Biology Grade 11 - Reproductive System Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the Biology Grade 11 textbook section on the Reproductive System.

Human Reproductive System

The functional male and female reproductive organ systems responsible for producing sperm (in males) and egg cells (in females), enabling internal fertilization through sexual intercourse.

Penis

The male copulatory organ containing soft, spongy tissue, muscles, fibrous tissue, veins, arteries, and the urethra, which performs urinary and sexual functions including erection and ejaculation.

Erection

The stiffening of the penis caused by increased blood flow into the corpus cavernosa and corpus spongiosum due to sexual arousal or physical stimulation.

Urethra

A tube connecting the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus, responsible for removing urine from the body. In males, it also expels sperm during ejaculation.

Scrotum

A sack of thick skin that protects the testes and controls their temperature for optimal sperm creation; contains seminal vesicles, vas deferens, testicles (testes), and the prostate gland.

Testes

Oval-shaped paired organs found in the scrotum responsible for producing testosterone (male sex hormone) and sperm (spermatogenesis).

Ovaries

Small, oval-shaped glands located on either side of the uterus that produce eggs and hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in females.

Fallopian Tubes

Narrow tubes attached to the upper part of the uterus that serve as pathways for ova (egg cells) to travel from the ovaries to the uterus, typically being the site of fertilization.

Uterus

A hollow, pear-shaped organ (also known as the womb) that houses a developing fetus; consists of the cervix (lower part opening into the vagina) and the corpus (main body).

Vagina

A canal connecting the cervix to the external environment, serving as a passageway for sperm and menstrual flow, as well as functioning as the birth canal.

Gametogenesis

The process of formation and development of specialized generative cells, gametes (oocytes/sperm), from bipotential primordial germ cells, involving meiosis to form haploid daughter cells from diploid mother cells.

Spermatogenesis

The process by which haploid spermatozoa develop from germ cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testis, starting at puberty and producing the male hormone androgen.

Oogenesis

The development of female egg cells found in the outermost layers of the ovaries, beginning with the germ cell oogonium and leading to the development of a haploid cell oocyte after meiotic division.

Menstrual Cycle

The monthly process of discharge of blood and other matter through the vagina of a woman from puberty to menopause, excluding pregnancy, involving changes in the ovary and uterine walls due to hormone level changes.

Follicular Phase

The phase in the menstrual cycle when the anterior pituitary produces follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) that stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles.

Ovulation Phase

The phase in the menstrual cycle when ovulation occurs, typically in the midway (days 12-14), where a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) causes the release of an egg (secondary oocyte).

Luteal Phase

The phase in the menstrual cycle when the ruptured follicle develops into a corpus luteum, secreting high levels of progesterone and lower levels of estrogen to thicken the endometrial lining.

Menstruation Phase

The phase in the menstrual cycle when the uterine lining sheds if fertilization does not occur, resulting in blood exiting the body via the vagina.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

A gonadotrophic hormone regulating the function of the testes in men (stimulating testosterone production) and ovaries in women (stimulating estradiol production and causing ovulation).

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

A hormone involved in sexual development and reproduction, affecting ovaries and testicles; stimulates ovaries to grow follicles and eggs for ovulation.

Fertilization

The union of a human egg and sperm cells in the ampulla of the fallopian tube to produce a zygote, involving the fusion of 23 sets of chromosomes from each gamete.

Pregnancy

The gestation period in which the fetus develops inside a woman's womb or uterus, lasting about 40 weeks (280 days) counted from the last menstrual period.

Contraception

The intentional process of preventing pregnancy through the use of various hormonal drugs, devices, sexual practices, chemicals, and surgical procedures.

Barrier Contraceptives

Devices providing a physical barrier between the sperm and the egg, such as male condoms, female condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps.

Non-Barrier Contraceptives

Contraceptive methods including chemical barriers (spermicides), oral contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices (IUD), hormonal implants, hormone injections, post pills, and contraceptive rings.

Infertility

The inability of a person to reproduce by natural means, involving either the female's inability to conceive after unprotected sex or the male's issues such as low sperm production or abnormal sperm function.