B10.3 : Sexual reproduction in humans Flashcards
(30 cards)
Part of the male human reproductive system
- Sperm duct
- Penis
- Urethra
- scrotum
- Prostate gland
- Testes
Testes
- produce male hormones and sperm
- protected by the scrotum
- connected to the urethra
scrotum
- regulates the temperature of the sperm
- holds the testes
- The temperature needs to be regulated because sperm production is sensitive to heat. If they get too hot, the cells will not develop into sperm
sperm duct
- The sperm duct moves sperm from the testes into the urethra.
Prostate gland
- The prostate gland produces substances that are added to the sperm to make semen.
- Produce hormones such as Testosterone.
Penis
- The penis contains erectile tissue which allows it to enter the female vagina and deposit semen out of the urethra.
- Releases urine.
- Releases sperm.
urethra
- semen travels down this tube and exits from the penis
2. Connects the bladder and testes to the penis.
Part of the female human reproductive system
- Ovary
- Cervix
- oviduct
- uterus
- Vagina
Pathway of the egg cell
Eggs are stored in the ovaries and travel down the oviducts to the uterus, which is where fertilised eggs implant and grow during pregnancy.
cervix
- The cervix is the opening at the bottom of the uterus, leading to the vagina.
- connects the uterus to the vagina
Ovaries
- store the eggs
2. matures and releases the eggs
Vagina
- The vagina is the external opening of the female reproductive system and where the penis enters during sex.
oviduct
- eggs travel down these tubes from the ovaries to the uterus
- Pathway for released eggs
- Where the sperm fuses with the egg to create a zygote
- Do not connect directly to the ovaries, but has a funnel-shaped opening just a short distance away
Uterus
- where fertilised eggs implant
- where the foetus grows during pregnancy
- Zygote is embedded into the lining.
- Supports the zygote through blood vessels.
- Contains very thick walls, made of muscle
- Can stretch a great deal when a woman is pregnant
Sperm cell
- Sperm cells are specialised to fertilise egg cells.
- To do this, they need to travel long distances relatively to their size.
- They then break through to the egg cell and fertilise it (combine the sperm DNA with the egg DNA).
Flagellum
- The flagellum acts as a tail for the sperm cell
- is used for the cell’s motion.
- This allows sperm cells to travel towards the egg cell.
- Sperm spin their flagella in a corkscrew motion to move themselves towards their target - the egg.
Head of a sperm cell
- The ‘head’ contains the sperm cell’s nucleus. The nucleus carries one half of an organism’s genetic material. (haploid cell)
- This combines with the egg cell’s half of genetic material to fertilise the egg cell.
- It also contains an enzyme needed to penetrate (break into) an egg cell.
acrosome
- The acrosome at the tip of the head of the sperm cell contains an enzyme needed to penetrate (break into) an egg cell.
- It is an organelle
Middle section of a sperm cell
The middle section is filled with mitochondria to provide the sperm with the energy it needs to travel a long distance to reach the egg cell.
Parts of a sperm cell
- Mitochondria
- head
- Nucleus
- acrosome
- flagellum
Egg cell
- The egg cell is fertilised by a sperm cell to become a zygote (which grows into an embryo).
- An egg cell is much larger than a sperm cell and it is specialised to support the zygote as it grows.
Specialisation of the egg cell
- haploid nucleus
- jelly coat
- Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm of an egg cell
The cell is large and contains lots of cytoplasm, which is packed full of nutrients that the zygote will need to grow.
Nucleus of an egg cell
- Haploid nucleus
- The nucleus contains half the genetic information needed for the new zygote.
- The sperm cell provides the other half.