What is REPRODUCTION?
Reproduction can be defined as the biological process of producing a new
individual or an offspring identical to the parents.
This process ensures the increase in the number of individuals of a species when
conditions are favourable. It is one of the fundamental characteristics of living
things and an essential life process.
There are two types of reproduction – asexual and sexual.
Sexual Reproduction –This process of reproduction is very complex that involves
the formation and transfer of gametes, followed by fertilization, the formation of the
zygote, and embryogenesis.
Asexual Reproduction — This process of reproduction involves only one parent
and the new offspring produced is genetically similar to the parent.
Reproduction in Human Beings
All human beings undergo a sexual mode of reproduction. In this process, two
parents are involved in producing a new individual. Offspring are produced by the
fusion of gametes (sex cells) from each parent. Hence, the newly formed
individual will be different from parents, both genetically and physically. Human
reproduction is an example of sexual reproduction.
In human beings, both males and females have different reproductive systems;
hence, they are known to exhibit sexual dimorphism. Males have testes- also
called testicles, while the females have a pair of ovaries.
PUBERTY
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SECONDARY SEXUAL
CHARACTERISTICS
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Secondary sexual characteristics
Secondary characteristics are the result of hormonal changes in the body during
puberty. These changes are faster in girls than in boys. Some changes are
common in both boys and girls while others are specific to each gender. This is
due to the different hormones released by them. Changes in height, sweating, oil
production and hair at pubic regions and under armpit are some common
secondary sexual characteristics.
● Change in height: Most prominent change that occurs in adolescents is the
change in their heights. Growth hormone secretion and bone growth are
much higher during this time.
● Sweat and Sebaceous glands: The pimples and acne in adolescents are
mostly due to the increased activities of sweat and sebaceous glands
● Hair growth: Another observable change is rapid hair growth under the armpit
and pubic area.
Changes developed in Boys
● Boys develop the heavier muscular body, wide shoulders, and narrow hips.
● Enlargement of voice box leads to much deeper voice.
● Maturation of testis and starts to produce sperms.
● The growth of hairs on chest.
● Enlargement of Adam’s apple.
Changes developed in girls
● Shoulders and hips become wider.
● Matured ovaries start to release a mature ovum.
● Ovulation and menstruation initiate.
● Mammary gland enlargement.
Testosterone hormones produced in testis of males and estrogens released in
ovaries of females are responsible for these changes in the males and females
respectively.
Human Reproductive System
The reproduction in human beings involves the fusion of male and female
gametes produced in their reproductive system. The male reproductive system is
different from the female reproductive system, both in structure and in function.
Male Reproductive System
The male gametes, i.e., sperms are produced within the male reproductive
system. Sperms are small unicellular structures with a head, middle piece, and a
tail.
The male reproductive system consists of :
● Testicles (testes): A pair of oval-shaped organs masked in a pouch called
scrotum. They are responsible for the production of sperms and the male
hormone testosterone.
● Scrotum: It is a sac-like organ that hangs below the penis and behind it. It is
the houses of the testicles, or testes, and maintains a temperature that is
required for the production of sperm by it.
● Vas deferens: The sperms produced in testes are stored in a tube called
epididymis. Here the sperms get matured and pass to urethra through the
muscular tube called vas deferens.
● Penis: Penis is a cylindrical tube which serves as both reproductive organ as
well as an excretory organ. It delivers sperms into the vagina during sexual
intercourse.
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FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Female Reproductive System
The female reproductive system is active before, during and after fertilization as
well. It consists of the following parts:
● A pair of ovaries: Ovaries produce and store ovum in them. They also
produce a female hormone called estrogen.
● Fallopian tubes (Oviducts): They are the site of fertilization. They connect
ovaries with the uterus.
● Uterus: Uterus is the site of development for the embryo.
● Vagina: It is the part which connects cervix to the external female body parts.
It is the route for the penis during coitus as well as a fetus during delivery.
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Female reproductive system has two functions –
1. Production of female gamete called ovum/egg.
2. Providing nutrition and protecting the developing embryo.
During puberty, eggs in the ovaries start to mature. One of the ovaries releases
the mature ovum in every 28 to 30 days and is called ovulation.
Menstruation occurs due to the rupture or removal of the inner,
thick, and soft lining of the uterus when fertilization does not take
place.
The menstrual cycle of a female is as follows:
● After a female attains puberty, every month one of the ova of
the ovary matures and gets released once every 28 days (on
an average) by the process of ovulation.
● The lining of the uterus becomes thick and spongy before
ovulation in order to implant the fertilized egg. If the egg is not
fertilized, this lining of the uterus breaks and comes out of the
vagina along with the unfertilized egg which is known as
menstrual flow.
● This occurs on the 14thday of ovulation and lasts for 3-5
days.
● After this flow stops, the uterus starts preparing itself
again to receive fertilized egg. If it does not receive the
fertilized egg, the same set of events is repeated.
FERTILIZATION & IMPLANTATION:
Fertilization and implantation are the most critical events in the reproduction
process. In this process, both egg and sperm fuse together to form a zygote. Later
it gets implanted into the uterus and the development of an organism.
Fertilization in Humans
“Fertilization in humans refers to the fusion of male
and female gametes that facilitates the development
of a new organism.”
Fertilization is the biological process of fusion of male and female gametes
resulting in the formation of a zygote. The fertilization in humans takes place in the
fallopian tube.
In this process, semen containing thousands of sperms is inseminated into the
female vagina during coitus. The sperms move towards the uterus but not all
succeed in reaching the opening of the fallopian tube.
FERTILIZATION AND IMPLANTATION
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SEX DETERMINATION:
Fertilization is the process in which a new cell is formed when two gametes (sex
cells) –sperm and ova fuse together. During this unbiased event, all genetic
information is transferred from both the parents to their child and the gender of the
child is determined.
Father determines the sex of the child, i.e. if the sperm carries a Y chromosome,
the child will be a boy and if sperm carries X chromosome child will be a girl.
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The placenta provides all the oxygen, water and nutrients the baby needs to grow
in the uterus, and transmits fetal waste and carbon dioxide from the baby to the
mother's system for excretion.
The placenta is attached to the fetus through the umbilical cord, the lifeline
between mother and baby.