Integrated Science
Grade 10 Business
Male Reproductive System
Human Reproductive System
Humans reproduce by sexual reproduction, which involves the fusion
of male and female gametes or sex cells. The male gametes are called
sperm, and the female gamete is known as the ovum.
Male Reproductive System
The main structures of the male reproductive system are the penis,
testes, urethra, and sperm duct.
Erection
The penis is made primarily of erectile tissue. This contains spaces
which become filled with blood during sexual excitement, causing the
penis to become stiff and hard. This is called an erection.
Sperm – the male gamete
The sperm is the male sex cell. It is microscopic but, when magnified,
a single sperm resembles a tadpole. The sperm has three parts: a head,
middle piece and a tail. The nucleus is protected by a cap called the
acrosome which contains enzymes needed to break down the outer
membrane of the ovum (egg) to enable the sperm to penetrate it.
Female Reproductive System
The female reproductive organ is inside the body, above the pelvic
bones of the hip.
The female reproductive structures include two glands, called ovaries,
which are located on either side of the uterus. The ovaries produce
hormones important for the menstrual cycle, as well as containing the
female sex cells (ova).
When a girl reaches puberty usually one egg (ovum) matures around Ovum – the female gamete
every 28 days and is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube The ovum is a single spherical cell with a diameter of about one
(oviduct). The oviduct is a funnel-like structure, about 10 cm long. It millimeter. This makes the ovum the largest cell found in the human
is lined with microscopic hair-like projections (cilia) that slowly push body. The internal structures of the cell are enclosed by a thin
the egg towards the uterus. The egg may take up to 3 days to get to the membrane and a jelly-like coat. The nucleus of the ovum carries the
uterus. If a sperm does not fertilize the egg within a day of its release, genetic information from the mother that will be passed to the
then it dies. The unfertilized egg is then expelled, along with the soft offspring.
lining of the uterus, from the body through the vagina during
menstruation or period. If the egg is fertilized it becomes implanted
in the wall of the uterus and begins to develop into a baby
