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Fertilization, Birth Control

reproduction - sexual/asexual 

  • sexual reproduction - used by most animals
    • union of gametes (sperm/ova) >> zygote
  • asexual reproduction - used by protests, cnidarians, tunicates, and others
    • produces genetically identical cells through mitosis
    • fission - organism divides into 2 identical organisms
    • budding - part of body separates, becomes new organism
  • parthenogenesis - form of asexual reproduction in arthropods
    • females produce offspring from unfertilized eggs
  • hermaphroditism - organism has both testes/ovaries
    • able to fertilize itself
    • sequential hermaphroditism - ability to change sex
  • sex determination - environment or DNA determines sex
    • all mammals will develop into females w/o the SRY gene

fertilization - evolved in the water 

  • external fertilization - sperm/ova unite outside of the organisms
    • must be synchronized or else gametes disperse
  • internal fertilization - evolved due to drying on land
    • male gametes introduced into female reproductive tract
    • oviparity - fertilized eggs placed outside mother to develop
    • ovoviviparity - fertilized eggs stay within mother, but get nutrition from egg yolk
    • viviparity - young develop inside mother, receive nutrition from mother’s blood
  • estrus - period of sexual receptivity in females
    • occurs around time of ovulation

birth control - aka contraception 

  • abstinence - not having sex
  • condoms - most common form of birth control
  • douche - washing out vagina immediately after sex to kill the sperm
  • oral contraceptives - birth control pills
    • blocks ovulation through negative feedback
  • inserting irregularly shaped object >> embryo can’t implant onto the wall
    • major discomfort for women using it
  • “morning after pill” - contains extreme dose of estrogen
    • used as emergency contraception
  • sterilization - vasectomy in males, removing part of fallopian tubes in females

sexual response cycle - excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution  

  • excitement - sexual arousal
  • plateau - blood goes to reproductive organs
  • orgasm - peak of sexual response
  • resolution - return to pre-sexual stimulation level
  • Viagra - preserves cGMP levels >> maintains erection
    • still requires sexual thoughts to stimulate erection >> not an aphrodisiac
Subject: 
Biology
Subject X2: 
Biology

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