Human Reproduction: Male and Female

Introduction

As with all animals, human reproductive adaptations are complex. They involve specialised and distinct anatomy in the two sexes, a hormonal regulatory system, and specialised behaviours regulated by the brain and endocrine system. The reproductive tissues of males and females develop similarly in the uterus until about the seventh week of pregnancy when a small amount of the hormone testosterone is released from the developing male’s gonads.

Testosterone causes the primitive gonads to differentiate into male sex organs. In the absence of testosterone, the primitive gonads become ovaries. The tissues that produce a penis in men produce a clitoris in women. The tissue that becomes the scrotum in a man becomes the labia in a woman. This article describes the male and female organs involved in human reproduction. 

Reproduction can be defined as the biological method of producing a new individual identical to the parent. This process ensures that the number of individuals of a species increases under favourable conditions. It is one of the basic characteristics of living beings and an essential process of life.

Types of Reproduction 

Sexual reproduction: This reproduction process is very complex in that it implies the formation and transmission of gametes, followed by fertilization, the formation of the zygote, and embryogenesis.

Asexual Reproduction: Only one parent is involved in this reproductive process, and the newly created offspring are genetically similar to that of the parent.

Sexual Reproduction in Humans

All humans go through a sexual mode of reproduction. In this process, two parents are involved in the production of a new individual. Offspring are produced by the fusion of gametes (sex cells) from each parent. Therefore, the newly formed individual will differ from the parents both genetically and physically. Human reproduction is an example of sexual reproduction.

In humans, both males and females have different reproductive systems; Therefore, they are known to exhibit sexual dimorphism. Men have testicles, also called testicles, while women have a pair of ovaries.

Male Reproductive System

Among humans who choose to reproduce (and this is by far the majority of the human species), reproduction is essentially a biological process. As mammals, humans practice internal fertilization, which means that the sperm and egg cells combine inside the woman’s body. For this to happen, both men and women need a set of organs and systems working together. The male reproductive system produces, stores, and releases its gametes, or sex cells, known as sperm. 

Sperm are produced in the testicles, two oval-shaped organs contained in the scrotum, which is like a skin pouch. It is outside the body and keeps the sperm a few degrees below 37°C since normal body temperature would kill most sperm. The testicles are made up of tightly coiled tubes in which sperm are produced. They are stored internally in a fluid called seminal fluid, which nourishes them. The penis is the outer part of the male reproductive system and contains a central canal called the urethra. 

The sperm comes out of the urinary break at the right time. A specialized organ that carries sperm to the female reproductive tract, the penis is made of spongy tissue that elongates and hardens when aroused. At this point, it is ready and ready to be inserted into the woman’s vagina.

Female Reproductive System

Female gametes or sex cells are known as eggs or ova and are produced and stored in the ovaries. An egg cell is 75,000 times larger than a single sperm cell. Females are born with about 40,000 immature eggs and do not produce any. more in his life. In most females, only about 400 of these eggs are mature. From the onset of puberty to age 40, females release one mature egg about every month. This monthly release of an egg ready for fertilisation is part of a woman’s menstrual cycle. 

Every twenty-eight days, an egg matures and is positioned to meet a sperm in the fallopian tubes. These two 3-inch tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus. Fertilisation takes place in the fallopian tubes.

Process of Reproduction in Human Beings 

The male gametes that are the sperms are deposited in the female’s body by the method of sexual intercourse. Once the sperms are settled down in the vagina, they must travel upwards to reach the egg, which is released from the ovaries and absorbed into the fallopian tubes. When the sperm meets the egg, it must penetrate its layers to cause fertilisation. Both the egg and sperm fertilize and form the diploid zygote.

Each parent provides 23 chromosomes at first fertilisation. Therefore, the zygote contains twice as many chromosomes (46). It’s called diploid. Once this happens, the zona pellucida of the egg forms a thick covering around the zygote to prevent more than one sperm from fertilising the egg. This zygote now develops into a morula and then into a blastocyst. It is then developing the chorionic villi from the upper layer of the blastocyst called the chorion.

These villi attach to the inner wall of the uterus. Implantation is the method by which the embryo is attached to the wall of the uterus. The tissue between the growing embryo and the mother’s uterine wall forms the placenta. The function of the placenta is to provide nourishment to the embryo until it is born. The hormones estrogen and progesterone help keep the placenta and fetus in the uterus. The normal gestation period for humans is 38 weeks, a little over 9 months.

At the end of this period, under the influence of hormones, uterine contractions begin. An important hormone that plays a role in this is oxytocin. It affects the cervix, causing it to dilate to allow the baby to leave the mother’s body. The umbilical cord with its blood vessels and the placenta are also expelled with the baby.

Menstrual Cycle

This is a biological process that occurs in human females from puberty onwards. When a girl is born, the primary egg cells are already present. When the child reaches puberty, the process of meiosis continues to give rise to the secondary oocyte. The secondary oocyte is released from each ovary alternately every other month.

Each ovary publishes this secondary oocyte alternative, the fallopian tube collects it and transports him to the uterus. The surface of the ovary, which has released the egg, is called Corpus Luteum. Progesterone is released by it. If the egg doesn’t fertilise, the corpus luteum disintegrates after 14 days, and the level of progesterone falls.

This reasons disintegration of the uterine lining that’s referred to as menses or the month-to-month cycle. If fertilisation occurs, the corpus luteum remains and no dropping of the uterine lining occurs. The uterus prepares for the implantation of the fetus.

Conclusion

The reproductive systems that advanced inland animals permit ladies and men to mate, fertilize internally, and assist the increase and improvement of offspring. Gametogenesis, the manufacturing of sperm (spermatogenesis) and eggs (oogenesis), takes area thru the system of meiosis. The male and female reproductive cycles are managed through hormones launched from the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary and hormones from reproductive tissues and organs.

Human pregnancy starts with the fertilization of an egg and proceeds via the 3 trimesters of gestation. The first trimester lays down the primary systems of the body, consisting of the limb buds, heart, eyes, and liver. The 2nd trimester keeps the improvement of all the organs and systems. The 3rd trimester well-known shows the finest increase of the fetus and culminates in exertions and transport. The exertion technique has 3 stages (contractions, transport of the fetus, and expulsion of the placenta), each propelled with the aid of using hormones.