Glossary

Abstinence - avoiding intercourse -- contra

Accessory reproductive organs - system of ducts through which gametes are transported and the associated glands which are directly involved in reproduction

Acrosome - cytoplamic vesicle containing hydrolytic enzymes, located at the head of sperm

Acrosome - cytoplamic vesicle containing hydrolytic enzymes, located at the head of sperm

Allele - Alternative form of a gene. One of the different forms of a gene that can exist at a single locus. 

Allergy - medical condition that produce an unfavorable reaction to certain materials

Amenorrhea - Infrequent or complete lack of menstruation

Androgen - any chemical with testosterone-like action

Anovulation - complete lack of ovulation

Artificial Insemination (AI) - techniques used to introduce sperms into a woman's body through means other than sexual intercourse.

Bone fracture - breaking or cracking of bone

Buffer - agent which maintains a fairly constant pH upon addition of small amount of alkali or acid

Cardiovascular diseases - diseases related to heart and blood vessels

Cervix - the opening into the mammalian uterus -- physi

Chorionic gonadotropin - protein hormone secreted by trophoblastic cells of blastocyst and placenta; maintain secretory activity of corpus luteum during the first three months of pregnancy

Chromatids - daughter chromosomes formed after duplication of chromosomes -- genetics

Chromosome - A linear end-to-end arrangement of genes and other DNA, sometimes with associated protein and RNA. The form of the genetic material in viruses and cells. A circle of DNA in prokaryotes; a DNA or an RNA molecule in viruses; a linear nucleoprotein complex in eukaryotes.

Chromosomes - thread-like structures made up of protein and DNA molecules seen in dividing cells-genetics

Clone - genetically identical cell

Coitally independent - not required to apply each time of intercourse

Coitus - sexual intercourse

Conceptus - collectively term for fertilized egg and all its derivatives throughout pregnancy

Copulation - sexual intercourse

Corpus luteum - the yellow body formed from Graafian follicle after ovulation -- physi

Courtship - action of animals trying to win a mate and copulate

Demographers - experts studying statistics about population to show the state of a community

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - An antiparallel double helix of nucleotides (having deoxyribose as their sugars) linked by phosphodiester (sugar-phosphate) bonds to adjacent nucleotides in the same chain and by hydrogen bonds to complementary nucleotides in the opposite chain. The fundamental substance of which genes are composed.

Diploid - The state of having each chromosome in two copies per nucleus or cell. A cell having two chromosome sets, or an individual having two chromosome sets in each of its cells.

DNA - an organic molecule which contains the genetic message or information -genetics

Douches - stream of fluid into the vagina for medical or contraceptive purposes

Ejaculation- the process of passing semen out of the male reproductive system-

Embryogenesis - formation of embryo from zygote

Endometrium - glandular epithelium lining uterine cavity

Endometrium - lining of the uterus.

Estrogen - a hormone which promotes the development of secondary sexual characteristics in women and stimulates thickening of the lining of the uterus during the last part of the cycle.

Exocytosis - process in which intracellular vesicle fuses with plasma membrane, the vesicle then opens and releases its contents into the extracellular fluid

Fallopian tube - a part of the female reproductive system between the ovarian funnel and the uterus-- physi-

Flaccid - soft and not firm

Follicle - a hollow body which houses a developing egg inside the mammalian ovary -- physi

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) - two hormones, released by the pituitary gland, that stimulate development of an egg in the ovary. A surge of LH at mid-cycle causes release of an egg from the most mature or "dominant" follicle.

Follicles - fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries in which eggs grow.

Fraternal - of the father side

FSH - protein hormone secreted by anterior pituitary glands, a gonadotropin

Gene - segregating and heritable determinant of the phenotype. The fundamental physical and functional unit of heredity, which carries information from one generation to the next. A segment of DNA, composed of a transcribed region and regulatory sequences that make possible transcription.

Genitalia - reproductive organ

Genotype - The specific allelic composition of a cell, either of the entire cell or more commonly for a certain gene or a set of genes. The genes that an organism possesses.

Gland - group of epithelial cells specialized for secretion

Gonadotropin releasing hormone - hormone that stimulates LH and FSH production by anterior pituitary gland

Haploid - The state of having one copy of each chromosome per nucleus or cell. A cell having one chromosome set, or an organism composed of such cells.

Hypophysiotropic hormone - hormone controlling secretion of an anterior pituitary hormone

Hyporesponsive - failing to respond well

Impediment - device that hinder or obstruct movement

Implantation - embedding of blastocyst into the endometrium of the uterus -- pregnancy

In vitro - In an experimental situation outside the organism. Biological or chemical work done in the test tube (literally in glass) rather than in living systems.

In vivo - In a living cell or organism

Infertility - the inability of a couple to achieve conception or to bring a pregnancy to term after a year or more of regular and unprotected intercourse.

Labor - contraction of uterus during childbirth

Lactating - pregnancy

Leydig cell - testosterone secreting endocrine cell lying between seminiferous tubules

LH - peptide hormone secreted by anterior pituitary; gonadotropin which initiates ovulation in female

Ligaments - tough flexible tissue connecting bones and hold organs in position

Lubricated - put fluid onto something so that it moves more smoothly and easily

Maternal - of the mother side

Meiosis - Two successive nuclear divisions (with corresponding cell divisions) that produce haploid gametes (in animals) or haploid sexual spores (in plants and fungi) having one-half of the genetic material of the original cell. The nuclear and cell division process in diploid eukaryotes that results in four haploid gametes or spores having one member of each original pair of homologous chromosomes only per nucleus.

Menstrual cycle - physi

Menstruating - physi, menstrual cycle

Menstruation - flow of menstrual fluid from uterus

Mitochondria - cytoplasmic organelle that produces most of the cell's ATP to provide energy

Mitosis - process in cell division in which DNA is duplicated and in identical set of chromosome is passed to each daughter cell

Mitotic division - see mitosis

Myometrium - uterus smooth muscle

Myotonia - increased muscle tension-

Nausea - feeling of sickness or disgust

Nourished - kept alive and well with food

Nucleotide - Subunit that polymerizes into nucleic acids (DNA or RNA). Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base; a sugar; and one to three phosphate groups.

Oligomenorrhea - infrequent or irregular ovulation

Orgasm - inner emotions and systemic physiological changes that mark climax of sexual intercourse

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) - a serious medical event characterized by rapid accumulation of fluid in the abdomen or lungs, early signs of which include severe pelvic pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight gain.-

Ovulation - the process in the female reproductive cycle where an egg develops and is released from an ovary / the expulsion of an egg from a mature ovarian follicle.

Ovulation induction - a procedure in which fertility drugs are given to stimulate ovarian activity in women who are not ovulating normally.-

Penis - a male organ for copulation -- physi

Peristalsis - progressive wave of muscle contraction to move substances along the tube

Phenotype

  1. The form taken by some character (or group of characters) in a specific individual.
  2. The detectable outward manifestations of a specific genotype.
  3. The observable attributes of an organism. 

Pituitary - endocrine gland that lies below the brain and is responsible for secreting a number of hormones

Primordial - primitive

Progesterone - steroid hormone secreted by corpus luteum and placenta; stimulates uterine gland secretion and breast growth

Prolactic receptor - neuron ending responsible for picking up stimuli from prolactin, hormone inducing milk secretion

Proliferation - growth in size

Proteolytic - break down protein

Puberty - the time of onset of menstruation -- physi

Reflex action - unlearned biological control system linking stimuli with response through a reflex arc

Seminiferous tubules - hollow tubes which give rise to sperms inside the mammalian testis -- physi-

Sertoli cell - cell directly associated with the developing gametes in, and secretes fluid into seminiferous tubules; mediates hormonal effects on tubule

Spermatogenesis - the process of sperm production -- physi

Sphincter - ring of smooth muscle that surrou8nds a tube, closing tube as muscle contract

STDs - STDs

Suppository - piece of medicinal substance placed in the vagina to dissolve

Sympathetic - autonomic

Ultrasound - a monitoring technique in which sound waves are used to produce a picture of the ovaries.

Uterus - a part of the female reproductive system to allow the embedding of fertilized egg -- physi-

Varicocele - the presence of varicose veins in the scrotum

Vas deferens - sperm cord -- physi

Vascularized - filling with blood

Vasoconstriction - decrease in blood vessel diameter as a result of vascular smooth-muscle contraction

Zona pellucida - the tissue covering the egg -- physi

Zygote - the cell formed from the fusion of a sperm with an egg -- pregnancy