Biology 1225 Chapter Notes - Chapter 26: Corpus Luteum, Seminiferous Tubule, Tubal Ligation

• School: Western University
• Department: Biology
• Course: Biology 1225
• Professor: Michael Butler

Document Summary

The human reproductive system consists of a pair of primary reproductive organs (testes in males, ovaries in females), accessory glands, and ducts. Both reproductive organs release sex hormones in response to signals from the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Human males continually produce sperm from puberty onward, whereas human females are fertile on a cyclic basis. Each month during their reproductive years, an egg is released from an ovary, and the lining of the uterus is prepared for pregnancy. Sexual intercourse is the natural mechanism that brings together sperm and eggs, permitting fertilization and the conception of a new individual (an embryo). A key event in early embryonic development is the formation of three distinctive layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Every tissue of the body arises from one of these layers. Interactions between these layers stimulate the development of specific organs. All of this chapter contains valuable material, but for section 26. 6, only the part on cleavage and implantation is testable.