Sexual Reproduction

Science 9
 Sexual Reproduction

• Creating an offspring from two parents.

• When two individual’s gametes combine.

• Gametes are the reproductive cells, such as sperm (male)

and eggs or ova (female)

• The offspring that are produced have a mix of characteristics

(DNA) from the two parents.
 Sexual Reproduction in
Animals
• The male gametes are called sperm cells and the female gametes are called egg cells
(ova)

• When these two gametes unite, it is called fertilization

• This combination of the two gametes to create a new single cell is called a zygote.
 Sexual Reproduction in
Animals

• The zygote splits through a process called cleavage and more cells are
made

• Continued cell division creates a multi-cellular life form called an embryo

• This embryo develops inside the female (in most mammals) or outside
(like an egg) in others.
Think about it ….

• If a male gamete and a female gamete both had regular amounts of

DNA, then when they combined there would be twice as much as
was needed.

• To solve this problem gamete cells undergo a process called meiosis.

Meiosis

 Gametes are produced through meiosis not mitosis.

 In meiosis a cell undergoes interphase and then TWO cell divisions
 Meiosis produces 4 daughter cells each with half the number of
chromosomes of the parent cell
Compare and Contrast The Two
Mitosis Meiosis
Hermaphrodites

Usually animals have distinct sexes (either male or female

sex)
Sometimes animals are hermaphrodites
Hermaphrodites can produce male AND female gametes
They usually mate with other individuals but under stress,
they will fertilize themselves
Finding Nemo Lied to you…

Animals can also be Sequential Hermaphrodites – they

are born one sex and then become the opposite sex
Sexual Reproduction in Plants

 Requires the joining of male and female gametes

 Most plants produce both gametes
 Male gametes are carried by pollen located in the stamen (male
part)
 Female gametes are contained in the ovules located in the pistil
(female part)
 Sexual Reproduction in Plants
Pollination occurs when pollen travels from the anther to the
stigma
Fertilization occurs when the gametes unite
Cross pollination and Cross fertilization occurs when pollen
from one plant is carried to the stigma of a different plant
Label
your
flower
diagram
Advantages of Sexual Reproduction

Provides lots of variation which helps survive environmental

change
Disadvantages of Sexual Reproduction

Takes a lot of time and energy