Final answer:
The production of sperm cells is called spermatogenesis, while the creation of egg cells is termed oogenesis. These processes occur in the male and female gonads respectively and are critical for sexual reproduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that produces sperm cells in males is known as spermatogenesis. In females, the process that creates egg cells is called oogenesis. During spermatogenesis, male germ cells undergo several stages of development, eventually resulting in mature sperm with a distinct tail for motility. Oogenesis, on the other hand, leads to the development of a single large egg cell from the original four haploid cells produced after meiotic division. These processes are essential for sexual reproduction, as they ensure the production of haploid gametes, thus maintaining the species' chromosome number when eggs and sperm combine during fertilization.
In comparison to sperm, egg cells are significantly larger and do not have a tail. While males produce millions of sperm continuously, females typically release only one egg during each menstrual cycle. The formation of these reproductive cells occurs in specialized organs called gonads—the testes in males for sperm and the ovaries in females for eggs.