Reproductive Biology: Mutations, Gametes, and Fertilization
Reproductive Biology: Key Concepts
Mutation: An alteration in the genetic information (genotype) of a living being, causing a change in its pattern. This change occurs suddenly and spontaneously and can be inherited by offspring.
Ovules: These are the female sex cells, large, spherical, and motionless. From puberty, an egg matures in one of the ovaries every 28 days and travels through a fallopian tube.
Sperm: The male sexual reproductive cell or gamete, responsible for fertilizing the egg and providing additional genetic information.
Ovaries: The female gonads, responsible for producing sex hormones and ovules. They are almond-shaped, approximately 1 x 2 x 3 cm in fertile women, and weigh about 6 to 7 grams. They are located on either side of the uterus.
Uterus: Also known as the matrix or womb, it is the organ of gestation. It is a muscular, hollow, pear-shaped organ located in the pelvis. In young women, it rests on the bladder in front and the rectum behind.
Fallopian Tubes: Muscular tubes connecting the ovaries and uterus. They contain fluid that stimulates alveoli production in the ovaries. Seminal fluid containing sperm travels through these tubes to the uterus, where fertilization occurs.
Artificial Insemination: Any method of reproduction where sperm is deposited into the female using specialized instruments and techniques, bypassing copulation. This can involve depositing sperm in the uterus, cervix, or fallopian tubes.
Cloning: The process of creating identical copies of an organism, cell, or molecule through asexual development.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A technique where fertilization of oocytes by sperm occurs outside the mother’s body. IVF is a primary treatment for infertility when other methods have failed.
Fertilization: The fusion of gametes during sexual reproduction, resulting in a zygote cell containing chromosomes from both gametes.
Crossover: The process where two chromosomes pair up and exchange sections of their DNA.
Gametes: Haploid sex cells, known as eggs in females and sperm in males.
Zygote: The cell resulting from the union of male and female gametes in sexual reproduction. Its cytoplasm and organelles are of maternal origin.