SEXUAL

REPRODUCTION
IN ANIMALS
WHAT IS SEXUAL REPRODUCTION?
Some animals are capable of
undergoing sexual reproduction, while
some can undergo asexual reproduction.
There are also some animals that can
undergo both. Sexual reproduction
involves two parents, the male and the
female, that produce reproductive cells
called gametes. Asexual reproduction, on
the other hand, utilize many means other
than the use of gametes
Gametes
gametes are the sex cells produced by
the organism. Animals have organs
known as gonads, and these gonads are
the parts of the reproductive system that
produce the gametes. Male and female
organisms produce different kinds of
gametes, and these are the cells that
fuse together in the process of
fertilization in order to produce a zygote.
Male gametes
male gametes are known as sperm cells . these
gametes are produced by the gonads of male
animals, which are the testes .
Each sperm cell has a head, a midpiece, and
a tail. The head of the sperm has a large
nucleus that carries the haploid set of
chromosomes. It has a sac called acrosome
that contains enzymes for breaking the egg
membranes to fertilize the egg cells.
The midpiece is rich in mitochondria to
provide energy for the sperm to swim to the
egg. This is necessary as sperm cells need
enough energy to be able to survive the
journey inside the female reproductive system.
The tail of the sperm is mostly made up of the flagellum.
It has a beating movement that enables the sperm cell
to be motile in order to reach the female gamete during
fertilization. It usually only takes one sperm cell to fertilize
a female gamete, but in many animals, it takes a
collective effort by multiple sperm cells to penetrate the
protective wall of the gamete.
Female gametes
female gametes are known as egg cells
or oocytes and are produced by the ovaries ,
the female gonads. The egg cells are usually
some of the largest cells found in animals. This
is owed to the fact that the egg cells take
nutrients and cytoplasmic material from
structures known as polar bodies . these polar
bodies form with the oocytes and serve to
nourish the developing gametes.
 The egg cells mature inside structures
known as follicles, which are found in the
cortex of the ovary. The follicles are fluid-filled
and have parts that are necessary for
protecting the egg cells and allowing them
to develop and mature. Each follicle contains
one egg cell.

The egg cell is surrounded by two

surfaces: the cell surface membrane, which is
surrounded by an outer membrane. Sperm
cells need to penetrate these
membranes for fertilization to take place.
 Follicles contain different structures, and
some of these include the cumulus oophorus,
granulosa cells, theca, zona pellucida, corona
radiata and antrum.
The cumulus oophorus aids in the development and
nourishment of the developing egg cell. It plays a
major role in helping the egg reach maturity. The
granulosa cells help in the production of hormones.
The theca , on the other hand, performs many
functions which include producing hormones and
providing nourishment and support to the developing
egg cell.
The zona pellucida protects the egg cell and plays
a role in the interaction between egg and sperm
during fertilization. The corona radiata , on the
other hand, is used for the nourishment of the egg
cell and is the outermost layer of protection. The
antrum of the follicle contains fluids that surround
the egg.
Gamete chromosomes
the gametes form as a product of gametogenesis ,
which involves the production and maturation of
the sex cells. This will be discussed in more detail in
lesson 4. As a result of gametogenesis, all gametes
end up having a haploid chromosome number (n).

During fertilization, the sperm cell (n) fuses with the

egg cell (n) forming a zygote with 2n
chromosomes. With fertilization restoring the
number of chromosomes (diploid number, 2n), the
number of chromosomes for a species remains the
same from one generation to the next.
Fertilization is the process wherein the sperm
cell penetrates the protective layers of the
egg cell in order to fuse their genetic
materials and produce a zygote. This may
seem like a simple process, but there are
actually a number of steps involved.

Sperm cells utilize their motility to reach the

egg cell. However, many individual cells will
not survive the journey. Those that do,
however, will work to penetrate the layers of
the egg cell.
Types of Fertilization in Animals
Fertilization can occur either inside the body of the female
organism or outside. These are referred to as internal or external
fertilization.

External Fertilization
If fertilization happens outside the body of the animal, then it is
known as external fertilization. External fertilization then happens in
the outside environment.
Internal fertilization
internal fertilization happens when the
male’s sperm cells are directly
deposited
into the body of the female animal. In
internal fertilization, the zygote develops
inside the female reproductive tract. It
results in less number of zygotes but with
greater protection and parental care of
the young.
Eggs fertilized internally exhibit
different types of development.
They may be classified based on
where the organisms develop after
being fertilized. We have oviparous,
ovoviviparous, and viviparous
 Organisms that lay and hatch their eggs
outside their body are called oviparous . the
eggs laid by oviparous organisms contain a
substance known as the yolk . since the eggs
are physically separated from the mother, it is
the yolk that provides nourishment to the
developing embryo as it grows. Examples of
oviparous organisms are birds.
When eggs are hatched and retained within the uterus,
the organisms are called ovoviviparous . ovoviviparous
embryos do not have an internal connection to the
mother’s placenta. Their nourishment will primarily
come from yolk within the mother’s body. Examples of
ovoviviparous organisms are sharks.

Finally, organisms that complete their development in

the uterus and are born alive are called viviparous .
viviparous organisms directly nourish the developing
embryos within the body. There are species of
organisms, however, that also rely on yolk while being
viviparous. Examples of viviparous organisms are all
placental mammals.
Assignment:

1. Study the Female and Male Reproductive System

2. Study and review the Sexual Reproduction in Animals