REPRODUCTION

10 CMH
HUMAN AND SOCIAL
BIOLOGY
Created by : Reynaldo Thomas

What is Reproduction?
The

process by which new

organisms are generated.

There

are two means of reproducing:

asexual and sexual reproduction.

Asexual Reproduction
Does not involve the fusion of sex cells.
Parts

of the parents form the offspring.

Only one parent is needed.
Advantages
Reproduce in large amount very
quickly.
No need to search for a mate.

Disadvantages
All the offspring are clones.
A

poor quality parent will produce poor

quality offspring.

There

is a lack of variation.

Sexual Reproduction
Requires a male and a female.
Male sex cell is called sperm and
female the egg(ovum).
The two sex cells must joint during
fertilization.
Fusion

of the gametes forms a single

cell called zygote.

Movement of Sperm
During

ejaculation, the sperm cells leave the

epididymis and flow through the vas deferens
towards the penis.

The

epididymis passes through the prostate

gland and seminal vesicles.

These

structures bathe the sperm

sells with seminal fluids.

This

mixer is called semen.

Structure of the Sperm

The head is where the nucleus is.
Tip of head contains a small sac called
the acrosome.
Acrosome contains hydrolytic
enzymes.
This is responsible for burrowing
through egg during fertilization.
The neck area contains lots of
mitochondria.

Mitochondria
The

generate energy.

tail allows sperm cell to swim

through vagina and uterus.

Female Reproductive System

Make the female gametes (egg cells)
Receive

the sperm cells from male for

fertilization.
Maintain

an environment suitable the

implantation of an embryo.
Provide

everything needed for the development of foetus.

Deliver

baby to the outside world.

Female Reproductive System

the

parts of the female reproductive

system are located in the pelvic region.

Vagina
the entrance to the inner parts
It is a muscular channel
Receives penis at copulation
Passage for baby at birth

The ovary
Where

egg cells are produce.

Site for oestrogen production.
About ten thousands ova are present at birth.
Only about 400 will develop fully (1 per
month/14 to 45).
Ova

develop inside follicles.

Mature follicle is called graafian
follicle.
When ripe it moves to ovarys
surface.

 Egg

live for 3-4 days after ovulation

It move along the oviduct by the
beating of cilia.

Fertilizations
the fusion of a sperm with an ovum.
This occurs in the oviduct.
About 3-5 cm3 of semen expelled from
penis
Contains

between 180 and 500 million

spermatozoa.

 Spermatozoa

swim up the oviduct.

Sperm

enter head first, losing its tail as it

does so.

The

acrosome produce enzymes which help

penetrate the ovum.

Only

one sperm can enter

the ovum.
The resulting zygote has
contents of both male and
female nuclei ,which is fuse.

Implantation
The

corpus luteum continues to produce

progesterone.
Progesterone prepares the uterus wall for the
zygote.
Uterus wall thickens.
Zygote now divides into a ball of cells and
stick into the wall of the uterus.

Pregnancy
The

thick wall of uterus is called the placenta

It has rich blood supply stimulated by
oestrogen and progesterone.

 The

placenta is formed mainly from the

embryo and partly from the mothers
tissue.

There

is no joining of the maternal and

fetal red blood cells.

thin layer of cells

acts as a barrier,
separating maternal
and fetal red blood
cells.

 Nicotine,

alcohol and other drugs and

pathogens do pass across the placenta
to cause harm.

Nutrients

and oxygen diffuse from

maternal blood capillaries to embryo.

Carbon

dioxide and other waste

materials diffuse from the embryo to
mother.

Umbilical cord
Carries nutrients in veins to fetus and
waste in artery from fetus.
The

cord runs from the embryos

abdomen to the placenta.
Amnion
A sac of water.
Membrane enclosing fluid, protecting
fetus from shock and allowing movement.
The water distributes pressure evenly
around fetus.

N.B
A fetus moves its limbs from the age of
about 16 weeks onwards.
After two months, the human form of the
fetus is recognizable.
At three months the sex can be seen.
Birth follows about nine months after
fertilization (37-40) wks.

The birth Process

Stage one
The uterus muscles start to contract to start
the labour process.
Baby stimulates the release of
the hormone oxytocin.
Rhythmic contractions of the
uterus cause amnion to break.
The fluid will now pass out.

Stage two
Increasing contractions of the uterine
muscle push the baby through the
cervix and then the vagina.

Stage 3
Finally
The

the baby is expelled head first

mother bending forward

Holding her breath, aids this, to push the

diaphragm on top of the uterus.

After Birth
The umbilical cord is cut and tied so
that the remains from the navel on the
abdomen.
The

placenta and membranes are shed

from the mother and are called the
afterbirth.