspended in the first division of meiosis. As the female grows, primary oocytes begin to die and disappear with their follicular cells. This process continues until puberty when there are only a
