Science 10 I Hand-out for Third Quarter

The Male and Female Reproductive System

Sexual reproduction allows an increase in genetic diversity of organisms.

Male Reproductive System

• produce, maintain and transport sperm and semen
• discharge sperm into the female reproductive tract
Female Reproductive System
• responsible for the formation of egg cells
• give suitable environments for fertilization of the egg by the sperm'
• The part of the female reproductive system where normal implantation of the zygote takes place is the uterus.

Role of Hormones in the Reproductive System

• During puberty, the reproductive system in humans become active.
• In male, the secondary sex characteristics or the growth of the Adams apple and hair in the armpit is caused by the
secretion of testosterone hormones from the testes.
• The Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone or GnRH is the hormone which stimulates the pancreas and other glands to
secrete FSH -which affects sperm production and LH -which affects how much testosterone and androgens (male sex
hormones). Therefore,if GnRH decrease, FSH and sperm production decreases; LH and testosterone decreases as well.
• The gland is responsible for male and female sex development is the Pituitary gland (also known as the master gland)
releasing LH and FSH.
• Hormones (chemical messengers) act a significant role in the male and female reproductive system to keeps it properly
functioning.

Menstrual Cycle
Menstruation (the monthly shedding and discharge of blood through the vagina) in girls is a sign that she is capable of
producing offspring.

Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

• Menstruation or Menstrual Phase — shedding of blood
• Follicular Phase - egg matures in your ovaries
• Ovulation Phase - ovary releases an egg
• Luteal Phase - prepare your uterus for a possible pregnancy

* Girls experience menstrual or abdominal cramps because of strong contraction of the uterine wall

Feedback Mechanism (Endocrine, Nervous, and other body systems)

Glands — organs that secrete hormones or other substances, makes up the endocrine system
Hormones present in both male and female related to the Reproductive System are the FSH and LH.
Feedback Mechanism is the regulation system in a living body that works to return the body to its normal internal state

Example of Feedback mechanism:

Positive Feedback:
(a) If you skip a meal, Glucagon level would rise and glycogen would be converted to glucose.
(b) Increased contraction of the uterine wall during childbirth

*The role of liver in blood glucose regulation is to convert glycogen to glucose and stores glucose as glycogen

Negative Feedback:
(a) Estrogen also stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland which in turn controls the
production of progesterone. If there is high level of progesterone, it inhibits or stop the further release of LH.
(b) Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the ovaries to release estrogen. If there is high level of estrogen, it will
prevent or stop the production of FSH.

Nervous System
Neuron - functional unit of the nervous system which carries nerve impulses, or action potential, from one part of the
body to another
A sensory neuron sends information to the brain.
A motor neuron allows us to move, speak, swallow and breathe by sending commands from the brain to the muscles that
carry out these functions.
"fight-or-flight'' response happens during a stressful situation with the help of Sympathetic nervous system
"rest-and-digest" response happens with the help of Parasympathetic nervous system.

DNA, RNA and Protein Synthesis (DNA to RNA to Protein)

DNA (DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID)

• stores genetic information in eukaryotic organisms
• double helix
• can be copied through DNA Replication in preparation for cell division

Nucleotides
• basic unit of DNA and RNA
• composed of phosphate group, sugar (deoxyribose or ribose), and nitrogenous base (Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine,
Guanine and Uracil for RNA only)

Enzymes — substances that catalyze or help a certain process

Example:
Helicase — unzips or disrupt the Hydrogen bond during initiation

Transcription
• transcribe a copy of DNA into mRNA
• happens inside the nucleus of the cell

Translation -the RNA makes protein in the ribosomes

• the mRNA arranged in codons (group of three nucleotides) codes for a specific amino acid
• tRNA carries an amino acid and an anticodon ( also a group of three nucleotides)
• the amino acid chains make a polypeptide or a functional protein for gene expression

*Study how to do the base pairing, DNA to mRNA, codons and locating amino acid using the codon chart

Mutation
Mutation is a change or an alteration in the base sequence or genes.

Types of Mutation
1. Gene Mutation — happens on a gene or DNA segment
Point Mutation — change in a single nucleotide only (Substitution, Deletion, Insertion) that changes codon in the RNA
sequence
Substitution : Silent,Missense, Nonsense
2. Chromosomal Mutation — happens on a chromosome which may lead to some disabilities (Deletion, Duplication,
Inversion, Translocation, Insertion)

Karyotype helps in observing changes in the chromosomes as it gives a picture of the set of chromosomes
Example of Impact of Mutation:
a. Down Syndrome (trisomy 21)
b. Turner Syndrome (lacking of X chromosome)
c. Klinefelter Syndrome (extra X chromosome)
d. Sickle Cell Anemia (base substitution)

Evolution
-Evolution is the change in the population of an organisms over a long period of time.
-It is a continuous process.
-Mutation helps in the success of evolution.

Variation is the difference within the members of the same species due to evolution.

Evidences of Evolution
a. Fossil Records
 *A Paleontologist studies the life on earth based on fossil records. They may use relative dating or absolute dating.
b. Comparative Anatomy
- Homologous Structure (Same structure, different function like that of human arms and cat legs)
- Analogous Structure (Different structure, same function like that of Bat wings and Butterfly wings)
- Vestigial Structures (structures which do not have its original function)
b. Embryology
c. Genetic Information

Charles Darwin – Father of Evolution, proponent of the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection (also known as the
Survival of the Fittest )

Jean Baptiste de Lamarck – proponent of the Theory of Use and Disuse which describes that the body structures develop
because they are used extensively

Biodiversity
• all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area
—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world.

Biodiversity and Stability

• Greater biodiversity in ecosystems, species, and individuals leads to greater stability

Carrying capacity and Limiting Factors

- the average size of a population that a particular habitat can support (example is the amount of fish a coral reef can
sustain)

Density-dependent limiting factors -depends on population size, tend to be biotic—having to do with living organisms
(availability of food, disease, predation, competition, parasitism,migration)
• If the carrying capacity of a predator decreases, the carrying capacity of the prey will increase.

Density-independent limiting factors -affect all populations regardless of the population size (natural disasters, pollutants,
human activities and seasonal climate extremes)

Population Growth
In exponential growth, a population's per capita (per individual) growth rate stays the same regardless of population size,
making the population grow faster and faster as it gets larger. In nature, populations may grow exponentially for some
period, but they will ultimately be limited by resource availability.