Lesson 4: Sexual Reproduction in Animals

Sexual reproduction - involves male and female parents to produce offspring through the fusion of gametes (sperm and
egg cells) generated by meiosis.
Since sexual reproduction needs two parents to produce an offspring, the combination of genes from both parents
increases the chances of species variation.
Gametogenesis - is the formation of male and female gametes.

 Spermatogenesis - is the formation of sperm cells in males.

 Oogenesis - pertains to the formation of the ova or egg cells through meiosis in the gonads known as ovaries.
Fertilization - is the union of male and female sex cells.

 External fertilization - is the union of egg and sperm that occurs outside the female reproductive tract.
 Internal fertilization - is the union of egg and sperm that occurs within the female reproductive tract.

Internal Fertilization
Animals that undergo internal fertilization produce offspring in any of the following ways:

 In oviparity, the eggs are fertilized internally, but they would complete their development outside the mother’s
body.
 In ovoviviparity, the eggs are fertilized internally, and they complete their development within the mother.
 In viviparity, the eggs are fertilized internally. The embryos receive nourishment directly from the mother’s
blood through the placenta rather than from the yolk.
Post-fertilization
After fertilization, the fertilized egg undergoes a series of cell divisions termed as the cleavage.
Cleavage - is a series of extremely rapid mitotic divisions wherein a large volume of cellular materials are divided into
multiple smaller cells.
- A hollow ball called blastula is formed.
- The blastula further develops into gastrula that allows layering of cells in the developing embryo.

Cleavage formation in developing embryo