Knowledge Organiser – Human Reproduction

Body Changes - These diagrams show how the male and female body change outwardly during puberty. In
Key Terms Definitions addition males produce sperm and females start their menstrual cycles.
Puberty the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and
become capable of reproduction
Hormone A chemical messenger that moves in the blood
Gamete A sex cell
Fertilisation When the nucleus of the sperm fuses with the nucleus of an egg
Function The key job something performs
Adaptation How a cell is designed to perform a function better

Ovulation The day an egg is released from an ovary

Menstrual Cycle The monthly cycle of changes in the ovaries and the lining of the
uterus (endometrium), starting with the preparation of an egg
for fertilization

The Female The male

Reproductive
Reproductive
System System

These diagrams These diagrams

show the parts of show the parts of
the human female the human male
reproductive reproductive
system. system.

The bladder empties The bladder empties

into the urethra but into the urethra but
they are not part of they are not part of
the reproductive the reproductive
system.
system.
 Knowledge Organiser – Human Reproducti on
Human Gametes IVF
These diagrams show a sperm cell and an egg cell but they are NOT to scale. In real life an egg cell would be
much, much larger. The diagrams also show how the cells are adapted to their function This diagram shows
the main stages of
the process.

Fetal development The placenta

Fertilisation happens when an egg cell meets with a
sperm cell and joins with it. The fertilised egg
divides to form a ball of cells called an embryo. The The placenta is an organ responsible for providing oxygen and nutrients, and
embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus. It removing waste substances. It grows into the wall of the uterus and is joined
begins to develop into a fetus and finally into a to the fetus by the umbilical cord.
baby. The fetus relies upon its mother as it
The mother's blood does not mix with the blood of the fetus, but the
develops. These are some of the things it needs:
placenta lets substances pass between the two blood supplies:
• protection against knock and bumps, and •oxygen and nutrients diffuse across the placenta from the mother to the
temperature changes fetus
• oxygen for respiration
• nutrients (food and water)
•carbon dioxide and other waste substances diffuse across the placenta from
• The developing fetus also needs its waste the fetus to the mother
substances removing.