Spermatogonium

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An undifferentiated germ cell in the seminiferous tubules of the testis that divides to form spermatocytes
2. A diploid cell found in the testicular tissue that undergoes mitosis to generate the cells leading to sperm production
3. A primordial male germ cell within the testis that serves as the source for spermatocytes through cell division

Etymology: Spermatogonium is a technical coinage built from two Greek-derived parts. The first, "spermato-", comes from Greek "sperma" meaning "seed", and the second, "-gonium", comes from Greek "gonos" meaning "offspring" or "generation", with the "-ium" ending typical of biological terms for cells or structures. Put together, the name describes a cell that gives rise to sperm. The word belongs to the modern scientific vocabulary of cell biology, formed by combining classical elements to name a specific stage in sperm development. Its meaning is literal: these are the primitive germ cells that divide and eventually develop into mature sperm, so the name points directly to what the cell does rather than to any older popular usage.

Synonyms: germ cell