HUMAN REPRODUCTION notes

Human reproduction is part of the human life cycle. The cells of an adult are diploid. In the reproductive organs, meiosis produces haploid gametes. At fertilisation, two gametes fuse to form a…

The male reproductive system produces sperm and the hormone testosterone. Sperm are made in the testes, mature and are stored in the epididymis, and then travel through a series of ducts, where…

The female reproductive system produces ova and female sex hormones, receives sperm, and provides a place for a baby to develop. This section covers the structure of the female reproductive system…

Puberty is the stage of life when a child's body becomes able to reproduce. This section covers the main changes that happen during puberty in boys, under the influence of testosterone, and in…

Gametogenesis is the formation of gametes by meiosis. In males it is called spermatogenesis, and in females oogenesis. This section covers both processes, the structure of a sperm cell and an ovum…

The menstrual cycle is the monthly series of changes in the ovaries and the uterus that prepares a woman's body for a possible pregnancy. It is made up of two linked cycles: the ovarian cycle, the…

Fertilisation brings together the genetic material of two parents and starts the development of a new individual. This section covers copulation, the process of fertilisation, and the early…

When the blastocyst reaches the uterus, it must attach to the wall of the uterus, stay there throughout the pregnancy, and exchange substances with the mother through the placenta. This section…