Deck 6: Reproduction

Question 1

Why was runner Caster Semenya subjected to gender testing following her races in 2008?

A) At the time, every national athlete in Africa was subjected to gender testing.
B) Caster is generally a male name.
C) Then and now, nationally ranked runners are subjected to gender testing.
D) She looked somewhat masculine and was so much faster than her female competitors.
E) She had a very definite beard.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Was Caster Semenya allowed to continue competing despite accusations of her being male?

A) No. She was forced to retire.
B) Yes, but "she" competed with the men following the testing.
C) No. It could not be confirmed whether she was male or female and she was disqualified from competition.
D) Yes. She competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
E) No. She was confirmed to be female but with high enough levels of testosterone to prevent her from competing against other women.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

What initially determines gender in humans and other mammals?

A) The X and Y chromosomes
B) The M and F chromosomes
C) The temperature of the sperm
D) The temperature of the uterus in which the embryo develops
E) It is random.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Is gender determined in the same way in all organisms?

A) No, sometimes temperature determines the gender of an embryo.
B) Yes, it's always the chromosomes.
C) Yes, but some organisms can change gender later in life.
D) Scientists have not yet figured out what determines gender.
E) No. Some organisms don't have DNA.

Question 5

If a woman can produce gametes with X chromosomes, and a man can produce gametes with either an X or a Y chromosome, and the resulting offspring will be made up of one gamete from each parent, does the father or the mother determine the gender of the baby?

A) Neither determines it because it's random.
B) Both determine it because they both contribute a gamete.
C) The father because he can contribute either an X or Y gamete.
D) The mother because she contributes the X gamete.
E) The embryo actually determines its own gender.

Question 6

What is the role of the SRY gene in normal embryonic development?

A) It is necessary for the development of ovaries.
B) It is necessary for the development of female secondary sex characteristics.
C) It is necessary for the development of testes.
D) It is necessary for the development of male secondary sex characteristics.
E) It determines whether the embryo is male or female.

Question 7

Primary sex determination results from DNA directing the production of either testes or ovaries in the embryo. What then determines secondary sexual characteristics?

A) Electrical signals from the nervous system of the testes or ovaries drive further sexual development.
B) DNA from the testes or ovaries drive further sexual development.
C) Blood flow from the tests or ovaries drive further sexual development.
D) Hormones secreted by the testes or ovaries regulate whether male or female sexual structures form in the embryo.
E) Puberty determines secondary sex characteristics.

Question 8

Early embryos have both Wolffian and Mullerian ducts, but in a normal XY embryo, what happens?

A) Mullerian ducts are maintained, testosterone is secreted and promotes development of the prostate gland and penis.
B) Mullerian ducts are maintained, estrogen is secreted and promotes the development of the oviducts and uterus.
C) Wolffian ducts are maintained, estrogen is secreted, and the prostate and penis develop.
D) Wolffian ducts are maintained, testosterone is secreted and promotes development of the prostate gland and penis.
E) Wolffian ducts and Mullerian ducts are maintained and testosterone promotes the development of the prostate gland and penis.

Question 9

In the disorder of sexual development called Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS), the individual has XY chromosomes and develops testes, but what's the problem?

A) The testes produce testosterone but the cells lack receptors for it, so the individual acquires female secondary sexual characteristics but lacks female internal organs.
B) The SRY gene functions correctly to maintain the Mullerian ducts but testes do not develop and instead the individual develops internal female organs: a functioning female but with a Y-chromosome.
C) The SRY gene functions correctly so testes and Wolffian ducts form, but lack of sensitivity to testosterone prevents further development of external male characteristics and internal and external female organs also don't develop.
D) The SRY gene does not function so ovaries form and produce estrogen, but there is a lack of sensitivity to that so the individual develops as a male, but with ovaries.
E) The testes produce testosterone but the cells lack receptors for it and so other than testes, neither internal nor external male or female characteristics develop and the individual is essentially sex-less.

Question 10

Is it more likely that the athlete Caster Semenya had AIS or pseudohermaphroditism?

A) Pseudohermaphroditism because she was a rather masculine-looking female.
B) AIS because tests showed she had a Y-chromosome, but she clearly looked female.
C) AIS because she was a rather masculine looking female, but we don't know whether she had Y chromosome.
D) Pseudohermaphroditism because she produced both testosterone and estrogen.
E) Neither. She was confirmed to have only one X chromosome, which led to her somewhat masculine characteristics.

Question 11

If an individual is XY but has pseudohermaphroditism, what happens as they develop?

A) Initially testes develop but they do not produce testosterone, so the individual develops as a female but is unable to have children.
B) Testes develop but do not send the signals to produce external male sex organs. The individual develops like a female externally and a male internally.
C) Initially, testes develop and leads to eternal sex characteristics of a male, but at puberty, cells lose their sensitivity to testosterone and female characteristic begin to develop.
D) Initially, testes develop but can't signal development of male external genitals, so the individual develops as a female. At puberty, the adrenal gland produces functioning testosterone and the individual develops into a male.
E) Testes develop initially but produce estrogen rather than testosterone, so the individual develops as a female until puberty, when the adrenal gland starts producing testosterone and male characteristics develop.

Question 12

If a person had Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome, at what point in life would it become apparent that there was a problem?

A) Right away, since this would be a boy, but without external sexual characteristics.
B) Right away, since this would be a girl, but with external male sexual characteristics.
C) Initially this individual would appear to be a girl, but at puberty, male sexual characteristics develop, and that's when she'd know something was wrong.
D) This individual would appear as a girl, but at puberty there would be no menstruation and she would be unable to get pregnant and would realize something was wrong.
E) Initially, this individual would appear as a boy, but at puberty breasts would develop and he would know something was wrong.

Question 13

Why does it make sense that the testes are actually housed outside the body core?

A) It doesn't. It's a very risky design because they're so sensitive and important.
B) Because male mammals get selected by females based on the size of their testes
C) Because they need more oxygen than would be found inside the body for the sperm to function properly
D) Because they need to be kept at a warmer temperature than normal body temperature in order for the sperm to function properly
E) Because they need to be kept at a cooler temperature than normal body temperature for the sperm to function properly

Question 14

In the production of sperm, what happens to spermatocytes?

A) They undergo mitosis to produce sperm cells.
B) They undergo meiosis to produce sperm cells.
C) They are sperm cells so they become part of semen and are ejaculated.
D) They develop into self-renewing stem cells that maintain the testes.
E) They are sperm cells which have fertilized an egg.

Question 15

Sperm cells are formed initially in the testes. What path do they follow to get to ejaculation?

A) Epididymis, vas deferens, urethra
B) Prostate gland, epididymis, vas deferens, urethra
C) Epididymis, vas deferens, vulva, urethra
D) Vas deferens, prostate gland, urethra
E) Epididymis, vas deferens, prostate gland, urethra

Question 16

What are the components of semen?

A) Sperm, slightly acidic fluid from the prostate gland, and prostaglandins
B) Sperm and prostaglandins
C) Sperm, prostaglandins, sucrose, neutralizing fluid from the prostate gland
D) Sperm, prostaglandins, sucrose
E) Sperm, sucrose, prostaglandins, neutralizing fluid from the pituitary gland

Question 17

Which part of the brain monitors and regulates levels of testosterone and estrogen?

A) The pituitary gland
B) The hypothalamus
C) The cerebral cortex
D) It's not known how these hormone levels are monitored.
E) The pituitary gland in males and the hypothalamus in females

Question 18

The pituitary gland releases FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone). What do they do in males?

A) Stimulate follicles to release sperm and trigger testosterone production
B) Stimulate follicles to release sperm and trigger estrogen production to lower testosterone levels
C) These are hormones found in females, so they don't do anything in males.
D) Stimulate sperm production and trigger testosterone production
E) Stimulate sperm production and trigger sexual arousal

Question 19

Drugs or other chemicals that disrupt normal hormone signals may cause serious sexual problems in people. Why?

A) Without hormonal signals working properly, no sexual characteristics develop
B) It is not known why this is, but evidence shows it occurs.
C) Evidence has not shown this to be true.
D) Hormone signals in the body of the mother control gender in her offspring.
E) Hormonal communication in the body controls sexual development and fertility.

Question 20

Do women produce more eggs or do men produce more sperm? Why?

A) Women produce more eggs because the odds of any one egg getting fertilized by a sperm are not good.
B) Women produce more eggs because they can't move and so are stuck in one place. Because sperm can move, not as many are needed.
C) Men and women produce about equal amounts of sperm/eggs.
D) Men produce more sperm because they produce it all their lives, while women are born with all the eggs they'll ever have.
E) Men produce more sperm because they produce new sperm all their lives, while women just produce eggs until menopause.

Question 21

A fetal ovary has all the mature eggs it will ever have. True or false?

A) True. Women have all their mature eggs at birth.
B) False. The eggs in a fetal ovary pause after meiosis I and don't mature until release from the ovary.
C) False. Eggs don't develop in the ovary until just before puberty.
D) False. Eggs don't mature until the moment of fertilization.
E) False. Only the uterus has mature eggs.

Question 22

Where do the hormones FSH and LH come from and what do they do in women?

A) The pituitary gland; FSH causes a follicle in the ovary to mature and release an egg, and with LH, stimulates estrogen secretion.
B) The hypothalamus; FSH causes a follicle in the ovary to mature and release an egg, and with LH, stimulates estrogen secretion.
C) The prostate gland; FSH causes a follicle in the ovary to mature and release an egg, and with LH, stimulates estrogen secretion.
D) The ovary; FSH causes a follicle in the ovary to mature and release an egg, and LH stimulates estrogen secretion.
E) The corpus luteum; FSH causes a follicle in the ovary to mature and release an egg, and LH stimulates estrogen secretion.

Question 23

Where does the corpus luteum come from and what does it do?

A) When the oocyte undergoes meiosis to produce an egg, one of the resulting cells becomes the corpus luteum and it secretes estrogen and progesterone in preparation for pregnancy.
B) When the oocyte undergoes meiosis to produce an egg, one of the resulting cells becomes the corpus luteum, and it secretes estrogen and testosterone in preparation for pregnancy.
C) The ruptured follicle of the ovary develops into the corpus luteum once the egg is released. It secretes estrogen and progesterone in preparation for pregnancy.
D) The ruptured follicle of the ovary develops into the corpus luteum once the egg is released. It secretes estrogen and testosterone in preparation for pregnancy.
E) The corpus luteum is the uppermost portion of the uterus and it secretes estrogen and progesterone in preparation for pregnancy.

Question 24

Menstruation is part of the uterine cycle. Why does it happen?

A) Scientists have not entirely explained why women menstruate.
B) The corpus luteum secretes estrogen and progesterone, causing development of the endometrial ovarian lining in preparation for possible pregnancy. If no pregnancy occurs, hormone levels plummet and the lining is shed.
C) When an egg is released, there is also a release of endometrial fluid from the ruptured follicle. This must be shed in order to prepare the uterus for possible pregnancy.
D) Estrogen levels increase at ovulation, causing the development of the endometrial vaginal lining in preparation for pregnancy. If there is no pregnancy, the lining is shed.
E) When an egg is released, the endometrium or uterine lining develops to support an embryo in case of pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the lining is shed.

Question 25

In the luteal phase of the uterine cycle, the endometrium breaks down if there is no pregnancy. What happens differently if there is a pregnancy?

A) The placenta develops immediately to support the embryo in the uterine lining, and it takes over secretion of estrogen and progesterone to maintain the pregnancy.
B) Implantation cues the endometrium to secrete the hormone hCG which keeps the corpus luteum actively secreting estrogen and progesterone to maintain the uterine lining for the 6-7 weeks it takes for the placenta to take over.
C) Implantation cues the endometrium to secrete the hormone testosterone which gives the corpus luteum strength to maintain the uterine lining for the 6-7 weeks it takes for the placenta to form.
D) The embryo itself implants in the uterine lining and begins secreting progesterone and estrogen to keep the corpus luteum active in order to maintain the pregnancy.
E) Implantation cues the corpus luteum to degenerate, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, and endometrium is maintained for the duration of the pregnancy.

Question 26

How is a tubal ligation similar to a vasectomy?

A) In a vasectomy, the vas deferens is cut, and in tubal ligation, the urethra is cut, both eliminating the path for sperm to get to semen. Both are essentially permanent forms of contraception.
B) In a vasectomy, the urethra is cut, preventing sperm from getting to semen. In tubal ligation, the oviduct is cut so eggs can't get to the uterus. Both are essentially permanent forms of contraception.
C) In a vasectomy the vas deferens is cut, preventing sperm from getting to semen. In tubal ligation, the oviduct is cut so eggs can't get to the uterus. Both are essentially permanent forms of contraception.
D) In a vasectomy, the urethra is cut, preventing sperm from getting to semen. In tubal ligation, the urethra is also cut so eggs can't get to the uterus. Both are essentially permanent forms of contraception.
E) They're both surgical forms of contraception, but neither is typically permanent.

Question 27

In hormonal contraception, delivered by pill, implant, patch, or injection, which hormones are involved?

A) Estrogen and testosterone
B) Testosterone and progesterone
C) Progesterone and chorionic growth hormone
D) FSH and estrogen
E) Progesterone and estrogen

Question 28

How do barrier contraceptives work? What is an example?

A) They keep sperm from getting to the egg; an IUD.
B) They keep sperm from getting to the egg; a diaphragm.
C) They keep sperm out of the semen; spermicide.
D) They keep the egg out of the uterus; a cervical cap.
E) They keep the egg out of the uterus; a female condom.

Question 29

How does an IUD work as a contraceptive?

A) It's inserted in the uterus and prevents the endometrium from developing so an embryo cannot implant.
B) It's inserted into the uterus and prevents sperm from getting to the oviduct.
C) It's not too clear how they work but they are effective.
D) It's inserted into the uterus and kills any sperm that get above the cervix.
E) It's inserted into the uterus and prevents development of the corpus luteum so a pregnancy cannot be maintained.

Question 30

About 15% of couples are infertile. Does the problem typically lie with the man or the woman?

A) The man
B) The woman
C) Equal probability of both or a combination of the two
D) Usually a combination of the two
E) Usually the cause is not determined

Question 31

What is the primary reason for male infertility?

A) Too tight underwear so sperm is too warm
B) Injuries
C) Alcohol or drug abuse
D) Low sperm count
E) Too sedentary a lifestyle

Question 32

What are common causes of female infertility?

A) Endometriosis or infections
B) Lack of ovaries or endometriosis
C) Hormonal dysfunction or lack of a pituitary gland
D) Sexually transmitted diseases or lack of ovaries
E) Hypothalamic failure and hormonal dysfunction

Question 33

What is the infertility treatment called where sperm from a donor male is concentrated and inserted directly into the female's vagina?

A) Intravaginal insemination
B) Enhanced fertilization
C) In vitro fertilization
D) Artificial insemination
E) Artificial fertilization

Question 34

Why is a baby resulting from in vitro fertilization refered to as a "test tube" baby?

A) The fetus develops for awhile in an incubator in a lab.
B) Eggs and sperm are collected into test tubes prior to being reinserted into the uterus.
C) Immature eggs are collected and allowed to mature in a test tube before they are introduced back into the uterus with the sperm cells.
D) Eggs and sperm are combined in a dish in lab and after a few days, the developing embryo is transferred to the uterus.
E) No real reason since it doesn't really make sense.

Question 35

What is surrogacy as a treatment for infertility?

A) Donor sperm is substituted for the father's sperm, which is defective in some way.
B) Donor eggs are substituted for the mother's eggs, which are defective in some way.
C) An embryo which is unwanted is carried to term anyway, and the baby adopted by a couple who are not his or her biological parents.
D) A woman other than the biological mother is impregnated by either artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization and carries the baby to term for its biological parents.
E) Adoption of an unwanted or orphaned child

Question 36

Why would a doctor do blood tests on a pregnant woman?

A) To make sure she was actually pregnant
B) Normally, a doctor does urine tests on a pregnant woman, not blood tests.
C) To look for risky infections, diseases, or to screen fetal blood which gets mixed into the mother's blood
D) To prove paternity, or who the father of the fetus is
E) To look for risky sexually transmitted diseases or cancers

Question 37

If a pregnant woman has had problems with a previous pregnancy, what might a doctor do initially?

A) Diagnostic tests to correct the problem in this fetus
B) Diagnostic tests to correct the problem in the mother
C) Nothing because it's best to wait and see how the fetus develops first
D) Screening tests to examine the health of the fetus and the mother
E) Screening tests to examine the health of the father and mother

Question 38

What is the purpose of amniocentesis?

A) To make certain a woman is actually pregnant
B) To examine the chromosomes and genes of the mother to ensure they appear normal
C) To examine the chromosomes of the fetus to ensure they appear normal
D) To determine the sex of the fetus
E) To do an ultrasound in order to see a picture of the fetus

Question 39

What are the two diagnostic tests used to determine the genetic health of a developing fetus?

A) Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
B) Amniocentesis and in vitro diagnostics
C) Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and blood testing
D) Fetal urine testing and amniocentesis
E) Ultrasound and amniocentesis

Question 40

The The APGAR test assesses newborn health. What do those letters stand for?

A) Appearance, passivity, general acuity response
B) Activity, pinch test, grimace response, aggression, respiration
C) Activity, pulse, grinning, appearance, respiration
D) Appearance, pupil response, grinning, activity, roll over
E) Activity, pulse, grimace response, appearance, respiration

Question 41

Why are newborns screened for PKU at birth?

A) Pinch response, Kicking response, and Urine output are all indicators of newborn health.
B) It's a disease that can be prevented with immediate surgery.
C) PKU babies have a disease that requires they be fed phenylalanine supplements to prevent brain damage.
D) It's an easily identifiable disease that causes brain damage but is easily prevented if the individual follows a prescribed diet.
E) Prion Kreutzfalt Underweight syndrome can be prevented if treated immediately, but otherwise it causes brain damage.

Question 42

In general, what could gene therapy do for an embryo?

A) Repair a defective gene
B) Allow parents to choose gender
C) Speed up development
D) Improve the health of the mother
E) Remove defective chromosomes

Question 43

Why didn't Dr. Virginia Apgar go into surgery as she had planned?

A) She didn't score well enough on the tests to get into the program.
B) The stock market crash and Great Depression made it impossible.
C) Her mentor advised her that no one would agree to see a female surgeon.
D) Women doctors mostly went into anesthesiology.
E) She developed the APGAR test and didn't need to work after that.

Question 44

What does the APGAR score tell a doctor about a newborn?

A) Whether it acquired an eye infection in birth
B) It predicts survival and neurological development.
C) If the mother carried it to full development
D) Whether the chromosomes appear normal
E) Whether it has PKU

Question 45

How does a home pregnancy test work?

A) It detects fetal blood cells in the urine.
B) It detects the presence of estrogen in the urine.
C) It detects the presence of testosterone in the urine.
D) It detects the presence of the hormone hCG in the urine.
E) It detects fetal progesterone in the urine.

Question 46

Why is it a good idea to do a pregnancy test twice, a week or so apart?

A) The test is not very accurate.
B) Implantation can take a few days so you may get a false negative initially.
C) Fertilization can take a few days so you may get a false positive initially.
D) False positives are quite common.
E) Hormones do not always show up in urine.

Question 47

If an X determines femaleness and a Y determines maleness, why doesn't gender testing necessarily determine the gender of an athlete?

A) It's difficult to find the X and Y chromosomes in a human karyotype.
B) Not everyone gets an X and/or a Y chromosome.
C) A sexual development disorder can make a person with a Y still essentially female.
D) A sexual development disorder can make a person with two Y's still essentially female.
E) Estrogen from the mother can overwhelm the instructions from the Y chromosome, resulting in a female.

Question 48

Why has gender testing for athletic competition tended to focus on women?

A) Fear that men would masquerade as women to win competitions
B) Fear that women would masquerade as men to win competitions
C) Fear that women and men would end up competing against each other
D) It was thought to be easier to test women than men.
E) It was thought that athletic women were less likely to be honest.

Question 49

The female reproductive tract helps sperm along to the egg, but weeds out the less robust sperm. How and why?

A) The female reproductive tract doesn't really help or hinder sperm. It provides the egg and a place for an embryo to attach.
B) The female reproductive tract only helps sperm but contracting and providing mucus for swimming and chemical cues to find the egg. The more sperm that gets in the better.
C) Cervical mucus helps the sperm along but the cervical cap catches weak ones, and then weak ones can't hold on in the oviduct to wait for the egg. Only healthy sperm get a chance to fertilize an egg.
D) Cervical mucus catches weak swimmers initially and only healthy sperm can attach to the oviduct to wait for the egg. Only healthy sperm get a chance to fertilize an egg.
E) The female reproductive tract is so long that only strong sperm can actually make it to the oviduct where the egg is released. Only healthy sperm get a chance to fertilize an egg.

Question 50

Following intercourse, sperm don't survive for more than a few hours in the oviduct, so fertilization has to happen fairly quickly. True or False?

A) False. Sperm can survive in the oviduct for up to five days.
B) True. Sperm don't survive more than a few hours.
C) False. Sperm can survive for weeks under the right conditions.
D) True. If there isn't an egg there ready to be fertilized when intercourse occurs, fertilization won't occur.
E) False. Fertilization has to happen right away because sperm don't survive more than a few minutes once released.

Question 51

Why did people accuse South African runner Caster Semenya of being male when she was competing as a female?

Question 52

Parents' chromosomes determine the gender of their offspring by passing along X and Y chromosomes. Which chromosome (s) can come from which parents?

Question 53

Is the SRY gene normally found on the X or the Y chromosome?

Question 54

An early embryo has the "plumbing" for either gender. Once testes or ovaries form though, each secretes a hormone which controls further development as a female or male. What are those two hormones?

Question 55

XY and XX embryos have both Wolffian and Mullerian ducts. In a normal XX embryo, ovaries develop. Which ducts are maintained?

Question 56

Why does an XY person with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome develop female characteristics if she has a Y chromosome?

Question 57

What happens at puberty to an individual with pseudohermaphroditism?

Question 58

How can certain drugs or pollutants disrupt sexual development and fertility?

Question 59

Where does gonadotropin hormone come from and what does it do?

Question 60

What are the four components of semen?

Question 61

What do the ovaries do?

Question 62

What is the role of the corpus luteum in the uterine cycle?

Question 63

Menstrual fluid is made up of the endometrial lining. Obviously, if it's shed each month it's not of vital use. What is it for?

Question 64

Which lasts longer: surgical or hormonal methods of contraception?

Question 65

Give two examples of barrier methods of contraception.

Question 66

In addition to fairly reliable contraception, what other advantage to condoms offer both men and women?

Question 67

Under what circumstance is artificial insemination used as a treatment for infertility?

Question 68

What happens in the gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) form of in vitro fertilization?

Question 69

What do "fertility drugs" actually do?

Question 70

What is the difference between a screening test and a diagnostic test?

Question 71

Why is it important to immediately screen newborns with the APGAR test?

Question 72

What is the purpose of amniocentesis?

Question 73

What is gene therapy?