reproduction in mammals

male reproductive system

sex organ (gonad) in human male
testes

testes (s. testis): consist of seminiferous/sperm tubules (where sperm formation

takes place)

sperm formation in testes (spermatogenesis)

starts at puberty in human males

spermatogonia can divide by mitotic cell division to produce more

primary spermatocytes

→ primary spermatocytes undergo meiotic cell division l to produce

secondary spermatocytes

→ secondary spermatocytes undergo meiotic cell division ll to produce

spermatids

→ spermatids differentiate into mature sperm cells

secondary spermatocyte: n (each chromosome consists of 2 sister

chromatids joined together)

spermatids: n (chromosomes are no longer duplicated → X are

chromatids)

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 sperm (p.182)
1 sperm is 1 cell (a gamete)

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 seminal fluid (semen: seminal fluid + sperms)

secreted by seminal vesicles, prostate gland & Cowper's gland

a slightly alkaline fluid, contains sugar

provides a medium for the sperms to swim

activates and nourish the sperm

neutralises the acidity of the female reproductive tract

normally contains 15-250 million sperms in 1 mL

erectile tissues

present in penis#

sponge-like

filled with blood to erect the penis when a male is sexually aroused

female reproductive system

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 ovary
each contains - 400,000 follicles (each consists of follicle cells surrounding a
primary oocyte) at birth

ova formation in ovaries

only 1 mature ovum is formed from meiotic cell division of a primary oocyte
(2-3 similar polar bodies are formed and degenerate)

about 500 follicles will develop to mature during a women's reproductive

years (from puberty to menopause)

usually only 1 follicle matures and releases the secondary oocyte during
each menstrual cycle

development of follicle and ovulation

burst of mature follicle and release of secondary oocyte

→ beating action of cilia on the ciliated epithelium of oviduct moves the
ovum towards the uterus

→ the secondary oocyte will only complete the second meiotic cell division
after fertilisation by a sperm

ovum / egg cell

zona pellucida: a protective glycoprotein jelly coating around ovum, that

thickens and hardens after entry of a sperm head after fertilisation to prevent
fertilisation of one ovum by more than 1 sperm (polyspermy) → ensure the
zygote is diploid (no extra copies of chromosomes)

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 cytoplasm: stores energy reserve such as lipid droplets & holds other
organelles (eg. mitochondria, rough ER etc.)

copulation
transfer of semen containing sperms into female reproductive tract during sexual
intercourse / copulation / mating

when the man is sexually aroused, erectile tissue will be filled with blood to erect
penis

→ insertion of penis into vagina

→ ejection of semen into vagina (ejaculation)

sperms ejaculated into the vagina then swim up the cervix & uterus

most sperms die in the journey, only a few hundred can reach the oviduct

fertilisation in the oviduct (p.185, 186)

acrosome reaction:
when the sperm heads touch the zona pellucida around the egg cell, acrosome
reaction occurs
→ acrosome fuses with the cell membrane of the sperm to release enzymes to
disperse the follicle cells and digest the zona pellucida around the egg cell

→ a sperm head penetrates though the zona pellucida and touches the cell
membrane of the egg cell
→ cell membranes of the sperm head and the egg cell fuse

→ sperm nucleus enter into the cytoplasm off the egg cell
→ nuclei of the sperm and the egg cell fuse to form a diploid zygote

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 cortical reaction:
penetration of the sperm head triggers the secondary oocyte to undergo and
complete the second meiotic cell division

when cell membranes of the sperm head and the egg cell fuse, cortical reaction
occurs

→ cortical granules in the cytoplasm of the egg cell move towards and fuse with
the cell membrane of the egg cell to release enzymes by exocytosis into the
zona pellucida
→ zona pellucida hardens and a tough fertilisation membrane is formed around
the fertilised ovum

→ preventing fertilisation of the egg cell by another sperm (polyspermy)

general process of sexual reproduction in mammals:

ovulation
→ fertilization

→ cleavage of zygote
→ implantation & development of embryo

→ birth

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