REPRODUCTION (HUMANS) Flashcards
What is the structure of the male reproductive system?
Urethra - sperm-carrying tube for ejaculation
Urine also passes through this
Erectile tissue - makes penis erect by swelling with blood
Testes - where sperm (male gamete) are made
Scrotum - skin sac that contains testes and hangs behind penis
Sperm duct - carries sperm from testes to urethra
Glands - produce the liquid that makes semen from sperm
What is the structure of the female reproductive system?
Fallopian tube - muscular tube that carries egg from ovary to uterus
Uterus - where the embryo grows
Vagina - where sperm are deposited
Cervix - neck of the uterus
Uterine lining - good blood supply for embryo implantation
Ovary - the organ that produces eggs and sex hormones
What are the secondary sexual characteristics of males (M) /females (F)?
Oestrogen (F), causes more hair, wider hips, breast development, ovum release and the start of the menstruation cycle
Testosterone (M), causes extra hair, muscle development, larger penis/testes, sperm production and a deeper voice
What are the 4 hormones involved with females?
FSH - Produced in pituitary gland, causing egg maturing in an ovary, stimulating oestrogen production from the ovaries
LH - Produced in pituitary gland, stimulates egg release
Oestrogen - Produced in ovaries, develops uterine lining, stimulates LH release
Progesterone - Produced in ovaries after ovulation, inhibits FSH/LH release, and breaks down uterine lining after levels fall
What are the stages of the menstrual cycle?
Stage 1 (start) - uterine lining breaks down until day 4
Stage 2 - uterine lining builds up from day 4 till 14, filling with blood vessels and becoming thick + spongy, ready to recieve an egg
Stage 3 - ovulation; egg is developed and released at day 14
Stage 4 - uterine lining maintained from day 14 until 28, breaking down if no fertilised egg lands on the wall
What does the embryo do during pregnancy?
After implantation, placenta develops; allowing the exchange of food, oxygen, waste between the blood of the mother and offspring.
Amnion membrane forms; surrounding the embryo, full of amniotic fluid that protects the offspring with knocks and bumps
