Curriculum Portal

neurologyYou need to know

• Reproduction produces new organisms and enables populations and species to continue.
• The main structures of the male reproductive system are the testes, epididymis, sperm duct (vas deferens), prostate gland, seminal vesicle, urethra, and penis.
• The main structures of the female reproductive system are the ovaries, oviducts (fallopian tubes), uterus, cervix, and vagina.
• The testes produce sperm and testosterone.
• The epididymis stores and matures sperm.
• The sperm duct transports sperm.
• The prostate gland and seminal vesicle produce seminal fluid.
• The urethra carries semen and urine out of the body.
• The penis delivers sperm into the female reproductive tract.
• The ovaries produce eggs (ova) and hormones (oestrogen and progesterone).
• The oviducts transport eggs and are the site of fertilisation.
• The uterus is where the embryo implants and develops.
• The cervix is the opening to the uterus.
• The vagina receives sperm and is the birth canal.
• The menstrual cycle is a recurring process in females, typically lasting about 28 days, involving the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy.
• The main stages of the menstrual cycle are menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.
• Gametes are specialised sex cells: sperm in males and eggs (ova) in females.
• Fertilisation is the fusion of a male and a female gamete to form a zygote.
• Implantation is the embedding of a blastocyst, or early embryo, into the lining of the uterus.
• Fertilisation usually occurs in the oviduct (fallopian tube).
• Sperm are adapted for fertilisation by having a tail for movement, many mitochondria for energy, and enzymes in the acrosome to penetrate the egg.
• Eggs are adapted for fertilisation by having a large cytoplasm with nutrients and a protective outer layer.
• A zygote is the single cell formed at fertilisation, an embryo is the early developing organism formed as the zygote divides, and a foetus is the later stage after the main body structures have formed.
• Gestation is the period from implantation of the early embryo to birth, during which the embryo develops into a foetus.
• The placenta allows exchange of nutrients, gases, and wastes between mother and foetus, and produces hormones to maintain pregnancy.
• Amniotic fluid cushions and protects the developing foetus.
• The main structures of a flower are the sepals, petals, stamens (anther and filament), and carpels (stigma, style, and ovary).
• The sepals protect the flower bud.
• Petals attract pollinators.
• The anthers of stamens produce pollen grains containing male gametes.
• Carpels contain ovules, and each ovule contains an egg cell.
• Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma.
• Fertilisation in plants is the fusion of the male-gamete nucleus with the egg-cell nucleus.
• Germination is the process by which a seed develops into a new plant.
• After fertilisation, the ovule develops into a seed, and the ovary develops into a fruit.
• Methods of seed dispersal include wind, water, animals, and self-dispersal (explosive mechanisms).
• Seed shape can affect how seeds are dispersed by different methods.

• Label diagrams of the male and female reproductive systems and identify the main structures.
• Describe the function of each structure in the male and female reproductive systems.
• Sequence and describe the main stages of the menstrual cycle.
• Define and use correctly the terms gamete, fertilisation, and implantation.
• Describe and sequence the process of fertilisation in humans, including where it occurs.
• Explain how the adaptations of sperm and egg cells aid fertilisation.
• Sequence and describe human development from the formation of a zygote, through the embryo and foetus stages, to birth, including implantation.
• Explain the roles of the placenta and amniotic fluid during gestation.
• Dissect a flower, identify its main structures, and draw them accurately.
• Label and describe the functions of the parts of a flower.
• Define pollination and fertilisation in the context of plant reproduction.
• Describe the process of seed and fruit formation following fertilisation in plants.
• Describe and give examples of different methods of seed dispersal.
• Investigate and interpret how seed shape affects the method and effectiveness of seed dispersal.