Feralis Ch 4 Flashcards
Asexual Reproduction - Fission
separation of an organism into two new cells (amoeba)
Asexual Reproduction - Budding
occurs when a new individual grows from an existing one and then splits off (hydra)
Asexual Reproduction - Fragmentation + Regeneration
when a single parent breaks into parts that regenerate into new individuals (sponge/ planaria/starfish)
Asexual Reproduction - Parthenogenesis
process in which egg develops without fertilization, resulting in an adult that is either haploid or diploid (honeybees, wasps, ants, some lizards, and hammerhead sharks)
Gonads
Gonads describe the reproductive structures responsible for the production of gametes. In males, the gonads are the testis, while in females, the gonads are the ovaries. The gonads are responsible for primary sex characteristics, and are directly involved in reproduction.
Secondary sex characteristics
differ from primary characteristics in that they indicate sexual maturity but are not involved in reproduction, such as breast development or increased body fat in females during puberty.
Testosterone results in the secondary sex characteristics in men, but also closes the epiphyses of long bones
Ovary
ova, or eggs, are produced here, and each female has two ovaries
Oviduct (fallopian tube/uterine tube)
allows for eggs to move from the ovary to the uterus, with one oviduct for each ovary (2)
The ovary isn’t actually directly connected to its adjacent oviduct, so the egg is swept into the oviduct via finger-like fimbrae. Fertilization occurs here!
Uterus
muscular chamber where development of the embryo occurs until birth. A fertilized ovum implants (attaches) on the inside uterine wall, or endometrium, on day 6 after fertilization
Vagina
at birth, the fetus passes through the cervix, an opening in the uterus, and out of the body
Testis
each consists of seminiferous tubules for production of sperm, and interstitial cells (Leydig cells) that produce male sex hormones testosterone and androgens at the beginning of puberty. These hormones are secreted in the presence of LH.
Testis - Sertoli cells
are stimulated by FSH and serve to surround and nurture sperm, as well as secrete peptide hormone inhibin, which acts on the anterior pituitary to inhibit FSH release
Testis - Scrotum
testis are located here; provides an external cavity about 2oC lower than the body temperature for sperm production.
Epididymis
a coiled tube attached to each testis that serves as the site for final maturation and storage of sperm
Vas deferens
transfers sperm from one epididymis to the urethra
Seminal vesicles
two glands that, during ejaculation, secrete into vas deference and provide mucus (liquid for sperm), fructose (energy for sperm), and prostaglandins (stimulate uterine contractions that help sperm move into uterus).
Prostate gland
secretes milky alkaline fluid into urethra and neutralizes acidity of urine that may still be in the urethra, as well as acidity of the vagina. This gland also neutralizes seminal fluid, which is too acidic from metabolic waste of sperm
Bulbourethral (Cowper’s) glands
secrete small amount of thick mucus of unknown function into urethra
Penis
transports semen (fluid containing sperm and secretions) into the vagina
Sperm
are compact packages of DNA specialized for effective male genome delivery.
Sperm - sperm head
Haploid (23 chromosomes); at tip is acrosome, a lysosome-like organelle containing enzymes (hyaluronidase), which are used to penetrate the egg. The acrosome originates from Golgi body vesicles that fuse together, and only the nuclear portion of the sperm enters the egg
Sperm - Mid-piece
flagellum (9+2 microtubule array) arising from one member of centriole pair, and contains lots of mitochondria
Sperm - Tail
remainder of flagellum; sperm is propelled by whiplike motion of tail and mid-piece
mnemonic SEVEn UP
Use the mnemonic SEVEn UP to memorize the path of sperm: Seminiferous tubules —> Epididymis —> Vas deferens —> Ejaculatory duct —> Urethra —> Penis (pause before the V for maturation!)
Gametogenesis in Humans
Gametogenesis describes the meiotic cell divisions that produce eggs (oogenesis) and sperm (spermatogenesis).
Egg vs sperm
The egg contains most of the cytoplasm, RNA, organelles, and nutrients needed by the developing embryo, which explains why the egg is much larger in size than the sperm. The sperm contributes very little cytoplasm during fertilization.
Oogenesis
Oogenesis - begins during the female embryonic development (before birth). Oogonia (fetal cells) undergo mitosis and become primary oocytes. These primary oocytes begin meiosis, but remain in prophase I until puberty. During puberty, one primary oocyte is selected and stimulated via FSH to continue its development through meiosis I during the ~28 day menstrual cycle.
i. This primary oocyte continues its development within a follicle, which is formed via encircling cells that protect and nourish the oocyte.
ii. Within the follicle, the oocyte completes meiosis I and becomes the secondary oocyte, which consists mostly of cytoplasm. The secondary oocyte also contains a polar body, which has much smaller cytoplasm content, and may or may not divide, but its products disintegrate.
iii. The secondary oocyte remains arrested in metaphase II until ovulation occurs.
Ovulation
Releases the secondary oocyte from a vesicular follicle, which is stimulated by an LH surge. If this oocyte is fertilized by a sperm, the oocyte completes meiosis II, and the resulting ovum/egg becomes diploid. The polar body degenerates.
Ovulation - at puberty
At puberty, FSH stimulates the growth of granulosa cells around the primary oocyte, which release a viscous substance that forms the zone pellucida, a jelly like layer around the egg. The structure at this stage is still a primary follicle.
Next, theca cells differentiate from the interstitial tissue and grow around the follicle to form a secondary follicle. Upon stimulation, by LH, theca cells secrete androgen, which is converted to estradiol (a type of estrogen) by the granulosa cells in the presence of FSH and is secreted into the blood.
Typically, estradiol inhibits LH secretion by the anterior pituitary, but just before ovulation, estradiol levels rise rapidly, causing a dramatic increase in LH secretion.