Reproduction Flashcards
What is asexual reproduction?
- offspring inherits all genetic material from a single parent
- Clone (not always)
- Formed by mitotic division
what is sexual reproduction?
- Offspring inherits genetic material from two parents
- Genetically unique individual
- Different from the parents and their siblings
what are the 3 forms of asexual animal reproduction?
- Forming a bud or protrusion
- fragmentation
- parthenogenesis
describe forming a bud, or a protrusion
bud, or protrusion, that eventually breaks off to form a new organism → eg hydra → simple mitotic divisions → bud is identical to the parent
describe fragmentation
splitting of one organism into pieces, each of which develops into a new individual → eg starfish → will eventually reach the original size
describe parthenogenesis
females produce eggs that are not fertilised by divide by mitosis and develop into new individuals → eg komodo dragon → mother produces eggs that are diploid → diploid egg would undergo division → offspring would be genetically identical to the mother
what is meitotic parthenogenesis?
- some types of parthenogenesis which use meiosis → not necessarily genetically identical
- komodo dragon gave birth to offspring despite not being in contact with another komodo dragon
what are the features of sexual reproduction?
- Meiosis and fertilisation
- Segregation of homologous chromosomes → generation of haploid gametes
- Fertilisation → one male and one female gamete fuse to form a diploid zygote
what is the female sexual reproductive cell?
ova
what is the male sexual reproductive cell?
spermatozoa
what are the disadvantages of sexual reproduction?
- Finding and attracting mates takes time and energy
2. Slower increase in population size
how does sexual reproduction lead to genetic diversity?
- During meiotic division there is recombination
- Random segregation of homologous chromosomes
- Fusion of two genetically unique gametes
what are the advantages of sexual reproduction?
- Allows for rare beneficial mutation arising in different organisms can be brought together
- Harmful mutations can be removed more quickly → not all mutations are given to all of the offspring
- Mechanism of defence parasites → a lot of genetic diversity more likely that some members of the population will be resistant
why is the phylogenetic quite young in evolutionary terms?
Any population that arose earlier would have died couldn’t have adapted to the environmental changes
what organism can reproduce both sexual and asexually?
Daphnia
describe reproduction in a daphnia
Type of reproduction depends on environmental conditions
Can form cysts to resist harsh conditions
Parthenogenetic cycle → mitosis → can produce both female and male offspring
Favourable conditions → parthenogenesis
When it gets colder and less food → sexual reproduction
what are the 2 sexual reproduction strategies?
- external fertilisation
2. internal fertilisation
describe external fertilisation
Gametes are released into the environment and then fertilised
Many animals who live in water do this
To increase chances of fertilisation = large gamete number, release of gametes in the same location and at the same time
Animals with external fertilisation are usually r-strategists
describe internal fertilisation
- adaptation for living on land
- can be oviparous
- vivparous
- usually k-strategists
what is meant by oviparous?
egg laying → contains amnion allows the embryo to develop in an aqueous environment → yolk sac has nutrients to support development → allantois which collects waste metabolic products → chorion surrounds the entire egg → surrounded by a hard shell
what is meant by viviparous?
giving birth to live young → can exchange via the placenta → nutrients sent through and waste products sent out
what are r-Strategists?
- Production of large numbers of offspring without provision of a lot of parental care
- Evolve in unstable, changing, unpredictable environments
what are k-Strategists?
- Production of few offspring and provision of a lot of parental care
- Evolve in stable, unchanging, predictable environments with limited resources
what is the role of the male reproductive system?
production and delivery of sperm
where are male gametes produced?
in the testes - which are located in the scrotum
where are male gametes stored?
travel to the epididymis - sperm matures and can be store heere
what happens the sperm during ejaculation?
move via the vas deferens into the penis
how does the sperm move in the male reproductive system?
- doesnt swim
- controlled by contractions
- smooth muscle in the walls of the vas deferens
what happens as sperm move?
substances are added by glands
what is the seminal vesicle?
releases a protein and sugar rich fluid which is added to the sperm - provides nutrients and energy
what is the prostate gland?
secretes an alkaline fluid - counteracts the acidity of the female reproductive system
what is the bulbourethral gland?
secretes a fluid which lubricates the urethra and facilitates the passage of the sperm
what are the tubes inside of the testes?
seminiferous tubules - sperm develop inside of here
what are found inside the seminiferous tubules?
sperm precurosr cells and sperm which are released into the lumen
what happens as sperm mature?
they move closer and closer towards the lumen of the seminiferous tubules
what toher cells can be found in the seminiferous tubules?
Sertoli cells
myoid cells
what do sertoli cells do?
nourish and protect the sperm. regulate spermatogenesis
what are myoid cells?
contractile cells. involved in transport along the seminiferous tubule
how much sperm do males produce per day?
200 - 300 million
what is spermatogenesis?
process by which haploid spermatozoa develop from germ cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testis
where does spermatogenesis start?
- primordial germ cell (in embryo)
- gives rise to spermatogonium (these are stem cells)
- starts self-renewal
what happens in spermatogenesis during puberty?
- in addition to self-renewing they give rise to primary spermatocyte
- goes through meiotic division
what does the first meiotic division in spermatogenesis result in?
secondary spermatocyte
what does the second meiotic division in spermatogenesis result in?
spermatid