Topic 8 (reproduction)

Question 1

There are two types of cell division – what are they and what are the differences?

Answer 1

1. Mitosis – when duplicate cells with the same amount of DNA are produced, only your regular body cells do this type of division (skin, liver, stomach, eye)
2. Meiosis – when cells divide and have half the number of DNA than the original, only your REPRODUCTIVE cells do this (specifically, sperm and egg cells)

Question 2

How many chromosomes does a regular human cell have?

Answer 2

46 chromosomes

Question 3

How many chromosomes does a reproductive cell (sperm or egg) in a human have?

Answer 3

23 chromosomes (half the number of chromosomes than a regular cell)

Question 4

Where is sperm produced in a male vs where is eggs produced in a female?

Answer 4

males —> sperm is produced in the testes

females –> eggs are produced in the ovaries

Question 5

How do humans get 46 chromosomes?

Answer 5

23 chromosomes from the male sperm + 23 chromosomes from the ovary. During fertilization, the chromosomes combine in the growing embryo to form 46 chromosomes

Question 6

What is a mitochondria?

Answer 6

An organelle that carries out cellular respiration so that the cell can make ATP

Question 7

What is the structure of the sperm cell and each function of the parts?

Answer 7

Three main structures: Head, Middlepiece, Tail

Head –> contains the DNA and also the acrosome, which contains the enzymes needed for the sperm to be able to fuse with the egg

Middle piece –> contains all the mitochondria, which are important to keep replenishing the sperm with enough ATP to be able to travel to the egg

Tail –> allows for the sperm to have fluid movement in order to eventually reach the egg cell

Question 8

What is the sperm tail made of?

Answer 8

flagellum which is a thread like structure that allows a cell to have movement

Question 9

Where is the sperm cells stored and matured in the male reproductive system?

Answer 9

EPIDIDYMUS *remember sperm is generated in the testes and then travel to the epididymis for storage and to reach final maturation

Question 10

What are vas deferens?

Answer 10

Those are tubes in the male reproductive system that allow sperm to travel out from the epididymus. It connects the testes to the urethra

Question 11

what is the importance of the ovary?

Answer 11

it is the structure in the female body where eggs develop and grow

Question 12

how many ovaries are there?

Answer 12

2! One on the left side, one on the right side

Question 13

What is the uterus?

Answer 13

very important structure in the female reproductive system for menstruation, fertilization and pregnancy –> “womb”

a muscular organ which is meant to house the growing fetus (baby)

Question 14

What is menstruation?

Answer 14

monthly shedding of the uterus lining when there is no pregnancy –> typically each month the uterus lining thickens in preparation for a potential pregnancy –> if the female does not get pregnant –> this thickened uterine lining is shedded resulting in menstruation (bleeding)

Question 15

where in the female reproductive system does fertilization occur?

Answer 15

FALLOPIAN TUBE –> fertilization must occur in the fallopian tube which is a tube connecting the ovaries to the uterus

Question 16

Where does the fertilized egg go after being fertilized in the fallopian tube?

Answer 16

it travels to the uterus where it will implant in the thickened lining and result in a pregnancy

Question 17

What is puberty?

Answer 17

When a human reaches sexual maturation –> in other words, they are able to reproduce and make sperm or egg

Question 18

What are secondary sexual characteristics?

Answer 18

Those are traits that define females vs males

for ex –> a male will have deeper voice, facial hair, larger muscles whereas a female does not have those characteristics

Question 19

What is another name for the fertilized egg?

Answer 19

ZYGOTE –> signifies that the sperm and egg have combined their DNA

Question 20

What is internal vs external fertilization?

Answer 20

Internal fertilization –> when sperm and egg meet INSIDE the females body

external fertilization –> when the sperm fertilizes an egg OUTSIDE of the females body, this requires the female to lay her eggs to the outside world (insects do this, some aquatic species)

Question 21

What are the four stages of the menstrual cycle?

Answer 21

1. Follicular Stage
2. Ovulation Stage
3. Corpus Luteum stage
4. Menstrual stage

Question 22

What occurs at the follicular stage?

Answer 22

follicle are growing and one follicle will start growing large until it becomes the dominant follicle containing the egg

follicles produce a hormone called estrogen which make the uterine lining start to thicken

Question 23

What occurs at the ovulation stage?

Answer 23

the dominant follicle releases the egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube (or also known as oviduct) so that it can potentially be fertilized by a sperm

Question 24

what is another term for fallopian tube?

Answer 24

oviduct

Question 25

What occurs at the corpus luteum stage?

Answer 25

the follicle sac that was holding the egg becomes thick and yellow IN THE OVARY after the egg is released. this sac produces a hormone called progesterone which makes the uterine lining very thick

Question 26

which hormone is known as the pregnancy hormone? why?

Answer 26

progesterone --> because it makes the uterine lining very thick which is needed in pregnancy in order to hold the growing baby

Question 27

what occurs at the menstruation stage?

Answer 27

the thickened lining is broken down and shedded when fertilization of the egg does not occur remember --> if fertilization and implantation (when the egg and sperm combine and implant onto the surface of the uterus) DO NOT occur, the female WILL have a menstruation if fertilization and implantation DO occur, the female is pregnant and there is NO MENSTRUATION for the WHOLE PREGNANCY