making egg and sperm & development and birth Flashcards
Mitosis
- 4 stages (+ interphase)
- somatic cells
- produces 2 diploid daughters
- gen. var. does not change
- no. of chromosomes stay the same
Meiosis
- 8 stages (+ interphase)
- germ/sex cells
- produces 4 haploid daughter cells
- gen. var. increases
- no. of chromosomes is halved
Female reproductive system
- Ovaries open into peritoneal cavity
- Fimbriae direct ovum in uterine tube/fallopian tube/oviduct
- Successful fertilisation normally occurs in the first third of the uterine tube
- Vagina
Male reproductive system
Testis and scrotum
Epididymis
Vas deferens or ductus deferens
Urethra
Seminal vesicles
- Prostaglandin, stimulate motility of sperm
- Fructose, nutrient source for the sperm
- Clotting agents (different from blood), coagulates semen after ejaculation
Prostate gland
- Citric acid, used by sperm in ATP production (energy)
- Proteolytic enzymes, eventually breakdown clotting agents
Bulbourethral (Cowper’s) glands
- Mucous (released pre-ejaculation), lubricate urethra and end of penis to prevent damage to sperm
- Alkaline fluid, neutralise acidity of urethra
Vagina
channel connecting to the cervix
Spermatogenesis
the process of sperm cell formation that occurs in the seminiferous tubules of the testes in males
seminiferous tubules
coiled tubes, the walls of which contain cells that produce sperm
Sperm. Proliferative phase:
- Undifferentiated germ cells (spermatogonia) undergo mitotic divisions to increase their numbers.
- As a result, some of the spermatogonia become primary spermatocytes, which enter the meiotic phase.
Sperm. Meiotic phase:
- primary spermatocytes undergo two successive meiotic divisions to produce four haploid cells called spermatids.
- Each spermatid contains half the genetic material of the original primary spermatocyte.
Spermatid differentiation
the process by which immature, haploid cells called spermatids transform into mature, highly specialised sperm cells during the final phase of spermatogenesis
1.Formation of the acrosome:
- Acrosome: specialised organelle that covers the head of the mature sperm and contains enzymes needed for fertilisation.
- During spermatid differentiation, a vesicle derived from the Golgi apparatus fuses with the nuclear envelope to form the acrosome.
2.Elongation and condensation of the nucleus:
The spermatid nucleus becomes highly condensed and elongated to form the head of the mature sperm.
3.Formation of the flagellum:
- Flagellum: long, whip-like structure that propels the sperm.
- During spermatid differentiation, a centriole at the base of the cell elongates and forms the axoneme, the core of the flagellum.
4.Shedding of excess cytoplasm:
- Immature spermatids contain a large amount of excess cytoplasm, which is removed during spermatid differentiation to create a streamlined shape for easier movement.
Oogenesis
- process of egg cell formation in females.
- It occurs in the ovaries and begins during foetal development, but most of the process occurs after puberty and continues until menopause.
Ovaries
- Suspended by ligaments
- Ovarian follicle containing - Oocyte, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerves