The Reproductive System  Tunica albuginea – capsule that

surrounds each testis

 Gonads – primary sex organs
 Septa – extensions of the
 Testes in males
capsule that divide testis into
 Ovaries in females lobules

 Gonads produce gametes (sex cells) and

secrete hormones
 Sperm
 Ova (eggs)
Male Reproductive System
 Testes
 Each
 Glands lobule

 Seminal vesicle
contains one to four seminiferous tubules
 Prostate gland
 sperm-forming factories
 Bulbourethral gland Ejaculatory duct
Seminiferous tubules
 External genitalia
Rete testis
 Penis Prostate gland

 Scrotum Epididymis

ACCESSORY ORGANS urethra

Ductus deferens
 Duct system
 Epididymis
Epididymis
 Ductus deferens
 Functions to mature and store sperm cells
 Urethra (at least 20 days)
 Expels sperm by contraction of its walls to
vas deferens
 Enclosed by spermatic cord
Ductus Deferens (Vas Deferens)
 Carries sperm from the epididymis to the
ejaculatory duct and urethra by peristalsis
 Passes through the inguinal canal and over
the bladder

Male Reproductive System Urethra

 Extends from the base of the urinary
bladder to the tip of the penis
 Carries both urine and sperm
 Regions of the urethra
 Prostatic urethra
 Membranous urethra
 Spongy (penile) urethra – runs the
Testes length of the penis

 Coverings of the testes  makes up about 75%

  The amount of sperm per ejaculation is 2-
5ml and there are between 50-130 million
Seminal Vesicles
sperm in each milliliter.
 Produces a thick, yellowish secretion (60%
of semen)
 Fructose (sugar)
 Vitamin C
 Prostaglandins
 Other substances that nourish and
activate sperm 
Prostate Gland  Male infertility- caused by so many
factors like obstruction of duct
 Encircles the upper part of the urethra
system, excessive alcohol, etc.
 Secretes a milky alkaline fluid
 Semen analysis –sperm count,
 protects sperm from acidity in motility, and morphology, semen
urethra and female vagina volume, pH

 increase sperm motility External Genitalia

Homeostatic Imbalance  Scrotum

 Hypertrophy of the prostate gland  Pouch of skin containing the testes.

 A condition that strangles the  Maintains 3°C lower than normal

urethra due to enlargement making body temperature to protect sperm
urination difficult. viability

 Affects the elderly male  Cremaster muscle

 Causes scrotal skin to wrinkle
which helps to regulate
temperature
 Penis
 Delivers sperm into the female
reproductive tract
 Regions of the penis
 Shaft
 Glans penis (enlarged tip)
Bulbourethral Glands  Prepuce (foreskin)
 Produces a thick, clear mucus that drains in  Smegma
the penile urethra
 The penile shaft contains 3 columns of
 Cleanses the urethra of acidic urine erectile tissue
 Serves as a lubricant during sexual  2 corpora cavernosa- form the
intercourse major part of the penis
Semen  Corpus spongiosum-on the
 Mixture of sperm and accessory gland underside which encases the
secretions urethra

 pH of 7.2 – 7.6  Receives blood from pudendal artery

 Mixture of sperm and accessory gland

secretions
 pH of 7.2 – 7.6
Processes of Spermatogenesis Homeostatic Imbalance
 Spermatogonia (stem cells) undergo rapid  Sexual infantilism
mitosis to produce more stem cells before
 Absence of testosterone
puberty
 Reproductive organs remain
 Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) modifies
childlike.
spermatogonia division
Female Reproductive System
 One cell produced is a stem cell
(Daughter cell A)  Largely internal, housed within the pelvic
cavity
 The other cell produced becomes a
primary spermatocyte (Daughter cell  Ovaries
B)
 Duct System
Anatomy of a Mature Sperm Cell
 Uterine tubes
 The only human flagellated cell
 Uterus
 DNA is found in the head
 Vagina
 Midpiece- has mitochondria that provides
 External genitalia
ATP needed for the whip- like movement
Ovaries
 Tail- arise from centrioles
 Composed of ovarian follicles (sac-like
 When a sperm comes into close contact
structures)
with an egg (oocyte) the acrosomal
membrane breaks down and releases  Oocyte
hydrolytic enzymes that help the sperm
 Follicular cells
penetrate thru the follicle cells that
surround the egg and initiate fertilization Ovarian Follicle Stages
Testosterone Production  Primary follicle
 Functions of testosterone  Graafian (vesicular) follicle
 Stimulates reproductive organ  Ovulation
development
 Occurs about every 28 days
 Underlies sex drive
 The ruptured follicle transformed into
 Causes secondary sex characteristics corpus luteum
 Deepening of voice
 Increased hair growth
 Enlargement of skeletal
muscles
 Thickening of bones
Regulation of Male Androgens (Sex Hormones)
Fertilization  Receives a fertilized egg
 Retains the fertilized egg
 Nourishes the fertilized egg
Support for the Uterus
 Broad ligament – attached to the pelvis
 Round ligament – anchored interiorly
 Uterosacral ligaments – anchored
posteriorly
 It increases largely during pregnancy
Primary follicle (immature oocyte)

Regions of the Uterus

Graafian follicles  Body – main portion

 Fundus – area where uterine tube enters
Ovulation
 Cervix – narrow outlet that protrudes into
the vagina
Corpus luteum (yellow body)

 Internal os
Eventually degenerates, if not
fertilized or will not become an ovum  External os
Walls of the Uterus
Support for Ovaries
 Endometrium
 Suspensory ligaments – secure ovary to
 Allows for implantation of a
lateral walls of the pelvis
fertilized egg
 Ovarian ligaments – connects ovary to
 Sloughs off if no pregnancy occurs
uterus
(menses)
 Broad ligament – a fold of the peritoneum,
 Myometrium – middle layer of smooth
encloses suspensory ligament
muscle
 Contracts during pregnancy
 Perimetrium
Vagina
 Extends from cervix to exterior of body
 Serves as birth canal
 Receives the penis during intercourse
 Hymen – partially closes the vagina
Uterine Tube and Function
 Channel blood discharges during
 Fimbriae – receive the oocyte and create
menstruation
fluid currents that carry the oocyte into the
uterine tube External Genitalia (Vulva)

 Cilia inside the uterine tube slowly move  Mons pubis

the oocyte towards the uterus
 Fatty area overlying the pubic
(takes 3–4 days)
symphysis
 Fertilization occurs inside the uterine tube
 Labia – skin folds
Uterus
 Labia majora
 Hollow organ, located between the bladder
 Labia minora
and rectum
 Clitoris
 Functions of the uterus
 Contains erectile tissue
  Corresponds to the male penis

Vestibule
 Contains opening of the urethra and
the greater vestibular glands
(Bartholin’s glands)
Oogenesis
 Oogonia – female stem cells found in a
developing fetus
 Oogonia undergo mitosis to produce Ovulation occurs,at the
primary oocytes same time, LH is
released

 Primary oocytes are surrounded by cells

Mittelschmerz (twinge of
that form primary follicles in the ovary abdominal pain in the lower
abdomen)felt by some
women,caused by stretching of
 Oogonia no longer exist by the time of birth ovarian wall

 Primary oocytes are inactive until puberty

Mature follicle will
rupture with the LH
 Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) causes stimulus
some primary follicles to mature
 Meiosis starts inside maturing If not ovulated, will become
overripe and deteriorate
follicle
 Produces a secondary oocyte The ruptured follicle will
become corpus luteum
and the first polar body
 Meiosis is completed after ovulation
only if sperm penetrates
 Two additional polar bodies
are produced
 At puberty, the anterior pituitary gland
begins to release FSH which stimulates a
small number of primary follicles to grow
and mature each month
Ovulation occurs each month
Ovarian cycle
  2. Proliferative stage ( day 6-14)
If ovulated, secondary
oocyte is penetrated
by a sperm
 Stimulated by the rising of the estrogen
levels, the basal layer of the endometrium
regenerates the functional layer,glands
formed in it, and the blood supply is
Undergoes second
meiotic division increased
 Ovulation occurs in the end of this stage,in
response to the sudden surge of LH in the
ovum(1st cell of the
2 polar bodies(coming blood
Polar body from the first polar
yet-to0be offspring)
body during meiosis I)
 3. Secretory phase (Days 15-28)

Oogenesis  Rising levels of progesterone production by

the corpus luteum of the ovary act on the
estrogen-primed endometrium and
increased blood supply
 Progesterone causes the endometrial
glands to increase in size and to begin
secreting nutrients into the uterine cavity
sustaining a developing embryo (if present)
until it has implanted
 If fertilization occurs, the embryo will
continue to produce hormone similar to LH
causing corpus luteum to continue
producing its hormones
 If fertilization does not occur, the corpus
luteum begins to degenerate toward the
end of this period as LH blood levels decline
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian and Uterine
Cycles
Menstrual (Uterine) Cycle
 Cyclic changes of the endometrium
 Regulated by cyclic production of estrogens
and progesterone
 Stages of the menstrual cycle
 Menses – functional layer of the
endometrium is sloughed
 Proliferative stage – regeneration of
functional layer
 Secretory stage – endometrium
increases in size and readies for
 At puberty, ovaries become active and start
implantation
to produce ova and ovarian hormones will
 Menstrual stage(days 1-5) be produced.
 The superficial functional layer of  During follicular phase of the ovarian cycle,
the endometrial lining sloughs off the increasing FSH and LH levels that
stimulate follicle growth also stimulate
 Accompanied by bleeding for 3-5
increased secretion of estrogen
days
 Estrogens
 Average blood loss is 50-150 ml
 Produced by follicle cells
 By day 5, growing ovarian follicles
are beginning to produce more  Cause secondary sex characteristics
estrogen
  Enlargement of accessory
organs
 Each mammary glands contains 15-25 lobes
 Development of breasts separated by fibrous connective tissue and
fat(adipose tissue)
 Appearance of pubic hair
 Within the lobes are lobules which contains
 Increase in fat beneath the
clusters of alveolar glands that produce the
skin
milk when a woman is lactating
 Widening and lightening of
 The alveolar glands of each lobule pass the
the pelvis
milk to lactiferous ducts which open to the
 Onset of menses outside at the nipple

 Progesterone Stages of Pregnancy and Development

 Produced by the corpus luteum  Fertilization

 Production continues until LH  Embryonic development

diminishes in the blood
 Fetal development
 Helps maintain pregnancy
 Childbirth
 After ovulation,the ruptured follicle
Fertilization
change into corpus luteum which
produces progesterone and some  Creation of new human being begins
estrogen as long as LH is present in
 It is the union of spermatozoon and ovum
the blood.
to form a single cell
 Corpus luteum stopped producing
 The oocyte is viable for 12 to 24 hours after
progesterone 10-14 days after ovulation
ovulation
 Does not contribute in the appearance of
 Sperm are viable for 12 to 48 hours after
secondary sex characteristics
ejaculation
 Major effects are exerted in pregnancy – it
 Sperm cells must make their way to the
helps maintain pregnancy and prepare the
uterine tube for fertilization to be possible
breasts for milk production
Mechanisms of Fertilization
Mammary Glands
 Membrane receptors on an oocyte pulls in
 Present in both sexes, but only function in
the head of the first sperm cell to make
females
contact
 Modified sweat glands
 The membrane of the oocyte does not
 Function is to produce milk permit a second sperm head to enter
 Stimulated by sex hormones (mostly  The oocyte then undergoes its second
estrogens) to increase in size meiotic division
Anatomy of Mammary Glands  Fertilization occurs when the genetic
material of a sperm combines with that of
 Areola – central pigmented area
an oocyte to form a zygote
 Nipple – protruding central area of areola
The Zygote
 Lobes – internal structures that radiate
 First cell of a new individual
around nipple
 The result of the fusion of DNA from sperm
 Alveolar glands – milk- producing glands
and egg
 Lactiferous ducts – connect alveolar glands
 The zygote begins rapid mitotic cell
to nipple
divisions
 The zygote stage is in the uterine tube,
moving toward the uterus
The Embryo
  Developmental stage from the start of
cleavage until the ninth week
 The embryo first undergoes division
without growth
 The embryo enters the uterus at the
16-cell state
 The embryo floats free in the uterus
temporarily
 Uterine secretions are used for
nourishment
The Blastocyst
 Ball-like circle of cells
 Begins at about the 100 cell stage
 Secretes human chorionic gonadotropin
(hCG) to produce the corpus luteum to
continue producing hormones
 Functional areas of the blastocyst
 Trophoblast – large fluid-filled
sphere
 Inner cell mass
 Primary germ layers are eventually formed
 Ectoderm – outside layer
 Mesoderm – middle layer
 Endoderm – inside layer
 The late blastocyst implants in the wall of
the uterus (by day 14)
Derivatives of Germ Layers
 Ectoderm
 Nervous system
 Epidermis of the skin
 Endoderm
 Mucosae
 Glands
 Mesoderm
 Everything else
Development After Implantation
 Chorionic villi (projections of the blastocyst)
develop
 Cooperate with cells of the uterus to
form the placenta
 The embryo is surrounded by the amnion (a
fluid filled sac)
 An umbilical cord forms to attach the
embryo to the placenta
Development After Implantation
Functions of the Placenta
 Forms a barrier between mother and
embryo (blood is not exchanged)
 Delivers nutrients and oxygen
 Removes waste from embryonic blood
 Becomes an endocrine organ (produces
hormones) and takes over for the corpus
luteum
 Estrogen
 Progesterone
 Other hormones that maintain
pregnancy
The Fetus (Beginning of the Ninth Week)
 All organ systems are formed by the end of
the eighth week
 Activities of the fetus are growth and organ
specialization
 A stage of tremendous growth and change
in appearance
The Effects of Pregnancy on the Mother
 Pregnancy – period from conception until
birth
 Anatomical changes
 Enlargements of the uterus
 Accentuated lumbar curvature
 Relaxation of the pelvic ligaments
and pubic symphysis due to
production of relaxing
 Physiological changes
 Gastrointestinal system
 Morning sickness is common
due to elevated
progesterone
 Heartburn is common
because of organ crowding
by the fetus
  Constipation is caused by
declining motility of the
digestive tract
Stages of Labor
 Physiological changes
 Dilation
 Urinary System
 Cervix becomes dilated
 Kidneys have additional
burden and produce more  Uterine contractions begin and
urine increase
 The uterus compresses the  The amnion ruptures
bladder
 Expulsion
 Physiological changes
 Infant passes through the cervix and
 Respiratory System vagina
 Nasal mucosa becomes  Normal delivery is head first
congested and swollen
 Placental stage
 Vital capacity and respiratory
 Delivery of the placenta
rate increase
Developmental Aspects of the Reproductive
 Physiological changes
System
 Cardiovascular system
 Gender is determined at fertilization
 Body water rises
 Males have XY sex chromosomes
 Blood volume increases by
 Females have XX sex chromosomes
25 to 40 percent
 Gonads do not begin to form until the
 Blood pressure and pulse
eighth week
increase
 Testes form in the abdominal cavity and
 Varicose veins are common
descend to the scrotum one month before
Childbirth (Partition) birth
 Labor – the series of events that expel the  The determining factor for gonad
infant from the uterus differentiation is testosterone
 Initiation of labor  Reproductive system organs do not function
until puberty
 Estrogen levels rise
 Puberty usually begins between ages 10
 Uterine contractions begin
and 15
 The placenta releases prostaglandins
 The first menses usually occurs about two
 Oxytocin is released by the pituitary years after the start of puberty
 Combination of these hormones  Most women reach peak reproductive
produces contractions ability in their late 20s
Initiation of Labor  Menopause occurs when ovulation and
menses cease entirely
 Ovaries stop functioning as
endocrine organs
 There is a no equivalent of menopause in
males, but there is a steady decline in
testosterone