Sexual Reproduction

Overview
• Structure and Function of the Male and Female reproduction system
• Structure of Male and Female gamete cell
• Development of gamete cells
• Fertilization
• Menstrual Cycle
What is Sexual Reproduction?
• Sexual Reproduction is the process in which the gamete cell of a male
and female fuses and creates a new offspring.
Why is Reproduction Important?
• This process is important because it ensures the survival of a species
by replenishing its population and allows genes that influence traits of
that species to be passed down through generations.
How does Sexual Reproduction occur?
• Sexual reproduction involves the union of specialized male and female
sex cells called gamete cells.

• These sex cell are first created in the male and female sexual
reproductive systems and then later fused with one another after
intercourse.
Male Reproductive System
Parts of the Male Reproductive system
• Testes: Produces Sperm Cell and Testosterone.
• Epididymis: Store sperm cells and mature them.
• Sperm Duct: Delivers sperm cell from testes to the urethra
• Prostate Gland and Seminal Vesicle & Vas Deferens
• Creates a fluid that helps deliver the sperm cells. This mixture together is called
Semen.
• Urethra: A tube found in the penis that expels semen during copulation
(or urine during excretion)
• Penis: Becomes erect during intercourse and deposits semen during
reproduction.
Sperm Cell Structure
Sperm Cell Structure
• Consists of a Head, neck and a Tail

• The Head Contains

• A Haploid Nucleus which contain genetic information from the father that will
comprise 50% the genetic make up of the offspring
• An enzyme called Acrosome responsible for helping the sperm cell penetrate
the egg cell membrane.
• The Neck Contains a high concentration of mitochondria
• *Why?

• The tail helps the sperm cell to swim towards the egg
Gamete Production- Meiosis
• All gamete cells are created by a special process called Meiosis.

• Meiosis is a special type of cell division used to create sperm and egg
cells.
• It Ensures Genetic variation
• The creation of a haploid nucleus
Gamete Production- Sperm Cell
• Sperm cells are created in the Testes of males in tiny structure called
seminiferous tubules. These tubules contain Spermatogonia cells which
undergoes meiosis to form spermatozoa ( Sperm Cells). This process is
called Spermatogenesis.

• One Spermatogonium cell creates four sperm cells. These sperm cells
are stored in the epididymis.

• Sperm production is a lifelong continuous process that occur in men

starting at puberty.
Sperm Cell Production
Female Reproductive System
Parts of the Female Reproductive System
• Ovary: Creates egg cells and the hormones estrogen and
progesterone. Releases one egg from one of two ovaries each month.
• Fallopian Tube: Connects the ovary to the uterus. This is the tract
where egg cells (ovum) use to travel to the uterus. This is also where
fertilization occurs.
Parts of the Female Reproductive System
• Uterus: Muscular organ that houses a developing embryo during
gestation. The muscular wall contract during birth to expel the baby.
• Cervix: A ring of muscle connecting the vagina and uterus. Forms a
plug of mucus during pregnancy and secretes mucus during sex.
• Vagina: Receives sperm from penis during intercourse. The tube
through which the broken-down uterus lining and blood and exits
during menstruation. The birth canal the baby passes through at the
end of pregnancy.
Female Gamete Cell
Nucleus: Haploid nucleus that contains genetic
Egg Cell
information of mother that will comprise 50%
Membrane
the genetic make up of the offspring

Cytoplasm: Contains a large storage of yolk

which nourishes the embryo during the early
stages of development

Cell Membrane: A specialized membrane that

only allows one sperm cells to enter it and
prevents any other sperm from penetrating.
Gamete Production: Egg Cell
• Similarly to Sperm Cells, egg cell are also created by meiosis. This
occurs inside of the Ovaries. This production of egg cells is called
Oogenesis.
• Recall that: Meiosis is a type of cell division that create sex cells.

• During Meiosis One parent cell undergoes cell division twice. Creating
Parent Cell
four daughter Cells.

Daughter Cells
Gamete Production: Egg cell
• Oogenesis follows a similar pattern to this however there are few
unique distinctions.

• The Parent cell is an Oogonium.

• During the two sets of cell division, the cytoplasm is not split equally.
• This concentrates the majority of the cytoplasm into one cell called an
ootid, which will become the viable ovum (egg cell) during the
menstrual cycle.
• Thus Oogenesis only creates 1 usable Ootid and three polar bodies.
Oogenesis

Oogonium

Uneven cytoplasm division. One

cell becomes larger than the other

Ootid

Ootid + 3 smaller polar

bodies
Gamete Production: Egg Cell
• After an Ootid is created a follicle is created and surrounds it.
• The follicle nourishes the ootid and matures it into an ovum.
• The follicle increases in size and becomes a Graafian follicle, this follicle then
erupts and releases a egg cell.

• This is called ovulation and occurs once a month.

• The Graffian Follicle becomes a corpus lutem which stimulates the ovary to
create the hormone progesterone.
• This hormone works along with estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle.