This article is about biological sex. For other uses, such as sexual intercourse and the social concept of gender, see Sex (disambiguation).
An organism's sex is defined by the gametes it produces: males produce male gametes (spermatozoa, or sperm) while females produce female gametes (ova, or egg cells); individual organisms which produce both male and female gametes are termed hermaphroditic. Frequently, physical differences are associated with the different sexes of an organism; these sexual dimorphisms can reflect the different reproductive pressures the sexes experience.
Sex in animals involves the fusion of a sperm and an egg cell.
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into male and female types (or sexes). Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells (gametes) to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents. Gametes can be identical in form and function (known as isogametes), but in many cases an asymmetry has evolved such that two sex-specific types of gametes (heterogametes) exist: male gametes are small, motile, and optimized to transport their genetic information over a distance, while female gametes are large, non-motile and contain the nutrients necessary for the early development of the young organism.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Sexual reproduction
o 1.1 Animals
+ 1.1.1 Humans
o 1.2 Plants
o 1.3 Fungi
o 1.4 Evolution
* 2 Sex determination
o 2.1 Genetic
o 2.2 Nongenetic
* 3 Sexual dimorphism
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 Notes
* 7 External links and further reading
Sexual reproduction
Main article: sexual reproduction
The life cycle of sexually reproducing organisms cycles through haploid and diploid stages.
Sexual reproduction is a process where organisms form offspring that combine genetic traits from both... [continues]
An organism's sex is defined by the gametes it produces: males produce male gametes (spermatozoa, or sperm) while females produce female gametes (ova, or egg cells); individual organisms which produce both male and female gametes are termed hermaphroditic. Frequently, physical differences are associated with the different sexes of an organism; these sexual dimorphisms can reflect the different reproductive pressures the sexes experience.
Sex in animals involves the fusion of a sperm and an egg cell.
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into male and female types (or sexes). Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells (gametes) to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents. Gametes can be identical in form and function (known as isogametes), but in many cases an asymmetry has evolved such that two sex-specific types of gametes (heterogametes) exist: male gametes are small, motile, and optimized to transport their genetic information over a distance, while female gametes are large, non-motile and contain the nutrients necessary for the early development of the young organism.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Sexual reproduction
o 1.1 Animals
+ 1.1.1 Humans
o 1.2 Plants
o 1.3 Fungi
o 1.4 Evolution
* 2 Sex determination
o 2.1 Genetic
o 2.2 Nongenetic
* 3 Sexual dimorphism
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 Notes
* 7 External links and further reading
Sexual reproduction
Main article: sexual reproduction
The life cycle of sexually reproducing organisms cycles through haploid and diploid stages.
Sexual reproduction is a process where organisms form offspring that combine genetic traits from both... [continues]
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"Premarital Sex." StudyMode.com. 11, 2008. Accessed 11, 2008. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Premarital-Sex-184666.html.