1. What are the structures of the male reproductive system?
Scrotum, testis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, Cowper’s gland, urethra, penis, erectile tissue.
2. Which structure is responsible for making sperms?
testis
3. What is the testis responsible for making?
(1) sperm
(2) male hormone
4. What is the function of epididymis?
Stores sperm temporarily
5. What is the importance of the scrotum locating outside the abdominal cavity?
To allow the testes to be located outside the abdominal cavity where the body temperature is 2-3 degree lower so that sperm can be development at an optimum temperature.
6. What are the structures that are responsible for secreting seminal fluid?
(1) seminal vesicles,
(2) prostate gland,
(3) Cowper’s gland,
7. What is the function of seminal fluid?
(1) activate and nourishes sperms
(2) provide a medium for sperm to swim in
(3) neutralize the acidity if the female’s vagina
8. What are the features of the penis and their corresponding functions?
Features: contains erectile tissue and many blood vessels
Corresponding functions: when the erectile tissues are filled with blood, the penis will become hard. It can be used to insert into the vagina of the female. After that, semen can be transferred to the female body through ejaculation.
9. List the pathway that the sperms pass along starting from the place of production to leaving the body
Testis, epididymis, vas deferens, urethra
10. List the names of the structures in the female reproductive system.
Ovaries, oviduct, uterus, cervix, vagina.
11. What is the ovary responsible for producing?
(1) eggs / ova
(2) female sex hormones
Note: female sex hormones embraces a number of female reproductive hormones, not only oestrogen.
12. What is the feature of the oviducts and its corresponding functions?
Feature: the inner wall of the oviducts is lined with cilia.
Functions:
(1) The beating action of the cilia, together with the peristaltic contraction of the muscular wall of the inner wall of the oviduct, transport the egg or the embryo to the uterus.
(2) the oviducts is the place where fertilization of the egg takes place.
13. How is the fertilized egg transported from the oviduct to the uterus?
(1) By the bearing action of the cilia.
(2) By the peristaltic contraction of the muscular wall of the inner wall of the
oviduct.
14. What are the functions of the uterus?
(1) It is a place to allow implantation of the embryo to take place and allow the embryo to develop,
(2) It protects the embryo or foetus, and offer a stable environment for the growth of the embryo or foetus.
(3) Upon labour, the muscles of the uterus wall contract to help push the foetus out of the body.
15. What is the function of the cervix at birth?
It opens wider during labour to allow the foetus to pass through.
16. What are the functions of the vagina?
(1) to hold the penis during copulation.
(2) It secrete acidic substances to prevent the growth of bacteria
(3) It serves as the pass of birth during labour.
17. Where are sperms produced in the testis?
(1) They are produced in the seminiferous tubule of the testis.
(2) The cells between the seminiferous tubules secrete male sex hormone,
(3) when the male sex hormone rise to a certain level,
(4) the cells of the seminiferous tubules will be stimulated to produce sperms.
18. What is the shape of the sperm?
(1) Like a tadpole, consists of a head, a midpiece and a tail.
(2) It is small, about 0.5mm in length (cannot be observed by naked eye)
19. What are the structures of a sperm?
Head: acrosome, nucleus
Midpiece: contains mitochondria
Tail
20. What are the functions of the acrosome of the sperm?
It can secrete enzymes, which will be released during fertilization, to digest the tissue outside the egg so as to assist the entry of sperm into the egg.
21. How is an egg produced?
(1) There are a lot of immature follicles in the ovaries,
(2) When female sex hormones reach a certain level, the follicles are stimulated to mature.
(3) A mature egg will be released approximately every 28 days.
22. What is the shape of the egg?
(1) spherical / ball shape (note: not round shape)
(2) It has a diameter of 0.1mm (the largest cell in the human body, can just be observed by the naked eye.)
(3) The outer layer is covered by a layer of jelly like substance. (So what is being released from the ovary is not only one egg cell)
23. What is secondary sexual characteristics?
The features affected by sex hormones apart from the sex organs, which can be used for sex identification.
24. What are the secondary sexual characteristics of male?
(1) growth of beard,
(2) growth of hairs under the armpit and around sec organs,
(3) enlargement of larynx and deepening of the voice, and
(4) broadening of the shoulder and the body becomes more muscular.
25. What are the secondary sexual characteristics of the female?
(1) growth of hairs under the armpit and around sec organsm,
(2) deposit of more fat under the skin,
(3) broadening of the hip, and
(4) development of the breasts.
26. Describe the process of follicle development and ovulation during one menstrual cycle.
(1) upon being stimulated by female sex hormone, follicles develop.
(2) The size of the follicle gets bigger and starts to move to the periphery of the ovary.
(3) The mature follicle breaks and releases the egg towards the direction of the oviduct (ovulation)
(4) the egg moves along the oviduct assisted by the beating action of the cilia and the peristaltic contraction of the inner muscular wall of the oviduct.
(5) the remaining follicle in the ovary becomes the yellow body.
(6) If the egg is not fertilized, the yellow body will degenerate.
27. What is menstrual cycle?
It is a process where upon action of sex hormones, the lining of the uterus gets thickened and breaks down periodically as a preparation for receiving the embryo.
28. What is menstruation?
The process of which the uterine lining breaks down and tissues of the lining leaves the body.
29. What are there inside the menstrual blood?
(1) cells from the tissues of the uterine lining
(2) blood
(3) the unfertilized egg
30. What are the different stages of the menstrual cycle?
Around 28 days each cycle
(1) Day 1 – 5: the uterine lining breaks down, leave the body (menstruation)
(2) Day 5 to 14: follicles in the ovary starts to develop, blood supplying the uterine increase, tissues of the uterine lining thickens.
(3) Day 14, ovulation
(4) Day 15-28, further thickening of the uterine lining
31. If the egg is fertilized, state the changes of various structures.
(1) the yellow body in the ovary will not degenerate,
(2) the uterine lining will not break down and will continue to get thicker and thicker
(3) menstruation stops until birth of the baby
32. What is menopause?
When a female reach a certain age (~50 years old), ovulation and menstruation starts to lose its regularity or menstruation stops.
33. Describe the process of copulation
(1) erectile tissue of the penis are filled rapidly with blood
(2) the soft penis becomes hard and erect,
(3) the penis is inserted into the vagina of the female,
(4) muscles of the epididymis and the vas deferens contracts
(5) to eject semen into the vagina in a process called ejaculation.
34. How does fertilization happens?
(1) When sperms enter the vagina,
(2) sperms swims pass the cervix and the uterus
(3) and reach the upper part of the oviducts.
35. Through what mechanisms do sperms rely on to reach the oviducts?
(1) The swimming action of its own tail at the expense of its own energy.
(2) Contraction of the wall of the uterus and the oviduct
36. What is the reason for the small number of sperms reaching the upper part of the oviducts and the death of the majority of sperms?
(1) sperms are trapped by the secretions of the vagina
(2) sperms are killed by the acidic environment of the vagina
(3) the high temperature of the female body is not suitable for sperms to survive
(4) some sperms are defective or immobile
37. Upon reaching the upper part of the oviduct, how can the sperm fertilize the ovum?
(1) The acrosome of the sperm releases enzymes to digest the jelly coat of the ovum.
(2) the jelly coat of the ovum is digested.
(3) the head of one sperm to pass through the cell membrane and enters the cytoplasm.
(4) the jelly coat changes to prevent the entry of all other sperms.
(5) the nucleus of the head of the sperm inside the cytoplasm fuses with the nucleus of the ovum. Fertilization completes.
38. How many days can sperms usually survive in the female reproductive tract?
3 days
39. How many days does it take for an egg dies after ovulation with no fertilization?
24 hours (1 day)
40. After fertilization, how can the embryo implant into the uterus?
(1) After fertilization, the zygote will carry out mitotic cell division and becomes a ball of cells.
(2) An embryo is formed
(3) upon the beating actions of the cilia and the peristaltic contraction of the muscles of the oviduct, the embryo is transported to the uterus
(4) the embryo implants itself onto the uterine lining.
41. After implantation, how does the embryo develops?
(1) The embryo continues to develop, some cells becomes the amnion.
(2) The amnion secrete amniotic fluid which surrounds the embryo.
(3) At about 3 weeks after fertilization, fingerlike structures called villi begins to inserts into the uterine lining.
(4) The villi and the uterine lining together forms a disc-shaped temporary organ --- the placenta.
(5) The placenta is connected to the foetus through the umbilical cord.
(6) The foetus exchange materials with the mother at the placenta through the umbilical cord.
42. What is the function of the amniotic fluid?
(1) It acts as a cushion to protect the embryo from mechanical damage.
(2) It provides a stable environment for the growth of the embryo
(3) It prevents the embryo from dessication (moisturize the embryo)
(4) It allows the embryo to move around easily.
43. How many blood vessels are there inside the umbilical cord? What are the major materials being transported?
(1) Two umbilical arteries, they transport deoxygenated blood and waste to the placenta.
(2) One umbilical vein, it transport oxygen and nutrients to the foetus.
44. What is the significance of the blood of the mother and the blood of the foetus being NOT mixed together?
(1) prevent the blood pressure of the mother from damaging the blood vessels of the foetus
(2) prevent the problems that comes along with the blood types of the mother and that of the foetus being not matched.
45. What are the adaptive features of the placenta for materials exchange?
(1) the villi greatly increase the surface area for material exchange.
(2) the wall of the blood capillary and that of the villus is very thin, which shortens the diffusion distance during material exchange
(3) The large amount of blood capillaries in the placenta helps transport materials away quickly so as to maintain a sufficiently high
concentration gradient for material exchange.
46. List the function of the placenta.
(1) to carry out material exchange between the mother and the embryo
(2) as a barrier to harmful materials to enter the embryo
(3) to secrete hormones to maintain the thickness of the uterus
47. What kind of harmful materials cannot be blocked by the placenta and will have a high chance to enter the embryo?
Virus, alcohol, nicotine, carbon monoxide, most medicine.
48. What is gestation period?
It is the time required from fertilization to birth. (period of pregnancy)
49. What are twins?
When a mother giving birth to two individuals at the same time, the two individual are called twins.
50. What are the types of twins?
(1) Identical/Monozygotic twins: comes from the same fertilized egg, with same genetic materials.
(2) Fraternal/Dizygotic twins: comes from different fertilized eggs, with different genetic materials.
51. Describe the process of giving birth/labour.
(1) Dilation stage:
- The cervix dilate, the head pass through the cervix.
- Rhymic contraction of the uterus muscles and the abdominal muscles
- amnion breaks, amniotic fluid is released
(2) Expulsion of the foetus stage:
- The contraction of the uterine muscles and abdominal muscles push the foetus out of the uterus and through the vagina.
(3) Expulsion of the Placenta stage:
- The uterine muscles continue to contract. The placenta detaches from the uterine wall.
52. What is the advantages of breast feeding?
(1) best food for the baby, contains the essential nutrients for its growth and development.
(2) contains antibodies, protect the baby against diseases in the early months.
(3) close contact establish a bond between the mother and the baby. It also give the baby a sense of security.
(4) helps the recovery of the mother’s uterus, reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
53. What are the three strategies of birth control?
(1) suppress the formation of gametes
(2) prevent the meeting of the sperm and the egg
(3) prevent the embryo from implanting into the uterine lining.
54. What are the methods of birth control by inhibiting gamete formation?
(1) Birth control pills
(2) Use birth control patches
(3) Take birth control injections
55. What are the side effects of prolonged use of birth control pills?
Headache, high blood pressure.
56. What is the methods to prevent the sperms from meeting the eggs?
(1) rhythm method
(2) barrier methods
- diaphragm
- condom
(3) surgical methods
- vasectomy
- tubal ligation
57. How can birth control using rhythm method be carried out?
Prevent sexual during fertile period.
The fertile period is roughly 3 days before and after ovulation.
58. How can the time of ovulation be estimated?
By measuring the body temperature. Since just after ovulation, the body temperature will have a sudden increase.
(Note: Since sperm can survive for 2-3 days, there is still a chance of pregnancy for sexual intercourse before ovulation.)
59. How can the diaphragm be used?
Put the diaphragm into the vagina to cover the cervix.
60. How can the two types of condoms be properly used?
(1) Male condom-----before sexual intercourse, put the male condom onto an erected penis. In this way, semen will stay inside the male condom.
(2) Female condom-----before sexual intercourse, put the blind end side of the female condom towards the cervix. In this way, semen will stay inside the female condom.
61. After vasectomy, will there be production of sperms and semen? Explain.
Yes. Because sex hormone will still cause sperms and seminal fluid to be produced, only that the semen do not contain the sperms.
62. After tubal ligation, will there be ovulation and menstruation?
Yes.
63. What are the ways to prevent the implantation of embryo onto the uterine lining?
Use intra uterine device. Put it into the uterus.
64. Which birth control method is permanent?
Only surgical methods.
65. Which birth control method is the most unreliable?
Rhythm method