germ cell

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germ cell

biology

Also known as: gametocyte

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June 29, 2026

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In biology, a germ cell is a gamete, such as an egg or sperm cell, or one of its precursor cells. Germ cells are distinct from somatic cells, which constitute the rest of an organism's body. The process of producing germ cells is called gametogenesis.123

In males, this process is known as spermatogenesis, where sperm cells develop within the testes. In females, it is called oogenesis, the formation of egg cells (ova). During gametogenesis, germ cells undergo a specialized type of cell division called meiosis. Meiosis reduces the number of chromosomes by half, ensuring that when a sperm and egg combine, the resulting embryo has the correct number of chromosomes. Germinal mutations, alterations in the genetic material of germ cells, are significant sources of genetic variation and drive evolutionary change.3456

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soma
…between the soma and the germ cells was propounded by the 19th-century German biologist August Weismann in the “germ plasm” theory that emphasized the role of the immortal, heredity-carrying genes and chromosomes, which are transmitted through successive generations of each species and determine the character of each individual in the…
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…between the soma and the germ cells was propounded by the 19th-century German biologist August Weismann in the “germ plasm” theory that emphasized the role of the immortal, heredity-carrying genes and chromosomes, which are transmitted through successive generations of each species and determine the character of each individual in the…
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Plasmodium
… species exhibit three life-cycle stages—gametocytes, sporozoites, and merozoites. Gametocytes within a mosquito develop into sporozoites. The sporozoites are transmitted via the saliva of a feeding mosquito to the human bloodstream. From there they enter liver parenchyma cells, where they divide and form merozoites. The merozoites are released into the…
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… species exhibit three life-cycle stages—gametocytes, sporozoites, and merozoites. Gametocytes within a mosquito develop into sporozoites. The sporozoites are transmitted via the saliva of a feeding mosquito to the human bloodstream. From there they enter liver parenchyma cells, where they divide and form merozoites. The merozoites are released into the…
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germ-plasm theory
…is the essential element of germ cells (eggs and sperm) and is the hereditary material that is passed from generation to generation. Weismann first proposed this theory in 1883; it was later published in his treatise Das Keimplasma (1892; The Germ-Plasm: A Theory of Heredity). This view contradicted Lamarck’s theory…
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…is the essential element of germ cells (eggs and sperm) and is the hereditary material that is passed from generation to generation. Weismann first proposed this theory in 1883; it was later published in his treatise Das Keimplasma (1892; The Germ-Plasm: A Theory of Heredity). This view contradicted Lamarck’s theory…
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malaria
The course of the disease
…sexual stage known as a gametocyte. These will mate only when they enter the gut of another mosquito that bites the infected person. Mating between gametocytes produces embryonic forms called ookinetes; these embed themselves in the mosquito’s gut, where they mature after 9 to 14 days into oocysts, which in…
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…sexual stage known as a gametocyte. These will mate only when they enter the gut of another mosquito that bites the infected person. Mating between gametocytes produces embryonic forms called ookinetes; these embed themselves in the mosquito’s gut, where they mature after 9 to 14 days into oocysts, which in…
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teratoma
… that originates from remnants of germ cells (the precursors of eggs and sperm) or germ layers (cell layers formed in early embryonic development)—namely, the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.
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… that originates from remnants of germ cells (the precursors of eggs and sperm) or germ layers (cell layers formed in early embryonic development)—namely, the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm.
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