The Reproductive System

1. Skin is made of skin cells, which are part of the epithelial tissue that helps protect the body.

2. All living things are made up of cells, known as the cell theory, which states that the cell is the basic unit of life.

3. Brain cells are called neurons, which transmit signals throughout the nervous system.

4. Heart cells are a type of muscle cells known as cardiac muscle cells, which are specialized for pumping blood.

5. Most human cells have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs), except gametes, which have 23 chromosomes (1 from each pair).

6. Gametes are sex cells. In humans, the male gamete is called sperm, and the female gamete is called an egg.

7. Body cells, or somatic cells, make up all tissues and organs in the body except for gametes.

8. Somatic cells are diploid, meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes (one from each parent).

Guided Questions:

1. What is sexual reproduction?
      - Sexual reproduction is the process by which two parent organisms combine their genetic material to produce offspring with genetic variation.

2. What are egg & sperm and where are they located?
      - Eggs are female gametes produced in the ovaries, while sperm are male gametes produced in the testes.

3. What is fertilization?
      - Fertilization is the union of the male gamete (sperm) and the female gamete (egg), resulting in the formation of a zygote.

4. What is a zygote?
      - A zygote is a fertilized egg that results from the fusion of sperm and egg; it is the first cell of a new organism.

5. What is the difference between haploid vs. diploid?
      - Haploid cells have one set of chromosomes (23 in humans), while diploid cells have two sets of chromosomes (46 in humans).