reproduction Flashcards
sexual intercourse
- for fertilisation occur, male spermatids needs to be brought into contact with an ovum through the method of sexual intercourse
- when the male ejaculates, the sperm are released in the vagina at the entrance to the uterus - a process called insemination
- once inside the vagina, the sperm travel through the cervix and the body of the uterus into the fallopian tubes
sperm mortality
- hundreds of millions of sperm are deposited into the vagina during sexual intercourse but only a few thousand reach the fallopian tubes
- the death rate of sperm is called - sperm mortality
fertilisation
- the sperm mortality is high and is one reason why a large number of sperm are required for fertilisation to occur
- is the fusion of gametes (ova and sperm) to form on diploid cell, the zygotes
- it occurs in the fallopian tubes
two layers of the secondary oocyte
- the outer corona radiata
- the inner zona pellucida
zona pellucida
the inner zona pellucida is a glycoprotein matrix surrounding the plasma membrane of the oocyte
corona radiata
the outer corona radiata consists of follicle cells held together by cementing materials that contain acid
- at fertilisation the spermatids break through the barrier of cells to reach the zona pellucida
- once the sperm has made it through the corona radiata it encounters the zona pellucida
acrosomal reaction
- the acrosome, located in the head of the sperm, contains a digestive enzyme (protease)
- contact with the zona pellucida initiates the acrosomal reaction, where digestive enzymes from the acrosome are released
- the enzymes break down the glycoprotein matrix of the zona pellucida
what happens during fertilisation?
- this reaction allows the sperm’s cell membrane to fuse with the oocyte’s cell membrane
- the nucleus of the sperm enters the ovum
- the entrance of one sperm into the secondary oocyte stimulates the formation of a fertilisation membrane around the oocyte
- this prevents the entrance of any more sperm ensuring only one haploid set of chromosomes join the chromosomes of the oocyte
- once the sperm has entered the oocyte, the tail is absorbed and the nucleus begins to move through the cytoplasm in the form of a male pronucleus
- the entrance of the sperm stimulates the secondary oocyte to complete the second meiotic division
- the nucleus of the oocyte develops into a female pronucleus (haploid)
zygote
- the female pronucleus and the male pronucleus fuse to form a single diploid nucleus
- fertilisation is complete and the fertilised oocyte is now called a zygote
- after fertilisation the zygote starts to travel down the fallopian tube
- within 24 hours of fertilisation, the zygote begins dividing by mitosis
zygote to foetus
zygote -> blastula -> embryo -> foetus
blastocyst
six days after fertilisation
- the original zygote has developed into a blastocyst by mitosis and reached the uterus
- blastocyst - hollow ball of cells surrounding a fluid filled cavity
- contains an inner cell mass
- outer layer of cells will eventually from the placenta
- the inner cell mass will form all of the tissues of the human body
implantation
- occurs around day 8-10 (end of the first week after fertilisation)
- the blastocyst will then sink into the endometrium to become firmly attached to the wall of the uterus
- this process is called implantation
- the purpose for implantation is to gain nourishment for growth and development by absorbing nutrients from the glands and blood vessels of the endometrium
cell differentiation
- the inner cell mass located in the blastocyst is composed of stem cells
- these stem cells will differentiate into out different body cells to form the embryo
- these embryonic stem cells are pluripotent meaning they give rise to many but not all cell types necessary for foetal development
- can specialise into foetal tissue
embryonic stage
- weeks 3-9
- whilst the blastocyst is implanting into the lining of the uterus, the inner cell mass differentiates to form 3 primary germ layers
- ectoderm - the outermost layer, hair, nails, skin, nervous system
- mesoderm - middle layer, circulatory system, lungs (epithelial layer), skeletal system, muscular system
- endoderm - the inner most layer, digestive system, liver, pancreas, lungs (inner layers)
foetus
after the second month the embryonic stage will end and the developing embryo is now called a foetus (8-40 weeks - fetal growth)
embyronic membranes
- during the embryonic period, four embryonic membranes form
1. amnion
2. chorion
3. yolk sac
4. allantois
amnion
- these lie outside the embryo and serve to protect and nourish it as it develops
- first membrane to develop
- surrounds the embryo and encloses the cavity unto which it secretes amniotic fluid
- the amniotic fluid protects the embryo by acting as a shock absorber
- also helps to maintain a constant temperature and allows the foetus to move freely - developing joint and muscle movement
- ruptures just before childbirth expelling the amniotic fluid - “breaking of waters”
chorion
- formed from the outer cells of the blastocyst
- surrounds the embryo and the other three embryonic membranes
- the chorion will eventually become the main part of the foetal portion of the placenta
yolk sac and allantois
form the outer structures of the umbilical cord
development of placenta
- the placenta is an organ that forms from both foetal and maternal tissues
- the endometrial tissue and chorionic villi become interlocked and form the placenta
- develops during the first three months of gestation
- the foetal portion develops from part of the chorion
- completely formed by the end of the third month
role of placenta
- supply nutrients to and remove wastes from the foetus
- serves as an endocrine organ producing hormones to maintain pregnancy
mother’s flood - foetus’ blood
- when the blastocyst has implanted into the endometrium, chorionic villi, (developed from the chorion membrane) grow into the endometrium they become surrounded by pools of the mother’s blood
- the villi are bathed in the mothers blood
- the chorionic villi contain numerous blood vessels
- the exchange of materials (oxygen and nutrients) from the mother’s blood to the foetus’ blood occurs through diffusion and active transport
- waste and Co2 go from foetus blood to mothers blood
umbilical cord
- the placenta is attached to the foetus by the umbilical cord
- inside the umbilical cord are two umbilical arteries that carry blood to the capillaries if the chorionic villi
- a single umbilical vein carries blood from the chorionic villi back to the foetus
- on the maternal side, blood from the mother enters the placenta through the uterine arteries, flows through the blood pools where the exchange of substances occur
- blood leaves through the uterine veins