Physiology 2130 Lecture 14: 14.-The-Reproductive-System
9 Sep 2020
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Module 14 - the reproductive system adam groh. The primary functions of the reproductive system are to pass on the genes of organisms and to maintain the species. Each cell in the body contains 23 chromosomes, including a pair of sex chromosomes. The sex chromosomes consist of a large x-chromosome and a smaller y-chromosome. All eggs contain an x- chromosome while the sperm can carry either and x or a y. The sex of the future baby is determined at the point of fertilization. An (xx) will yield a female, wheras an (xy) will yield a male. The development of each respective reproductive tract does not begin immediately after fertilization, however. During the first 6 weeks of development, male and female embryos contain indifferent or common gonads. These will eventually form the testes or the ovaries. There are also two sets of primitive reproductive tracts the mesonephric or wolffian duct and paramesonephric or mullerian duct.
