Male Sexual Reproduction in Animals (DONE)

Question 1

What is the function of the scrotum?

Answer 1

Holds and protects testes.
Enables temperature of testes to be maintained at 35 degrees for enzymes.

Question 2

What is the function of the testes?

Answer 2

Produce sperm/male gametes and male hormone testosterone.

Question 3

What is the function of the vas deferens (sperm duct)?

Answer 3

Muscular tube which carries sperm from the epididymis to the urethra.

Question 4

What is the function of the seminal vesicle?
(2 marks)

Answer 4

Attached to the vas deferens, and produce + secrete a fluid. Fluid contains fructose for energy and prostaglandins to stimulate uterine contraction. Includes mucus.

Question 5

What is the function of the prostate gland?

Answer 5

Adds an alkaline fluid to semen which neutralises acidic urine left in the urethra and protects sperm in the acidic environment of the vagina.

Question 6

What is the function of the urethra?

Answer 6

Carries semen through the penis and out of the body. Carries urine from the bladder out.

Question 7

What is the function of the penis?

Answer 7

Releases semen and urine. Becomes erect due to increased blood flow. Delivers semen to the top of the vagina.

Question 8

What is spermatogenesis?

Answer 8

The production of male gametes (spermatozoa) in the testes.

Question 9

Where does spermatogenesis take place?

Answer 9

Seminiferous tubules

Question 10

What is spermatogenesis regulated by?

Answer 10

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) produced by the anterior pituitary gland. Testosterone produced by the interstitial (leydig) cells in the testes.

Question 11

What are sertoli cells? What do they look like?

Answer 11

They provide nourishment for spermatids and protection against the male’s immune system. They engulf cytoplasm shed by the spermatids. They are large cells within the seminiferous tubule.

Question 12

What is the basement membrane?

Answer 12

Connective tissue surrounding the seminiferous tubule.

Question 13

What are leydig/interstitial cells?

Answer 13

Found adjacent to the seminiferous tubules (outside). They secrete testosterone (hormone/protein), which stimulates spermatogenesis.

Question 14

What happens before puberty in spermatogenesis?

Answer 14

Spermatogonia (2n) undergo mitosis to reproduce themselves and form more spermatogonia.

Question 15

What happens at puberty in spermatogenesis?
(4 marks)

Answer 15

Spermatogonia grow larger in preparation for division, which is called a primary spermatocyte (2n).
The primary spermatocyte undergoes meiosis 1 to produce two secondary spermatocytes.
Each secondary spermatocyte undergoes meiosis 2 to produce two spermatids.
Spermatids mature into spermatozoa sperm.

Question 16

Describe the components of a spermatozoa.
(4 marks)

Answer 16

Tail flagellum to allow the sperm to swim to egg.
Mitochondria in the mid-piece, as ATP is required to swim up to the oviducts.
Microtubules are wrapped for tail movement
Pointed acrosome which contains hydrolytic enzymes.