Human Sexual Reproduction Flashcards
Open ovulation where does the secondary oocyte move to?
from the ovary to the fallopian tubes (oviducts)
What is the lumen of the fallopian tube lined with?
ciliated epithelium
where does fertilisation take place?
fallopian tubes
What is capacitation?
when the sperm is activated by a change to the membrane surrounding the acrosome
How long do sperm remain viable for?
12-48 hours
What is the secondary oocyte?
name for the egg released at ovulation
suspended in metaphase II
Will complete meiosis II and become an ovum when sperm penetrates it.
When is the acrosome reaction stimulated?
as the head of the sperm binds to the cells of the zona pellucida around the oocyte
what does the acrosome release?
Hydrolytic proteases?
What do the hydrolytic proteases do?
act on the glycoproteins of the zona pellucida to soften them and allow the sperm head to penetrate
What other type of enzymes are also secreted by sperm?
Hyaluronidase enzymes
What does the head of the sperm form to pierce through the softened egg cell?
protein needle-like filament
What happens when the sperm binds to the egg’s membrane?
stimulates a change in the zona pellucida which modifies and thickens to form an impenetrable barrier called the ‘fertilisation membrane’
What is a cortical reaction?
exocytosis (release) of the cortical granules also leads to fertilisation
Where are cortical granules found?
In oocytes
what is formed when the sperm and ovum fuse?
A diploid zygote
What is a blastocyst?
Early stage of the embryo, the zygote undergoes mitosis to form a hollow ball of cells (blastocyst)
When does the blastocyst embed into the endometrium?
after about 3 days
What 2 layers does the trophoblast develop into?
The chorion and the amnion
What is the chorion?
forms finger like projections called chorionic villi which will form the placenta
Secretes human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG)
What do chorionic villi do?
increase surface area for absorption from uterus
What does Human Chorionic gonadotrophin do?
maintains the corpus luteum which secretes progesterone (maintaining pregnancy)
What is the corpus luteum?
the old follicle cells left behind in the ovary after ovulation
What hormone us used to detect pregnancy in pregnancy tests
HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin)
What are the characteristics of the ovary?
approximately 40mm long
over 200000 specialised cells
only 1% of primary follicles will become secondary oocytes
What is the function of the urethra in males?
carry either semen or urine
what is the function of the urethra in females?
carry urine
What is the bladder?
a muscular membranous sac in the abdomen which receives urine from the kidneys and stores it for excretion
What is the seminal vesicle?
glands along the bladder base that produce fluid that makes up semen
what is the prostate gland?
secretes prostate fluid which is a component of semen
What is the vas deferens?
thick-walled tube in the male reproductive system that transports sperm cells from the epididymis
What is the epipidymis?
a coiled tube in three sections, where the sperm are stored prior to ejaculation