sexual reproduction 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. Fertilization occurs in one of these tubes.
Fallopian tubes
penetration of the ovum by a sperm
fertilization
life stage when the sex glands become active and bodily changes occur to enable reproduction
puberty
chemical substances produced by glands and circulated in the blood. Hormones have specific effects in the body.
hormones
the first menstrual period
menarche
beginning of one period to the beginning of the next period
menstrual cycle
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
cell formed by the fusion of two gametes; fertilized ovum before it starts to divide into more cells
zygote
reproduction where the eggs are released by the female into water and fertilized by sperm released nearby
external fertilization
reproduction where the egg remains in the female and is fertilized by sperm inserted into the female
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 fertilized egg
identical twins
twins developed from different fertilized 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
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
flowers that receive pollen carried on the body parts of insects from other flowers
insect-pollinated flowers
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
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 part of a plant embryo inside a seed
radicle
special leaves of the embryo plant inside a seed that provide food for the developing seedling
cotyledons
first sign of growth from the seed of a plant
germination
young plant produced from the embryo in the seed after germination
seedling
