Reproduction Flashcards
Describe sexual reproduction
- involved fusion of male and female gametes
= mixing of genetic information
Describe asexual reproduction
Asexual
- only one parent
- no gametes
- offspring gametes
- only involves mitosis
Describe meiosis stages
- only in reproductive organs
- chromosomes copied
- cell divides in 2
- both cells divide again
- halved chromosomes
- different offspring
- produces gametes
Adv of sexual reproduction (plants)
- offspring have variation
= better adapted to survive and colonise new areas by seed dispersal
= make many offspring
Adv of asexual reproduction
- only one parent needed
= more efficient in both time and energy
= faster - useful when conditions are favourable
= allows organism to produce many genetically identical offspring quickly - more energy efficient
- less time
Disadvantage of asexual reproduction
- very risky
= as all offspring are identical they could all die if conditions become unfavourable
Examples of different reproduction
- inside mosquito malaria parasite uses sexual reproduction
- fungi use asexual reproduction or asexually to produce variation
- flowers do it sexually to produce seeds
What’s a mutation
A change to a base
Testes function
Produce testosterone
= produce sperm
Ovaries function
Produce oestrogen
= eggs in ovaries start to mature
Describe preparation for menstruation
- uterus lining becomes thick and spongy
Describe what happens in the menstrual cycle 
- egg makes way to uterus
- if sperm present egg can be fertilised
- if this happens it can implant into uterus wall and develop into a baby
What happens if egg isn’t fertilised
- the egg and uterus lining are released
= called a period
Function of oestrogen and progesterone
- maintain the uterus lining incase the egg is fertilised and implants
Describe what happens to hormones during the menstrual cycle
- fsh released by pituitary gland
- fsh travels in blood to ovaries where it causes egg to mature
- at same time fsh triggers ovaries to make oestrogen (causes lining of uterus to thicken)
- oestrogen stops pituitary gland releasing more FSH
- pituitary gland releases LH
- LH triggers mature egg to be released
- when egg released progesterone released
- progesterone stops pituitary gland releasing FSH and LH
= prevent more eggs from maturing - progesterone keeps lining of uterus thick
Progesterone function
- stops pituitary gland from releasing fsh and lh
= prevent more eggs being matured or released - keeps lining of uterus thick incase fertilised egg is implanted
How does FSH, oestrogen, progesterone and LH control menstrual cycle
- FSH stimulates egg to mature
- LH stimulates egg to be released
- oestrogen and progesterone maintain uterus lining
- oestrogen inhibits FSH production
- progesterone inhibits FSH and LH production