Final answer:
The sex cells in the male reproductive system mature in the epididymis after their initial development in the testes. For females, oocytes mature in the ovaries. Differences in meiosis between males and females result in four viable sperm in men and one secondary oocyte that becomes a viable ovum upon fertilization in women, with additional non-viable polar bodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Locations Where Sex Cells Mature
The question at hand asks us to identify the location where the sex cells of each reproductive system mature. In the male reproductive system, the sex cells, known as sperm, mature within the epididymis after being produced in the testes. Specifically, within the testes, sperm begin their development in the seminiferous tubules and then move to the epididymis for maturation and storage until ejaculation. In females, the sex cells, or oocytes, mature in the ovaries. Each month, during a woman's reproductive cycle, an oocyte matures in an ovarian follicle, is released into the pelvic cavity, and is swept into the uterine tube by the fimbriae where it may be fertilized by a sperm cell.
Differences Between Male and Female Meiosis
There are notable differences between meiosis in males and in females. In males, meiosis results in four viable haploid sperm. Conversely, in females, meiosis culminates with the formation of one secondary oocyte, and upon fertilization, one viable haploid ovum. Females also produce up to three polar bodies during this process, which contain little cytoplasm and are not viable; they eventually disintegrate.