Male and Female Reproductive System

Male Reproductive System

Figure 1. Testes, Stallion (Mallory’s) x25

Figure 2. Testes, Boar (Mallory’s) x25
KEY
1. Interstitial cells
TESTES 5. Seminiferous tubule
• Produce sperm and hormones 10. Tunica albuginea
• Located outside the abdomen in the inguinal region 11. Tunica albuginea, smooth muscle
• Housed in protective skin - the scrotum 12. Tunica albuginea, vascular layer
13. Tunica vaginalis

Development of a mature sperm cell

SPERMATOGENESIS - spermatogonium develops into a
spermatid.
• Spermatogonia
• Primary spermatocytes
• Secondary spermatocytes Spermatids

•Seminiferous tubules
•Rete testes
•Efferent ducts
•Epididymis (head, body, tail)
•Vas deferens or deferent duct

Figure 3. Seminiferous tubule, Testis, dog x360

KEY
2. Lumen
3. Myoid cell, nucleus
4. Primary spermatocytes
6. Sertoli cell, nucleus
TESTES The testes are contained in the scrotum and are 7. Early spermatid
compound tubular glands that are invested by a thick capsule 8. Late spermatid
of dense irregular connective tissue, the tunica albuginea. 9. spermatogonia
The tunica albuginea is covered by a peritoneum, the visceral
layer of the tunica vaginalis. EFFERENT DUCTULES
•Lined by a simple columnar or a pseudostratified epithelium
Within each lobule of the testis there are convoluted with some ciliated cells.
seminiferous tubules. These are lined by a stratified •Lead from the rete testis and pass through the tunica
epithelium of spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells. albuginea to join the duct of epididymis in the head of the
epididymis.
Figure 4. Efferent Ductules, Stallion (x25)
KEY
Figure 6. Ampulla, x.s., ram x12.5
4. Efferent ductules
KEY
5. Loose connective tissue
1. Adventitia
2. Ampullary, lumen
VAS DEFERENS
4. Gland
Also known as Ductus Deferens .
7. Muscularis
• Lined by a pseudostratified columnar epithelium (some
8. Pseudostratified epithelium
cells with stereocilia) that may become simple columnar
distally.
• Leads from the duct of the epididymis and joins with the
urethra.

Figure 7. Ampulla, Ram (x62.5) Figure 8. Ampulla, Ram (x125)

KEY
2. Ampullary, lumen
Figure 5. Vas deferens, x.s., Dog (x25) 3. Basal cell
KEY 8. Pseudostratified epithelium
4. Muscularis 9. Secretion
5. Pseudostratified epithelium 11. spermatozoa
6. Serosa Prostate Glands - It is a seromucous gland.

Accessory Glands
• They are composed of branched tubular or tubuloacinar
secretory units that often have vesicular dilations.

Figure 9. Body of the Prostate, Dog (x12.5)

Figure 10. Body of the Prostate, Dog (x62.5)
KEY
2. Capsule
4. Gland
7. Pseudostratified epithelium
Glands of Ampulla - Whose lamina propria and submucosa 8. Secretion
are filled with glandular secretory units.

Figure 11. Disseminate Portion of the Prostate, x.s., Dog

(Masson’s) (x12.5)
Figure 12. Disseminate Portion of the Prostate, x.s., Ram
(Masson’s) (x125)
KEY
3. Duct
4. Lamina propia
6. Prostate gland
9. Stratum cavernosum
11. Transitional epithelium
12. Urethra, lumen
Seminal Vesicle also known as Vesicular Glands URETHRA

Figure 16. Penile Urethra, x.s., Ram (x25)

KEY
Figure 13. Seminal Vesicle, Castrated Billy Goat (x25) 2. Cavernous space
Figure 14. Seminal Vesicle, Ram (x250) 9. Tunica albuginea
KEY 10. Urethra, lumen
1. Basal cell
4. Gland
5. Interlobular septum

Bulbourethral Glands Also known as Cowper's Gland

• Present in all domestic mammals except in dog .
•The columnar cells of the pseudostratified epithelium are
tall and pale and possess basally displaced nuclei

Figure 17. Penile Urethra, x.s., Stallion (x12.5)

KEY
1. Cavernous space
8. Lamina propia
12. Tunica albuginca
13. urethra, lumen
PENIS It can be divided into the body and glans penis. Both
regions contain the penile urethra with its erectile tissue, the
corpus spongiosum. The body of the penis (corpus penis) is
characterized by two additional masses of erectile tissue
Figure 15. Bulbourethral Gland, Boar (x36) called the corpora cavernosa.
KEY
3. Duct
7. Secretory cells

URETHRA Carries both urine and semen, can be divided into

a pelvic and a penile portion.
Pelvic Urethra lined by a transitional epithelium
Penile Urethra courses through the ventral region of the
penis.
Prepuce Is a tubelike reflection of skin that covers the distal,
free portion of the penis. Composed of an external, parietal
and visceral layer The stallion has an additional outer fold
called the sheath.

Prepuce

OVARY
Ovary: Production of ova.
Infundibulum: Picking of Ova and transport into the
magnum. Magnum: Secretion of albumin
Isthmus: Form shell membrane
Uterus: Form hard shell
Vagina: Expelled mature eggs to exterior
Cloaca: common opening for digestive, urinary and
Figure 18. Parietal Prepuce, Stallion (x25) reproductive tract.

OVARIES

Figure 18. Prepuce, Stallion (x25)

KEY
2. Dermal papilla
4. Hair follicle Figure 1. Ovary, Queen (x12.5)
6. Lymphatic nodule KEY
7. Parietal prepuce 3. Corpus luteum
8. Preputial gland 4. Cortex
11. Sebaceous gland 7. Growing follicles
17. Stratified squamous epithelium 8. Medulla

Female Reproductive System

OVARIES A simple squamous or cuboidal epithelium,
germinal epithelium, often missing from histologic
preparations, covers the cortex of the ovary.
Cortex (outer portion) which is occupied by the developing
follicles and contains several hundred thousand ova...
Medulla (inner portion) which contains prominent blood
vessels, nerves, and scattered clusters of interstitial cells.

Figure 2. Ovary, Bitch (x180)

KEY
4. Granulosa lutein cell
8. Theca externa
9. Theca interna
Follicular Development
Development of the ovarian follicle is a sequential process Follicular Development
which is primarily directed by the influence of
gonadotrophins (follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] and
luteinizing hormone [LH]) and can be variable between
species.

Primordial follicles contain a primary oocyte and are

surrounded by a single layer of flattened follicular cells.

Figure 3. Ovary, Primordial Follicles, Feline

Primary follicles still contain a primary oocyte but the

follicular cells become more cuboidal and are now known as
granulosa cells.
Figure 4. Ovary, Early Primary Follicles, Feline

Secondary follicles start develop spaces between granulosa

cells that coalesce to eventually form a large space called the
follicular antrum.

Figure 5. Ovary, Late Primary Follicles, Feline

Graafian (tertiary, mature) follicles are large preovulatory

follicles which bulge from the surface of the ovary.
Figure 6. Ovary, Secondary (antral) Follicles, Canine

Figure 7. Ovary, Secondary Follicles, Canine

 Figure 10. Isthmus, Oviduct, x.s., Mare (x25)
KEY
1. Circular muscle
5. folds
6. Longitudinal muscle
Figure 8. Ovary, Tertiary Follicles, Feline

OVIDUCT
It is a muscular tube consisting of an isthmus, which arises
from the uterus, a middle segment, the ampulla, and a
funnel-shaped infundibulum, which lies next to the ovary.

Oviduct, Diagrammatic Drawing, Hen

KEY
2. Cloaca
4. Infundibulum
5.Isthmus
7. Magnum
11. Ovary
15. Uterus (shell gland)
16. Vagina Figure 11. Funnel of Infundibulum, Oviduct, x.s., Hen (x62.5)

Figure 12. Magnum, x.s., Oviduct, Hen (x25)

Figure 9. Infundibulum, Oviduct, Cow (Masson’s) (x250) KEY
KEY 3. Lamina propia
2. Cilia 4. Mucosa
4. Extruded nucleus 7. Muscularis
8. Secretory bleb 10. Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
11. Regenerating gland
12. Resting gland
14. Secretory gland
15. Serosa
UTERUS 4. Endometrial gland
Three layers: . Outer perimetrium (serosa) 7. Myometrium, circular
8. Myometrium, longitudinal
Middle myometrium - is divisible into a thick, inner circular 9. Stratum vasculare
layer and a thin, outer longitudinal layer Figure 16. Uterine Horn, x.s., Proestrus, Bitch (x180)

Inner endometrium (mucosa) - is simple cuboidal or

columnar in bitch, queen, and mare, but may be stratified or
pseudostratified in ruminants and sows.
Figure 13. Uterus, Feline (low magnification)

KEY
2. Columnar Epithelium
UTERUS 4. Endometrial gland
Bicornuate uterus

Figure 17. Uterine Horn, x.s., Estrus, Bitch (x12.5)

(Uterine Horn)

Figure 18. Uterine Horn, x.s., Diestrus, Bitch (x12.5)

KEY
2. Endometrial gland
5. Myometrium, circular
6. Myometrium, longitudinal
Figure 14. Uterine Horn, x.s., Anestrus, Bitch (x25) 7. Stratum vasculare
UTERUS (Cervix)

Figure 19. Cervix of Uterus, Mare (Masson’s) (x250)

Figure 15. Uterine Horn, x.s., Proestrus Bitch (x12.5)
KEY
Figure 20. Cervix of Uterus, Bitch (x125)
KEY Figure 23. Vaginal Smear, Anestrus, Bitch (Hema-3) (x125)
4. Cilia
8. Lamina propia
11. Stratified squamous epithelium

ESTROUS CYCLE
1. Proestrus - characterized by endometrial growth
2. Estrus-period when the female is receptive to male
3. Metestrus- occurs the development of the corpus luteum
4. Diestrus-concides with the presence of a fully functional
corpus luteum
5. Anestrus - a period of sexual inactivity
Figure 24. Vaginal Smear, Early Proestrus, Bitch (Hema-3)
(x125)
VAGINA
KEY
• Wall of the vagina: Mucosa, muscularis, and adventitia or
3. Erythrocyte
serosa.
4. Intermediate cell
• The mucosa is lined, throughout, by a stratified squamous
6. Parabasal cell
epithelium in all species except the cow.
7. Superficial cell
8. Superficial intermediate cell

Figure 21. Vagina, Anestrus, Bitch (x125)

Figure 25. Vaginal Smear, Mid to Late Proestrus, Bitch (Diff-
Quik)
(x125)

Figure 22. Vagina, Estrus, Queen (x62.5)

KEY
5. Keratinized cells
6. Lamina propia
9. Stratified epithelium Figure 26. Vaginal Smear, Estrus, Bitch (Dill-Quik) (x125)
10. Stratified squamous epithelium KEY
3. Erythrocyte
VAGINAL CYTOLOGY It provides a way of determining stages 5. Neutrophil
of estrous cycle of the bitch or queen and therefore can be 6. Parabasal cell
helpful to determine the best time to breed an animal. 7. Superficial cell
8. Superficial intermediate cell
Figure 27. Vaginal Smear, Diestrus, Bitch (Diff-Quik) (x125)
KEY
4. Intermediate cell
6. Neutrophil
10. Parabasal cell
11. Superficial cell
12. Superficial intermediate cell

VULVA
Vestibule
.• Major vestibular glands - are bilateral, mucus-secreting,
tubuloacinar glands in the submucosa

•Minor vestibular glands - are small, branched, tubular,

mucous glands distributed through the vestibular mucosa
Labia Integument of the labia (lips of the vulva) - is well
endowed with both sebaceous and tubular apocrine glands

•Clitoris - consists of erectile tissue, a glans, and a prepuce

Vestibule

Figure 28. Vestibule, Queen (x62.5)

KEY
3. Columnar cell
4. Duct
13. Vestibular epithelium

Figure 29. Vestibule, Queen (x62.5)

KEY
1. Columnar cell
2. Duct