Your reproductive system
The Sperm and the Egg
The sperm and egg cell are both produced by a process called meiosis. Meiosis differs from mitosis in that the daughter cells have only half the number of chromosomes. This process in men is called spermatogenisis and in women it is called oogenesis. Fertilization Fertilization occurs when one sperm cell and one egg cell fuse. In this process the chromosomes from the sperm cell and the chromosomes from the egg cell join together to form a zygote. The zygote undergoes cell division several times. After there are about 100 cells, the zygote is now classified as a blastocyst. The blastocyst attaches to the uterine wall where it will grow and 9 months later a new human is born. |
The Function of the Reproductive System
It is the job of the human reproductive system to continue human life on earth by reproducing new humans. This process is achieved through sexual interaction between a male and a female. The male providing a sperm cell and the female providing an egg cell. Did you know that the sperm cell is only 3-5 micrometers, and is the smallest cell in the body, whereas the egg cell is the largest cell in the body at 120 micrometers? Pregnancy timelineStructure of the Sex oRgansA female's sex organs consist of two ovaries, where the eggs are stored and mature. The Fallopian or uterine tubes which extend from the uterus to collect the matured egg from the ovaries. This is also the common location of fertilization. Attached to the Fallopian tubes is the uterus. The uterus builds up its lining during ovulation in case the egg is fertilized if the egg is not fertilized the lining is shed in a cyclical fashion called menstruation. At the opening to the uterus, is the cervix the cervix is the canal that connects the uterus to the vagina it also acts as a guard when the woman is not ovulating no sperm can enter the uterus.
The male reproductive organs are the penis and the testis. When a man hits puberty the testis begins to produce sperm, this sperm is stored in the epididymis which is attached to the testis. When a man becomes aroused these sperms cells travel from the epididymis through the vas deferens and seminal vesicles which provides a sugary fluid that will provide the sperm with energy for the journey to fertilization. The mix of sperm and seminal fluid travel through the urethra and out of the penis in a process called ejaculation. |