Sexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction is a process of reproduction involving the merging of two gametes from the same species to produce a new organism. One advantage of this form of reproduction over asexual reproduction is that the DNA of the offspring is significantly different from that of the two gametes; this allows species to change more rapidly than through mutation alone. The DNA is different because each contributing organism randomly and independently donates half of their DNA to the sex cells in a process called meiosis. These cells then, through a variety of processes, depending on the particular species, meet and merge together to produce a new organism with different DNA.

Reproduction in mammals

In placental mammals, the offspring are born as young, complete animals with the entire sets of sex organs, although not functioning. After several months or years, the sex organs in the mammals start to grow and the animal becomes sexually mature. Most mammals are only fertile during certain times of the year; during those times, they are sometimes said to be ?in heat.?

Related Topics:
Placental - Offspring - Sex organs - Sexually mature - Fertile

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At this point, the animal is ready to mate. Individual male and female mammals meet and carry out copulation, the beginning stage of sexual reproduction. In primates, the sexual partner for each primate is monogamously specific. For most other mammals, males and females occasionally exchange sexual partners.

Related Topics:
Copulation - Primates - Monogamously - Specific

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The mammalian male

The male reproductive system contains two main divisions: the penis, which is inserted into the female and carries the sperm inside it, and the testes, which produce the sperm. In humans, both of these organs are outside the abdominal cavity, but they can be primarily housed within the abdomen in other animals (for instance, in dogs, the penis is internal except when mating). Having the testes outside the abdomen best facilitates temperature regulation of the sperm, which require specific temperatures to survive.

Related Topics:
Penis - Testes - Abdominal cavity - Dogs - Temperature regulation

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Sperm are the smaller of the two gametes and are generally very short-lived, requiring males to produce them continuously from the time of sexual maturity until death. They are motile and swim by chemotaxis.

Related Topics:
Sexual maturity - Chemotaxis

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The mammalian female

The female reproductive system likewise contains two main divisions: the vagina and uterus, which act as the receptacle for the male's sperm, and the ovaries, which produce the female's ova. All of these parts are always internal. The vagina is attached to the uterus through the cervix, while the uterus is attached to the ovaries via the Fallopian tubes. At certain intervals, the ovaries release an ovum (the singular of ova), which passes through the fallopian tube into the uterus.

Related Topics:
Vagina - Uterus - Ovaries - Ova - Cervix - Fallopian tubes

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If, in this transit, it meets with sperm, the sperm penetrate and merge with the egg, fertilizing it. The fertilization usually occurs in the oviducts, but can happen in the uterus itself. The zygote then implants itself in the wall of the uterus, where it begins the processes of embryogenesis and morphogenesis. When developed enough to survive outside the womb, the cervix dilates and contractions of the uterus propel the fetus through the birth canal, which is the vagina.

Related Topics:
Fertilizing - Embryogenesis - Morphogenesis

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The ova are larger than sperm and are generally all created by birth. They are for the most part stationary, aside from their transit to the uterus, and contain nutrients for the later zygote and embryo. Over a regular interval, a process of oogenesis matures one ovum to be sent down the Fallopian tube attached to its ovary in anticipation of fertilization. If not fertilized, this egg is flushed out of the system through menstruation in humans and great apes and reabsorbed in all other mammals in the estrus cycle.

Related Topics:
Zygote - Embryo - Oogenesis - Menstruation - Great apes - Estrus cycle

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Gestation

Gestation, called pregnancy in humans, is the period of time during which the fetus develops, dividing via mitosis inside the female. During this time, the fetus receives all of its nutrition and oxygenated blood from the female, filtered through the placenta, which is attached to the fetus' abdomen via an umbilical cord. This drain of nutrients can be quite taxing on the female, who is required to ingest significantly higher levels of calories. In addition, certain vitamins and other nutrients are required in greater quantities than normal, often creating abnormal eating habits. The length of gestation, called the gestation period, varies greatly from species to species; it is 38 weeks in humans, 56-60 in giraffes and 16 days in hamsters.

Related Topics:
Mitosis - Nutrition - Placenta - Abdomen - Umbilical cord - Nutrients - Calories - Vitamins - Gestation period - Giraffes - Hamsters

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Birth

Once the fetus is sufficiently developed, chemical signals start the process of birth, which begins with contractions of the uterus and the dilation of the cervix. The fetus then descends to the cervix, where it is pushed out into the vagina, and eventually out of the female. The newborn, which is called an infant in humans, should typically begin respiration on its own shortly after birth. Not long after, the placenta is passed as well. Most mammals eat this, as it is a good source of protein and other vital nutrients needed for caring for the young. The end of the umbilical cord attached to the young?s abdomen eventually falls off on its own.

Related Topics:
Infant - Respiration

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Monotremes

Monotremes, only five species of which exist, all from Australia and New Guinea, lay eggs. They have one opening for excretion and reproduction called the cloaca. They hold the eggs internally for several weeks, providing nutrients, and then lay them and cover them like birds. After less than two weeks the young hatches and crawls into its mother?s pouch, much like marsupials, where it nurses for several weeks as it grows.

Related Topics:
Monotremes - Australia - New Guinea - Egg - Cloaca - Birds

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Marsupials

Marsupials reproduce in essentially the same manner, though their young are born at a far earlier stage of development than other mammals. After birth, marsupial joeys crawl into their mother?s pouch and attach to a teat, where they receive nourishment and finish developing into self-sufficient animals.

Related Topics:
Marsupials - Joeys - Teat

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