Reproductive system Flashcards
What is sexual reproduction?
This involves the formation of make and female gametes.
Male gametes are sperm and female gametes are egg cells.
in the process of fertilisation, the gametes fuse to form zygote (fertilised egg cell).
The zygote develops into an embryo and then a foetus.
What are the components of the female reproductive system?
• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes
• Uterus
• Cervix
• Vagina
What is the role of the ovaries?
The ovaries produce hormones and the female gametes.
One egg is released in every menstrual cycle.
What is the role of the fallopian tubes?
The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries with the uterus.
An egg cell, that is released from the ovary is drawn into the fallopian tube, where it may meet a sperm cell and fertilisation may occur.
The fertilised or unfertilised egg cell passes down the fallopian tube into the uterus.
A fertilised egg will have become an embryo by this stage and will become implanted in the wall of the uterus.
An unfertilised egg will pass out of the uterus with the menstrual flow.
What is the cervix?
The cervix is a ring of muscle that acts as a barrier to the uterus.
This has mucus.
What is the role of cervical mucus?
It helps to either block or promote passage of sperm from the vagina to the uterus at different stages in the menstrual cycle.
What is the role of the uterus and cervix?
If an eggs is fertilised and becomes an embryo, it will implant in the wall of the uterus and will develop into a foetus.
The cervix remains closed during pregnancy and a plug of cervical mucus helps keep pathogens from infecting the foetus.
At the end of pregnancy, the hypothalamus releases the hormone oxytocin. This stimulates contraction of the muscular wall of the uterus, which causes pressure of the baby’s head on the cervix, causing the cervix to start to dilate. This leads to the release of more oxytocin, stimulating more contractions (positive feedback).
What is the vagina?
The elastic, muscular part of the female reproductive system.
It joins the cervix to the outside of the body.
It stretches from the external genitalia to the cervix.
What are the 3 functions of the vagina?
• It receives sperm during sexual intercourse.
• It forms the brith canal along which the baby moves during birth.
• It allows loss of menstrual blood when the lining of the uterus breaks down during each cycle.
What are the components of the male reproductive system?
• Penis
• Urethra
• Scrotum
• Testes
• Vas deferens
• Seminal vesicle
• Prostate
What are the external organs of the male reproductive system?
• Penis
• Urethra
• Scrotum
• Testes
What are the internal organs of the male reproductive system?
• Vas deferens
• Seminal vesicle
• Prostate
What is the role of the penis?
It has a dual function.
During sexual arousal the erectile tissue of the penis fills with blood which causes the penis to become erect. This allows it to be inserted into the vagina during sexual intercourse.
Semen, which contains sperm, is expelled through the end of the penis during ejaculation, when a male reaches sexual a sexual climax or orgasm.
When the penis is erect, the flow of urine into the urethra is blocked so that only semen is ejaculated.
What is the role of the urethra?
The urethra connects to the bladder and provides urine with a pathway of exit from the body.
The urethra is also connected, via the vas deferens, to the testes, which is where sperm is produced.
What is the role of the scrotum and testes?
The testes produce sperm and are contained within the scrotum.
The scrotum is a relatively loose sack of skin that hangs below and behind the penis.
As the testes are held outside of the core body, they are maintained at a slightly lower temperature than normal body temperature. This is essential for normal sperm development.
