Sexual and Asexual Reproduction (7th Grade)

cell

Basic unit of life

sexual reproduction

A reproductive process that involves two parents that combine their genetic material to produce a new organism, which differs from both parents

asexual reproduction

Process by which a single parent reproduces by itself; offspring is genetically identical to the parent

gamete

sex cell; sperm or egg

offspring

Product of reproduction, a new organism produced by one or more parents

Clone (genetically identical)

offspring that results from asexual reproduction; it has the same DNA as the only parent

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

mitosis

Body cell division in which the nucleus divides into 2 nuclei containing the same number of chromosomes

meiosis

a type of sex cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell.

gene

A segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait

binary fission

A form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms by which one cell divides into two cells of the same size (happens in bacteria)

diverse offspring

offspring with hereditary material that is different from that of the parents, resulting from sexual reproduction.

unicellular

A single celled organism

multicellular

Consisting of many cells

fertilization

Fusion of an egg and sperm cell

budding

Asexual reproduction in which a part of the parent organism pinches off and forms a new organism

heredity

Passing of traits from parents to offspring

mutation

A change in a gene or chromosome.

Testes

produce sperm

Ovary

produces eggs