Reproduction function: What is it and why it is important

The cell is the functional basic unit of living beings and it is possible that sometimes you have been able to ask yourself How cells are reproduced. Cell reproduction occurs when a cell is divided to give rise to new ones, by mitosis or meiosis. With myitosis, which is the most frequent form of cell division in eukaryotes, the stem cell copy the genetic information completely and, subsequently, divides the cytoplasm by two, giving rise to two identical daughter cells. On the other hand, cells can also be divided by meiosis. This process, somewhat more complex than the previous one, occurs when a diploid cell (with double copy of its genetic material) is divided twice to give rise to four haploid daughter cells (which have half of the genetic material) with respect to the stem cell. In addition, in the first meiotic division the cross -linking between homologous chromosomes occurs, at which time the recombination of the genetic material occurs.

Cell reproduction is importantsince it allows the growth of multicellular organisms as well as the replacement of cells that have been damaged.

Plants reproduce to form new individuals and do so through sexual or asexual reproduction, coexisting in most vegetables both types.

• As for the asexual reproduction of plantsonly an individual intervenes and specialized cells or sexual gametes do not participate. One of the advantages of asexual reproduction is that it allows rapid population growth, whose individuals share exactly the same genetic material, that is, they are clones of each other and therefore, there is no genetic variability. Asexual reproduction in plants occurs through mechanisms such as: sporulation (through spores, eg in ferns), vegetative multiplication by stolons (eg inhabbles), bulbs (e.g. in onions), rhizomes (eg in lilies) or tubers (e.g. in potatoes), ornamental), acodos or grafts (eg in Rosales). Here we talk more about asexual playback of plants.
• On the other hand, the sexual reproduction in plants It occurs when two special germ cells, (gametes) merge to give a new individual with the genetic combination of both parents. Know several of the plants that reproduce sexually in this post.

Find out in more detail about the reproduction of plants here. In addition, do not miss this video of our channel about this topic of reproductive function in plants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zxypo3-r6k

In animals you can also give sexual and asexual reproduction.

• In the sexual reproduction in animals It occurs when haploid sex cells (ovules and sperm) come together to give rise to a diploid zygote. This new individual has a genetic mixture of its parents, an advantage that benefits the evolution of the species as changes in the environment occur.
• Others more primitive animals reproduce in a asexual waywhich implies that, from the cells its own body, it will give rise to a new individual. The mechanisms by asexual reproduction in animals can be: by geming (by formation of yolks), by split (the individual is divided into two) or fragmentation (the individual is divided into several parts).

However, there are animals such as sea stars that have sexual and asexual reproduction. They reproduce asexually when they form a new individual from a part of their body, for example an arm and, sexually, because there are male and female individuals (even some hermaphrodites) who by external fertilization (the one that occurs in the marine environment when sperm and ovule are found) can give rise to a zygote that will become an adult after passing through the larval period (in the species that present it).

In plants with seeds (spermatophytes or phanerogams) the flower is the structure where the organs involved in the reproduction function are found. In turn, these may contain organs of a sex or both depending on whether they are unisexual or hermaphrodites. Sexual organs are Androceo and Gynece. On the one hand, the Androceo is the male organ and the stamens are formed in whose interior, the pollen sacks are located where the male gametes are located. On the other hand, the gynece, it is the female organ and is composed of the ovary, where the ovules that will be fertilized and will be transformed into a fruit in whose interior will house the seeds.

In animals, sexual reproduction is given thanks to the existence of players of the reproduction function or reproductive devices which are responsible for forming the reproductive cells or gametes. In most animals, the devices involved in the reproduction function consist of male gonads in charge of the formation of sperm and female gonadsthat form the ovules. Both would constitute the primary sexual organs. On the other hand, there may be other accessory structures such as genital roads, uterus, vagina, copulators or, as in the case of some invertebrates such as insects, seminal receptacles.

Now that you have learned all this about reproduction, we recommend you expand your knowledge about living beings with these other posts:

• Vital functions of living beings.
• Nutrition function: What is and processes.
• Relationship function: What is, phases and examples.

If you want to read more articles similar to Reproduction function: What is it and why it is importantwe recommend that you enter our biology category.