What is Reproduction?
Reproduction is defined as the ability of living organisms to give rise to new individuals of the same species. The purpose of reproduction is to ensure the continuity of life.
Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction involving the fusion of female gamete (ovum) and male gamete (spermatozoon), which forms a zygote that potentially develops into genetically distinct offspring.
The process of sexual reproduction involves two parents. Both parents normally contribute one gamete or sex cell to the process. This process assures that the genetic information given to the offspring will be obtained equally from each parent. The female gamete is called the egg or the ovum and the male gamete is called a sperm. These gametes are formed in specialized reproductive structures called gonads. The sperm is much smaller than the egg, but is capable of moving on its own power using a whip-like tail called a flagellum.
The sperm and egg unite in a process called fertilization. This process forms a single celled structure called a zygote which contains the complete genetic information to develop into a complete new organism having characteristics of both parents.
Types of Sexual Reproduction
There are two major types of sexual reproduction. These are conjugation and fusion of gametes.
Conjugation: This is a simple type sexual reproduction which occurs in some lower organisms such as Mucor, Rhizopus, Paramecium and Spirogyra. Conjugation is the process by which nuclear materials is passed from one cell to another.
Conjugation in Spirogyra
- Fusion of Gametes: Fusion of gametes is the union of the haploid male and female gametes to produce diploid organisms called zygote. It usually entails processes such as meiosis and fertilization. Meiosis is an important process to generate gametes that are haploid and genetically different so that during fertilization, the newly formed zygote will contain the original number of chromosomes but with a genome that is different from either parent. Examples are found in higher plants and animals.
Types of Fertilization: There are two mechanisms by which fertilization can take place…
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