Deck 36: Reproduction and Development

Question 1

Evidence that parthenogenetic whiptail lizards are derived from sexually reproducing ancestors includes

A) the requirement for male-like behaviors in some females before their partners will ovulate.
B) the development and then regression of testes prior to sexual maturation.
C) the observation that all of the offspring are haploid.
D) dependence on favorable weather conditions for ovulation to occur.
E) a complete cycle of fragmentation and regeneration of female gonadal structures.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The junction of the upper vagina and the uterus is called the

A) fallopian tube.
B) clitoris.
C) oviduct.
D) labia majora.
E) cervix.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

An advantage of asexual reproduction is that it

A) allows the species to endure long periods of unstable environmental conditions.
B) enhances genetic variability in the species.
C) enables the species to rapidly colonize habitats that are favorable to that species.
D) produces offspring that respond effectively to new pathogens.
E) allows a species to easily rid itself of harmful mutations.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Like many other fishes, bluehead wrasses utilize harem mating as they reproduce sexually. However, unlike most fishes,

A) they also reproduce by fission.
B) they function without any signaling by steroid hormones.
C) they undergo a prolonged menopause during low tide.
D) their offspring can be either haploid or diploid.
E) large females morph into reproductively competent males.

Question 5

In close comparisons, external fertilization often yields more offspring than does internal fertilization. However, internal fertilization offers the advantage that

A) it is the only way to ensure the survival of the species.
B) it requires less time and energy to be devoted to reproduction.
C) the smaller number of offspring produced often receive a greater amount of parental investment.
D) it permits the most rapid population increase.
E) it requires expression of fewer genes and maximizes genetic stability.

Question 6

Springtails are a type of arthropod. Male springtails drop tiny beads of semen attached to stalks. Females that are ready to reproduce search out these drops and take them into their genital opening. This is an example of

A) external fertilization without copulation.
B) external fertilization with copulation.
C) internal fertilization without copulation.
D) internal fertilization with copulation.

Question 7

External chemical signals that coordinate potential reproductive partners are called

A) hormones.
B) pheromones.
C) paracrine signals.
D) cytokines.
E) gametes.

Question 8

Why might scientists want to figure out how to change sexually reproducing plants that are in high demand in agriculture into asexually reproducing plants?

A) Farmers would be able to harvest asexually producing plants in a more efficient manner because asexual reproduction has lower energy costs than sexual reproduction.
B) Farmers who constantly have to buy new seeds for high-demand plants would have their seed costs cut dramatically.
C) High-demand plants, such as beans and corn, will have higher taste quality in asexually reproducing plants.
D) Asexually reproducing plants require less water and fertilizer than sexually reproducing plants.

Question 9

An oocyte released from a human ovary enters the oviduct as a result of

A) the beating action of the flagellum on the oocyte.
B) the force of the follicular ejection directing the oocyte into the oviduct.
C) the wavelike beating of cilia lining the oviduct.
D) movement of the oocyte through the pulsating uterus into the oviduct.
E) peristaltic contraction of ovarian muscles.

Question 10

Sexual reproduction

A) allows animals to conserve resources and reproduce only during optimal conditions.
B) can produce diverse phenotypes that may enhance survival of a population in a changing environment.
C) yields more numerous offspring more rapidly than is possible with asexual reproduction.
D) enables males and females to remain isolated from each other while rapidly colonizing habitats.
E) guarantees that both parents will provide care for each offspring.

Question 11

Horseshoe crabs, genetically related to scorpions and spiders, are capable of only one type of fertilization. Female horseshoe crabs dig a shallow hole near the ocean shoreline that can fill with water. They then lay their eggs in that hole, and male horseshoe crabs mount the females and deposit their sperm over the eggs. This is an example of

A) external fertilization without copulation.
B) external fertilization with copulation.
C) internal fertilization without copulation.
D) internal fertilization with copulation.

Question 12

Females of many insect species can store sperm in

A) their nests.
B) the abdominal tract.
C) the cloaca.
D) the uterus.
E) the spermathecae.

Question 13

Environmental cues that influence the timing of reproduction generally do so by

A) increasing organisms' body temperature.
B) providing access to water for external fertilization.
C) increasing the ambient temperature to that which is comfortable for sexual reproduction.
D) causing direct effects on gonadal structures.
E) causing direct effects on hormonal control mechanisms.

Question 14

Asexual reproduction results in greater reproductive success than does sexual reproduction when

A) pathogens are rapidly diversifying.
B) a species has accumulated numerous deleterious mutations.
C) there is some potential for rapid overpopulation.
D) a species is expanding into diverse geographic settings.
E) a species is in stable and favorable environments.

Question 15

Animals with reproduction dependent on internal fertilization need all of the following except

A) cooperative copulatory behavior.
B) sophisticated reproductive systems.
C) compatible reproductive systems.
D) a moist environment for spawning.
E) sperm.

Question 16

Sexual reproduction patterns include

A) fragmentation.
B) budding.
C) hermaphroditism.
D) parthenogenesis.
E) fission.

Question 17

Regeneration, the regrowth of lost body parts, normally follows

A) all types of asexual reproduction.
B) all types of sexual reproduction.
C) fission.
D) fragmentation.
E) parthenogenesis.

Question 18

Among nonmammalian vertebrates, the cloaca is an anatomical structure that functions as a

A) specialized sperm-transfer device produced only by males.
B) shared pathway for the digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems.
C) region bordered by the labia minora and clitoris in females.
D) source of nutrients for developing sperm in the testes.
E) gland that secretes mucus to lubricate the vaginal opening.

Question 19

One of the evolutionary "enigmas," or unsolved puzzles, of sexual reproduction is that

A) sexual reproduction allows for more rapid population growth than does asexual reproduction.
B) only half of the offspring from sexually reproducing females are also females.
C) asexual reproduction produces offspring of greater genetic variety.
D) sexual reproduction is completed more rapidly than asexual reproduction.
E) asexual reproduction is better suited to environments with extremely varying conditions.

Question 20

Which of the following patterns of reproduction are found only among invertebrate animals?

A) sexual and asexual reproduction
B) external and internal fertilization
C) hermaphroditism and parthenogenesis
D) fission and budding

Question 21

In vertebrate animals, spermatogenesis and oogenesis differ in that

A) oogenesis begins at the onset of sexual maturity, whereas spermatogenesis begins during embryonic development.
B) oogenesis produces four haploid cells, whereas spermatogenesis produces only one functional spermatozoon.
C) cytokinesis is unequal in oogenesis, whereas it is equal in spermatogenesis.
D) oogenesis ends at menopause, whereas spermatogenesis is finished before birth.
E) spermatogenesis is not completed until after fertilization occurs, but oogenesis is completed by the time a girl is born.

Question 22

Human sperm cells first arise in the

A) prostate gland.
B) vas deferens.
C) seminiferous tubules.
D) epididymis.
E) Sertoli cells.

Question 23

If a man is born with a blockage in his epididymis, he may experience

A) fragmentation.
B) low sperm count.
C) budding.
D) high sperm count.

Question 24

A well-used method to determine if a tarantula (a spider) is male or female is to look at the skin that the tarantula sheds. If the molt (shed skin) shows evidence of small organs that are used to store sperm, one can determine that the specimen is a female. This particular organ is an example of

A) an ovary.
B) an oviduct.
C) a blastocoel.
D) a blastospore.
E) a spermatheca.

Question 25

Most of the noncellular fluid in ejaculated human semen is composed of

A) the secretions of the seminiferous tubules.
B) the secretions of the bulbourethral glands.
C) the secretions of the seminal vesicles.
D) the secretions of the prostate gland.
E) anticoagulant enzymes.

Question 26

Sperm cells are stored within human males in the

A) urethra.
B) prostate.
C) epididymis.
D) seminal vesicles.
E) bulbourethral gland.

Question 27

Increasing the temperature of the human scrotum by 2°C (i.e., near the normal body core temperature) and holding it there would

A) reduce the fertility of the man by impairing the production of gonadal steroid hormones.
B) reduce the fertility of the man by impairing spermatogenesis.
C) reduce the man's sexual interest.
D) increase the fertility of the affected man by enhancing the rate of steroidogenesis.
E) have no effect on male reproductive processes.

Question 28

In humans, the follicular cells that remain behind in the ovary following ovulation become

A) the ovarian endometrium that is shed at the time of the menses.
B) a steroid-hormone-synthesizing structure called the corpus luteum.
C) the thickened portion of the uterine wall.
D) swept into the fallopian tube.
E) the placenta, which secretes cervical mucus.

Question 29

At the time of fertilization, the complete maturation of each oogonium has resulted in

A) one secondary oocyte.
B) two primary oocytes.
C) four secondary oocytes.
D) four primary oocytes.
E) four zygotes.

Question 30

Mature human sperm and ova are similar in that they

A) have the same number of chromosomes.
B) are approximately the same size.
C) each have a flagellum that provides motility.
D) are produced from puberty until death.
E) are formed before birth.

Question 31

During human heterosexual (mutual) excitement, vasocongestion occurs

A) only in the penis.
B) only in the testes.
C) only in the clitoris.
D) only in the upper vagina.
E) in the clitoris, vagina, and penis.

Question 32

A male's "primary" sex characteristics include

A) deepening of the voice at puberty.
B) embryonic differentiation of the seminal vesicles.
C) growth of skeletal muscle.
D) elongation of the skeleton prior to puberty.
E) onset of growth of facial hair at puberty.

Question 33

Testosterone is synthesized primarily by the

A) sperm cells.
B) hypothalamus.
C) Leydig cells.
D) anterior pituitary gland.
E) seminiferous tubules.

Question 34

The surgical removal of the seminal vesicles would likely

A) cause sterility because sperm would not be produced.
B) cause sterility because sperm would not be able to exit the body.
C) greatly reduce the volume of semen.
D) enhance the fertilization potency of sperm in the uterus.
E) cause the testes to migrate back into the abdominal cavity.

Question 35

The primary difference between estrous and menstrual cycles is that

A) the endometrium shed by the uterus during the estrous cycle is reabsorbed, whereas the shed endometrium of menstrual cycles is excreted from the body.
B) behavioral changes during estrous cycles are much less apparent than those of menstrual cycles.
C) season and climate have less-pronounced effects on estrous cycles than they do on menstrual cycles.
D) copulation normally occurs across the estrous cycle, whereas in menstrual cycles copulation only occurs during the period surrounding ovulation.
E) most estrous cycles are of much longer duration compared to menstrual cycles.

Question 36

Among mammals, the male and female genital structures that consist mostly of erectile tissue include the

A) penis and clitoris.
B) vas deferens and oviduct.
C) testes and ovaries.
D) seminiferous tubules and hymen.
E) prostate and ovaries.

Question 37

A primary response by the Leydig cells in the testes to the presence of luteinizing hormone is an increase in the synthesis and secretion of

A) inhibin.
B) testosterone.
C) oxytocin.
D) prolactin.
E) progesterone.

Question 38

The moment of orgasm is characterized by

A) the ovulation of the oocyte from the ovary.
B) the release of sperm from the seminiferous tubules.
C) rhythmic contraction of many parts of the reproductive system.
D) increased synthesis and release of ovarian steroid hormones.
E) increased synthesis and release of testicular steroid hormones.

Question 39

Low levels of ________ may indicate that a woman's ovaries are beginning to fail.

A) estradiol
B) progesterone
C) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
D) luteinizing hormone (LH)

Question 40

Among human males, both semen and urine normally travel along the

A) vas deferens.
B) urinary bladder.
C) seminal vesicle.
D) urethra.
E) ureter.

Question 41

In correct chronological order, the three phases of the human ovarian cycle are

A) menstrual → ovulation → luteal.
B) follicular → luteal → secretory.
C) menstrual → proliferative → secretory.
D) follicular → ovulation → luteal.
E) proliferative → luteal → ovulation.

Question 42

For the 10 days following ovulation in a nonpregnant menstrual cycle, the main source of progesterone is the

A) adrenal cortex.
B) anterior pituitary.
C) corpus luteum.
D) developing follicle.
E) placenta.

Question 43

The hypothalamic hormone that triggers the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is

A) luteinizing hormone (LH).
B) estradiol.
C) progesterone.
D) human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
E) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).

Question 44

In correct chronological order, the three phases of the human uterine cycle are

A) menstrual → ovulation → luteal.
B) follicular → luteal → secretory.
C) menstrual → proliferative → secretory.
D) follicular → ovulation → luteal.
E) proliferative → luteal → ovulation.

Question 45

The secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary gland is reduced by

A) inhibin.
B) luteinizing hormone.
C) oxytocin.
D) prolactin.
E) vasopressin.

Question 46

The primary function of the corpus luteum is to

A) nourish and protect the egg cell.
B) produce prolactin in the alveoli.
C) maintain progesterone and estrogen synthesis after ovulation has occurred.
D) stimulate the development of the mammary glands.
E) support pregnancy in the second and third trimesters.

Question 47

Ovulation is the follicular response to a burst of secretion of

A) luteinizing hormone (LH).
B) testosterone.
C) inhibin.
D) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).
E) estradiol.

Question 48

A contraceptive pill that continuously inhibits the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus will

A) increase the production of estrogen and progesterone by the ovaries.
B) initiate ovulation.
C) reduce the secretion of gonadotropins from the anterior pituitary gland.
D) stimulate the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the posterior pituitary gland.
E) increase the flow phase of the menstrual cycle.

Question 49

A reproductive hormone that is secreted directly from a structure in the brain is

A) testosterone.
B) estradiol.
C) progesterone.
D) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
E) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).

Question 50

The hormone progesterone is produced in the

A) pituitary and acts directly on the ovary.
B) uterus and acts directly on the pituitary.
C) ovary and acts directly on the uterus.
D) pituitary and acts directly on the uterus.

Question 51

Labor contractions can be increased by the medical use of a synthetic drug that mimics the action of

A) inhibin.
B) luteinizing hormone.
C) oxytocin.
D) prolactin.
E) vasopressin.

Question 52

Fertilization of human eggs usually takes place in the

A) ovary.
B) uterus.
C) vagina.
D) oviduct.
E) cervix.

Question 53

The hypothalamic hormone that stimulates hormone secretion by the anterior pituitary gland is

A) luteinizing hormone (LH).
B) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
C) inhibin.
D) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).
E) estradiol.

Question 54

What is a possible outcome of oligo-ovulation, a condition in which a woman has infrequent or irregular menstrual cycles?

A) Ovulation does not occur on a regular basis.
B) Menopause does not occur.
C) Spermatogenesis in the woman's male partner is not able to occur.
D) The hypothalamus becomes inhibited by high levels of estradiol.

Question 55

What embryo-produced hormone maintains progesterone and estrogen secretion by the corpus luteum through the first trimester of pregnancy?

A) luteinizing hormone (LH)
B) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
C) progesterone
D) human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
E) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)

Question 56

Prior to ovulation, the primary steroid hormone secreted by the growing follicle is

A) luteinizing hormone (LH).
B) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
C) inhibin.
D) gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).
E) estradiol.

Question 57

At the end of a nonpregnant ovarian cycle, the breakdown and discharge of the soft uterine tissues are called

A) menstruation.
B) lactation.
C) fertilization.
D) menopause.
E) ovulation.

Question 58

Menopause is characterized by

A) reduced synthesis of ovarian steroids despite high levels of gonadotropin hormones.
B) a decline in production of the gonadotropin hormones by the anterior pituitary gland.
C) wearing away of the uterine endometrium.
D) an increase in the blood supply to the ovaries.
E) a halt in the synthesis of gonadotropin-releasing hormone by the brain.

Question 59

An inactivating mutation in the progesterone receptor gene would likely result in

A) the absence of secondary sex characteristics.
B) the absence of pituitary gonadotropin hormones.
C) the inability of the uterus to support pregnancy.
D) enlarged and hyperactive uterine endometrium.
E) the absence of mammary gland development.

Question 60

For normal human fertilization to occur,

A) many ova must be released.
B) the uterus must be enlarged.
C) only one sperm need penetrate one egg.
D) secretion of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) must decrease.
E) the secondary oocyte must implant in the uterus.

Question 61

Fusion of egg and sperm membranes triggers ________, which then blocks polyspermy.

A) mitosis
B) membrane depolarization
C) cleavage
D) cortical reaction
E) acrosomal reaction

Question 62

The formation of the fertilization membrane requires an increase in the availability of

A) bicarbonate ions.
B) calcium ions.
C) hydrogen ions.
D) potassium ions.
E) sodium ions.

Question 63

Fertilization of an egg without activation is most like

A) placing the key in the ignition of a car but not starting the engine.
B) resting during halftime of a basketball game.
C) preparing a pie from scratch and baking it in the oven.
D) walking to the cafeteria and eating lunch.
E) dropping a rock off a cliff and watching it land in the valley below.

Question 64

In mammals, the nuclei resulting from the union of the sperm and the egg are first truly diploid at the end of the

A) acrosomal reaction.
B) completion of spermatogenesis.
C) initial cleavage.
D) activation of the egg.
E) completion of gastrulation.

Question 65

During fertilization, the acrosomal contents

A) block polyspermy.
B) help propel more sperm toward the egg.
C) digest the protective jelly coat on the surface of the egg.
D) nourish the mitochondria of the sperm.
E) trigger the completion of meiosis by the sperm.

Question 66

During the early part of the cleavage stage in many animal species, the rapidly developing cells skip

A) the mitosis phase of the cell cycle.
B) the S phase of the cell cycle.
C) the G1 and G2 phases of the cell cycle.
D) the cytokinesis phase of the cell cycle.

Question 67

In excreted urine, a reliable "marker" that a pregnancy has initiated is

A) progesterone.
B) estrogen.
C) follicle-stimulating hormone.
D) chorionic gonadotropin.
E) hypothalamic-releasing hormones.

Question 68

In sea urchins, the "fast block" and the longer-lasting "slow block" to polyspermy, respectively, are

A) the acrosomal reaction and the formation of jelly coat.
B) the cortical reaction and the formation of cortical granules.
C) the jelly coat of the egg and the vitelline layer.
D) membrane depolarization and the cortical reaction.
E) inactivation of the sperm acrosome.

Question 69

A reproductive difference between sea urchins and humans is that

A) the sea urchin egg completes meiosis prior to fertilization, but meiosis in humans is completed after fertilization.
B) sea urchin eggs are produced by meiosis, but human eggs are produced by mitosis.
C) sea urchin eggs and sperm are of equal size, but human eggs are much bigger than human sperm.
D) sea urchins, but not humans, have a need to block polyspermy because only in sea urchins can there be more than one source of sperm to fertilize the eggs.
E) sea urchin zygotes get their mitochondria from the sperm, but human zygotes get their mitochondria from the egg.

Question 70

Contact of a sperm with signal molecules in the coat of an egg causes the sperm to undergo

A) mitosis.
B) depolarization.
C) gastrulation.
D) asexual reproduction.
E) the acrosomal reaction.

Question 71

For lactation to take place, the synthesis of breast milk and its release from the mammary gland, respectively, are caused by

A) testosterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).
B) estrogen and progesterone.
C) cortisol and testosterone.
D) prolactin and oxytocin.
E) luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

Question 72

Two contraceptive methods that are generally irreversible and that block the gametes from moving to a site where fertilization can occur are

A) the male condom and the female condom.
B) the male condom and oral contraceptives.
C) vasectomy and tubal ligation.
D) coitus interruptus and the rhythm method.
E) the diaphragm and the rhythm method.

Question 73

The use of birth control pills (oral contraceptives)

A) reduces the incidence of ovulation.
B) prevents fertilization by keeping the sperm and egg physically separated by a mechanical barrier.
C) prevents implantation of an embryo.
D) prevents sperm from exiting the male urethra.
E) prevents oocytes from entering the uterus.

Question 74

Even in the absence of sperm, metabolic activity in an egg can be artificially activated by

A) abnormally high levels of carbonic acid in the cytosol.
B) abnormally low levels of extracellular oxygen.
C) injection of calcium ions into the cytosol.
D) exposure to the low pH of the uterus.
E) depletion of its ATP supplies.

Question 75

A human zygote undergoes its first cell division

A) 5 seconds after fertilization.
B) 30 minutes after fertilization.
C) 90 minutes after fertilization.
D) 4 hours after fertilization.
E) 24 hours after fertilization.

Question 76

So-called "combination" birth control pills function in contraception by

A) inhibiting the release of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).
B) irritating the uterine lining so as to prevent implantation.
C) causing spontaneous abortions.
D) blocking progesterone receptors so that pregnancy cannot be maintained.
E) binding to and inactivating any sperm that enter the oviduct.

Question 77

As an embryo develops, new cells are produced as the result of

A) differentiation.
B) preformation.
C) cell division.
D) morphogenesis.
E) epigenesis.

Question 78

Of the following contraception methods, the highest risk of accidental pregnancy accompanies

A) the use of a diaphragm.
B) the use of a condom.
C) the practice of coitus interruptus.
D) a verified vasectomy.
E) the practice of the "rhythm method."

Question 79

Fertilization normally

A) reinstates diploidy.
B) follows gastrulation.
C) merges two diploid cells into one haploid cell.
D) precedes ovulation.

Question 80

The cortical reaction functions directly in the

A) formation of a fertilization envelope.
B) production of a fast block to polyspermy.
C) release of hydrolytic enzymes from the sperm cell.
D) generation of a nerve-like impulse by the egg cell.
E) fusion of egg and sperm nuclei.