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Another human body system, the reproductive system plays a major role in the development and survival of life on Earth. Most animals reproduce sexually with two parents, one male and one female.

You likely are aware of the process of reproduction because you have studied it before in other courses. This activity will review the process of human reproduction.

In human reproduction, two kinds of sex cells, or gametes (pronounced: GAH-meetz), are involved. The male gamete, called sperm, and the female gamete, called the egg or ovum, meet in the female's reproductive system. When the sperm meets, or fertilizes, the egg, this fertilized egg is called the zygote. The zygote then begins a process of becoming an embryo and developing into a fetus.

Humans pass characteristics of themselves to the next generation through their genes, the carriers of human traits. The genes that parents pass along to their children are what make children similar to others in their family, but they are also what make each child unique. These genes come from the father's sperm and the mother's egg, which are produced by the male and female reproductive systems.

Digging Deeper

Click below to review the female and the male reproductive systems. For each link, scroll down the page until you come to the interactive slides.

Female Reproductive System

Male Reproductive System