Reproductive system Flashcards
organs that produce sperm and sex hormones
testes
pouch of skin containing testes. It hangs outside the body to keep the sperm cooler than normal body temperature.
scrotum
sacs containing egg cells
follicles
tiny tubes joining the ovaries to the uterus. Fertilisation occurs in one of these tubes.
fallopian tubes
penetration of the ovum by a sperm
fertilisation
joining together of male and female reproductive cells
sexual reproduction
reproductive cells (sperm or ova) containing half the genetic information of normal cells
gametes
male reproductive cell. It consists of a head, a middle section and a tail used to swim towards the egg.
sperm
female gametes or sex cells. Singular = ovum.
ova
a cell formed by the fusion of two gametes; fertilised ovum before it starts to divide into more cells
zygote
reproduction where the eggs are released by the female into the water and fertilised by sperm released nearby
external fertilisation
reproduction where the egg remains in the female and is fertilised by sperm inserted into the FEMA
internal fertilisation
the act of inserting sperm into the female; also called sexual intercourse or mating
copulation
act of inserting sperm into the female; also called copulation or mating
sexual intercourse
cell division process that results in new cells with half the number of chromosomes of the original cell
meiosis
a new branch of science that involves studying the effect of our experiences on the expression of our genetic information
epigenetics
genetic material passed on from both parents, from the nucleus of both the sperm and the ovum
nuclear DNA
genetic material from the mitochondria passed on only from the mother
mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
release of sperm
ejaculation
combination of fluid and sperm
semen
twins developed from the same fertilised egg
identical twins
twins developed from different fertilised eggs
fraternal twins
the reproductive part of angiosperms containing petals, stamens and carpels. They are often colourful to attract pollinating insects.
flowers
the coloured parts of a flower that attract insects
petals
parts of a flower, at the base of the petals, that secrete nectar
nectaries
the fine powder containing the pollen grains (the male sex cells of a plant)
pollen
the female part of a flower, at the top of the carpel, that catches the pollen during pollination
stigma
transfer of pollen from the stamen (the male part) of a flower to the stigma (the female part) of a flower
pollination
transfer of pollen from the flower’s own stamen to its stigma
self-pollination
transfer of pollen from stamens of one flower to the stigma of a flower of another plant of the same species
cross-pollination
body parts of insects from other flowers
insect-pollinated flowers
flowers that receive pollen carried on the flower that receives pollen carried by the wind from another flower
wind-pollinated flowers
the male part of a flower that makes pollen
anthers
the male gametes of a flower
pollen grains
long tube growing from a pollen grain through the style to the ovule
pollen tube
the supporting part of a flower that holds the stigma
style
receptacle within an ovary that contains egg cells
ovules
in plants, the hollow, lower end of the carpel containing the ovules (the female egg cells); in animals, the female organ that produces ova and reproductive hormones
ovary
penetration of the ovum by a sperm
fertilisation
food supply for the embryo plant in a seed
endosperm
product of a fertilised ovule
seed
the protective layer around a seed
seed coat
the ripened ovary of a flower, enclosing seeds
fruit
scatter the seeds from plants
disperse
small bud at the tip of the embryo plant in a seed
plumule
the beginnings of a root making up a part of a plant embryo inside a seed
radicle
special leaves of the embryo plant inside a seed that provides food for the developing seedling
cotyledons
the first sign of growth from the seed of a plant
germination
the young plant produced from the embryo in the seed after germination
seedling
