can you please tell me about reproduction in males and females
Male reproductive system
It consists of various organs, which are involved in the production and transfer of germ cells into the female body.
The organs present in the male reproductive system consist of a pair of testes, vas deferens, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles.
The testes produce sperms. But for this they require a temperature, which is 2 – 2.5°C lower than the temperature of the rest of the body. Therefore, they are protected inside the scrotum.
The function of the testes is to produce sperms and a hormone called testosterone, which brings about secondary sex characteristics in boys.
Structure of a sperm
It consists of a head, middle piece, and a tail.
The head contains a nucleus, containing the chromosomal material.
The middle piece has many mitochondria to provide energy for the movement of the tail.
The tail facilitates the movement of the sperm into the female body.
Female reproductive system
It consists of a pair of ovaries, a pair of oviducts, uterus, and vagina.
The ovaries are located on each side of the lower abdomen. It produces thousands of eggs in the female body. It also produces a hormone called oestrogen, which brings about secondary sex characteristics in the female body.
The eggs produced in the ovary start maturing on reaching puberty. One egg from each ovary grows and matures, and is carried from the ovary to the uterus by a thin oviduct or the fallopian tube.
Sperms from the male reproductive system enter the body of the female through the vagina.
Structure of the ovum
It contains a single nucleus, surrounded by the cytoplasm.
Passage of sperms inside the female body
Sperms, which are ejaculated from the male reproductive organ (penis), enter the female body through the vagina. They travel towards the fallopian tubes, where they meet the egg. The process of fusion of the sperm and ovum is called fertilization. Fertilization takes place in the fallopian tubes.
During fertilization, the haploid nucleus of the sperm and ovum fuse to form a zygote. This zygote divides to form an embryo.