The life process of reproduction is when two living organisms create one of their own species. Reproduction is needed to continue on the species. The organ system that enables reproduction is the reproductive system (female) which is a system of sex organs inside an organism which collaborate for the cause of sexual reproduction. The female reproductive system consists of the ovaries—this store and produce ova and reproduction hormones i.e. oestrogen and progesterone, fallopian—transport the ovum from ovary to uterus each month, uterus—nurtures the fertilized ovum, cervix—to allow flow of menstrual blood from uterus to vagina and to direct the sperm into the uterus, and the vagina—serves as a conduit for menstrual blood. The reproductive system carries out the life process of reproduction as when the female gamete; ovum is released from the ovaries it travels through the fallopian tube where it waits to be fertilised by male gamete; sperm. Once the sperm enters the vagina it swims up the cervix, past the uterus and into the fallopian tube where it meets the ovum and fertilises, becoming a zygote. It then is implanted into the uterus where the zygote continues to form until a baby is developed. This then establishes the life process of reproduction, because as the male and female gamete cells fuses with each other a new organism is being formed.
The environmental factor that is associated with reproduction and reproductive system is chlamydia- a virus spread by sexual contact. Chlamydia is a parasitic bacterium which requires the structures and functions of living organisms in order to reproduce. Chlamydia can cause internal scarring, salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes) and as a result of this it can lead to ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside uterus), cervicitis (inflammation of the neck of the womb) can cause infertility. The inflammation of the fallopian tube can cause infertility as it damages the tube tract, filling it with extra fluid or pus, once one fallopian tube is infected the other becomes infected shortly after as the bacteria migrates to it (via lymph vessels). The fallopian tubes may become permanently damaged as its swelling doesn’t allow the ovum released each menstrual cycle to meet with the sperm, therefore restricting the process of reproduction. In some cases ectopic pregnancy occurs and if this is left untreated the fallopian tube can burst as there is no room for the embryo to keep growing, leading to life-threatening bleeding. Chlamydia also causes pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) to occur, this infection tends to happen in the uterus, this can cause the patient to undergo high temperature fevers, abnormal vaginal bleeding and abdominal pains. The scarring in the uterus can lead to infertility as blood supply decreases to the endometrial lining (what is shed during menstruation). Cervicitis also can occur as cervix secretes more discharge with white blood cells, changing the p.H. of the vagina and instead of making it easier for semen to pass through it kills them, making it difficult to reproduce or in some cases making the female infertile. Due to chlamydia the scarring in the uterus develops which causes the blood to decrease in the endometrial lining, making the necessities (placenta) needed for reproduction difficult to develop as the lining is thin. This then leads to infertility therefore the ability to reproduce. Salpingitis causes scarring in the uterus or fallopian tubes, making it difficult to carry a baby as the lining is too thin, causing infertility and cervicitis changes the p.H of the vagina, therefore killing sperm and as a result preventing reproduction to occur.
As chlamydia develops in the female body it can cause symptoms such as painful urination, abdominal pain, large amounts of vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods, high temperature fevers. In some cases there can be no symptoms but the virus is still present, the symptoms may go away in a few weeks but if left untreated can cause complications in the reproductive organs (especially in women). The bacteria that is spread through the women’s reproductive system causes PID, peritonitis and other infections leading to infertility, miscarriage, premature birth or still birth. Thus making it difficult to reproduce. Chlamydia also impacts the reproductive system long- term as it causes ectopic pregnancy- pregnancy outside the uterus, once a woman has already had one ectopic pregnancy she is more likely to have another ectopic pregnancy, which can cause an infection or scarring of the uterus or fallopian, resulting in infertility, therefore the need to reproduce. The virus can also then be passed on from the woman to the new-born infecting them and carrying on the complications of PID, infertility, salpingitis and cervicitis.
The life process of respiration is when glucose is converted into energy. It is also the process of obtaining oxygen and delivering it to cells in the body, whilst removing carbon dioxide produced by cells. The organ system which aids this process if the respiratory system, consisting of nose/mouth- filters air before entering lungs, trachea- or windpipe allows air to pass to the bronchus, bronchus- the left and right bronchus run into each lung, bronchioles- large amount of tubes that conduct air to the alveoli, lungs- spongy organs that expand with air allowing breathing to occur, and alveoli- large air sacs where gas exchange occurs with blood passing through capillaries. For respiration to occur in the respiratory system, oxygen and other gases are breathed in from the nose or mouth, making its way down into the lungs. Oxygen moves through the bronchus and bronchioles, where it finally ends up in the alveoli (small structures within the lungs) where gas exchanges from oxygen to carbon dioxide. The oxygen (or oxygenated glucose) is then moved into the bloodstream and carried through the body releasing energy. Carbon dioxide is collected by red blood cells and transported back to the lungs where it is exhaled and the cycle begins again.
An environmental factor that is associated with the respiration and the respiratory system is smoking- inhaling and exhaling tobacco smoke into the bloodstream. Smoking affects the respiratory system as it causes irritation in the trachea, breathlessness due to swelling and narrowing of the lung airways, wheezing and chronic coughs. Normally the mucus in the lungs would trap pathogens and then be swept out by cilia (hair like projections with ability to move a substance past a cell). However, cigarette smoke contains harmful chemicals that damage these cells, thus leading to a build-up of mucus and smokers cough. The smoke also irritates the bronchus and bronchioles causing bronchitis. Smoking also damages the walls of the alveoli. The alveoli walls break down and form larger air sacs than usual, thus reducing the efficiency of gas exchange. This may result in the gaining of the lung disease emphysema, where there is a lack of oxygen in the blood resulting in difficulties in mild exercise. Smoking effects the respiratory system as the nicotine and tar in the cigarette collects in the lungs and clogs up the alveoli. The lungs produce defensive cells called macrophages to ‘eat away’ the inhaled particles of nicotine and tar. However, during the process of ‘eating away’ the alveoli cells begin to thin, decreasing the surface area resulting in a lack of oxygen inhalation. Therefore, making gas exchange unable to perform efficiently from oxygen to carbon dioxide, as there isn’t a sufficient amount of oxygen being taken to the cells through the lungs and into the alveoli in the body, due to this the process of respiration becomes difficult as not enough energy is going into the body’s cells, making basic exercise difficult and breathlessness that will worsen overtime. Thus changing the process of respiration altogether.
The increase of nicotine and tar in the lungs causes symptoms such as high blood pressure and heart rate, chronic cough, inflamed trachea, chest pain and wheezing. These symptoms due to smoking can increase the chances of a heart attack due to high blood pressure/ heart rate as the lack of oxygen to the heart muscle weakens the heart and causes it to work less efficiently. Chronic coughs due to smoking can result in vomiting, light-headedness and even rib fractures, the cough may last for eight weeks or longer interrupting sleep resulting in tiredness. The swelling of the trachea can result in breathlessness as the airways have become obstructed with excess mucus attempting to push out the nicotine and tar, this then also results in wheezing. Chest pain also occurs when there is an insufficient flow of blood to the heart, this can then result in a heart attack if left untreated. Smoking also comes with long-term effects as well, some of them including emphysema- a lung disease primarily affecting the alveoli as they become permanently damaged, causing the alveoli to join together forming irregular shapes. This lessens the surface area of the alveoli making it difficult to breathe. The lack of oxygen intake into the body implies less oxygen entered into the lungs and alveoli for gas exchange. Therefore, the amount of oxygen that is to be given to every cell of the body has decreased making bodily functions weaken overtime causing organ failure, and can result in death. Nicotine and tar from smoking destroy the elastin in the lung resulting in the loss of elasticity needed for the act of breathing. Due to this only a small amount of oxygen can be taken in, the alveoli cannot properly perform gas exchange and a poor amount of oxygen ventilates to the cells in the body, resulting in weakened bodily movements. Smoking damages the elastic tissue in the lungs and become rigid overtime.