REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS

It's basically a system in our bodies that includes our sex organs and certain parts of our brain.
I. Female reproductive system
Structurally, There are internal genitalia, external genitalia and important glands.
Internal genitalia has the ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, vagina.
External genitalia has mons pubis, labia minora, clitoris, vaginal office, hyme,
urethra.
Glands of female reproductive system: has bartholin’s gland, skene gland, breast
and mammary gland.

FUNCTIONS:
1. Internal genitalia:
1.1. The Ovary:
- The ovary have two main functions, they are exocrine and endocrine.
The exocrine function is to produce ovum in preparation for
fertilization. The endocrine function is to produces estrogen and
progesterone.
- Estrogen and progesterone play a major roll in the timing of egg
release from the ovaries.
- Estrogen is also responsible for the development of a lot of feminine
traits.
- The ovaries are responsible for producing the female's genetic
contribution to a baby
1.2. The fallopian tube: Each fallopian tube consists of four parts, they are
fimbriae, infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus. The main function of them
is to facilitate the transport of sperm to the egg and the fertilized egg into
the uterus.
1.3. The Uterus: The outer surface of it consists of three parts, they are the
fundus, the corpus and the cervix. The main function of the uterus is to
nourish the developing fetus prior to birth.
1.4. The Vagina: It is the place that comes into direct contact with the penis
during sex. In addition, this is also the path for menstrual blood to go
outside.

2. External genitalia
2.1. Mons pubis
The accumulation of fatty tissue under the skin is located high above the vulva,
surrounded by the labia majora.
 2.2. Labia majora
It covers and protects the remaining sexual organs
2.3. Labia minora
It located just inside the labia majora, surrounding the opening of the vagina and
urethra
2.4. Clitoris
It is the small part protrudes outward and is where the two labia minora meet.
2.5. Vaginal orifice
The function of it is to accommodate the movement of the penis during sex and the
passage of a child during delivery
2.6. Hymen
It located behind the labia majora and labia minora. It is a thin membrane located
at the vaginal opening, made up of one or more small holes that help menstrual
blood flow out.
2.7. Urethra
It is located about 2cm below the clitoris, to carry urine from the bladder out of the
body.
3. Glands of female reproductive system:
3.1. Bartholin's gland
This gland includes many mucus-secreting columnar cells and has the function of
secreting mucus to help keep the vagina moist and lubricated during intercourse.
3.2. Skene gland
This gland secretes a fluid that helps lubricate the urethra, contributing
antibacterial factors to protect the urinary tract.
3.3. Breast and mammary gland
The breast consists of lobules, ducts, areola, nipple, adipose tissue, connective
tissues, muscle and lymph nodes.
Firstly, there are lobules and ductal system, each lobule have many small hollow
alveoli.
Secondly, the space around the lobules and ductal system is filled with Adipose
tissue, connective tissues.
Next is muscles, muscles located below each breast, separating the breast from the
ribs, including pectoralis major and minor muscle
Finally, Lymph nodes, they store harmful agents and eliminate them out of the
body.
The breasts: produce milkduring the pregnancy and afterwords via a process
called lactation. And lactation happens due to a series of hormones that generally
get released around pregnancy. So, this breast milk that gets produced can feed and
nourish the growing baby and it actually plays a roll in creating a stronger immune
system for the baby.
 II. Male reproductive system:
Internal genitalia has testes, epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory duct,
prostate, bulbourethral gland, sperm.
External genitalia has penis, scrotum

FUNCTION:
1/ Internal genitalia:
1.1 Testes:
- Testes produce sperm and secrete male sex hormones (Testosteron).
- They located in the scrotum, the left testis is lower than the right testis.
They have slightly flattened oval shape, convex outer surface, flat inner
surface, 2 upper and lower poles, 2 front and back edges.
1.2 Epididymis
The epididymis is C-shaped, consisting of a head, body and tail running along
the upper and posterior edges of the testicle.
1.3 Vas deferens
The vas deferens runs from the tail of the epididymis to the spermatic
tuberosity. Finally, the vas deferens combines with the secretory duct of the
seminal vesicle to form the ejaculatory duct. This tube passes through the
prostate to empty into the prostatic urethra.
1.4 Ejaculatory duct
The ejaculatory duct is 2 cm long, made up of the vas deferens and seminal
vesicles. It starts from the base of the prostate and goes downward and forward
through the prostate.
1.5 Prostate
The gland is located below the bladder, behind the pubic bone, and in front of
the rectum. It has a cone shape, the base is above and the apex is below
The function of the gland is secreting a mucus (semen) into the urethra,
accounting for 25% of semen, which protects and helps sperm move easily.
1.6 Bulbourethral gland
It has two small glands located in the urogenital diaphragm of the perineum,
each gland has a tube that secretes fluid, emptying into the spongy urethra. It is
also secretes alkaline mucus
1.7 Sperm:
A sperm cell is a form of gamete or reproductive cell found in the male human
body that provides half of the genetic material needed to form a fertilized
zygote or embryo during sexual reproduction with an egg in the female body.
It contains 23 chromosomes and has three parts to its anatomy: the head, the
midpiece, and the tail or flagellum. The head contains the genetic material and
acrosome. The mid piece contains the mitochondria. And, the tail is used to
transport the sperm within the female reproductive tract.
The pathway of sperm:
Sperm are produced from spermatocytes in the seminiferous tubules, then
move into the epididymis. From the epididymis, sperm are released through the
vas deferens, then mixed with prostate secretions. The vas deferens combines
with the seminal vesicles to form the ejaculatory duct and sperm is finally
expelled out through the ejaculate urethra
The process of sperm formation: The process begins with spermatocytes that
develops into spermocytes I, then they go to spermatocytes II. They continue
develop into pre-spermatocytes and form into sperm in the end.
2/ External genitalia:
2.1 Penis
Penis is an erectile organ and cylindrical shape, including: root, stem and glans
of the penis. It is composed of a spongy body and two cavernous bodies.
Cylindrical spongy body is located in the middle, under the two cavernous
bodies, the anterior end bulges into the glans, the posterior end expands into the
spongy bulb.The foreskin is usually covered by a layer of skin and mucosa,
called the foreskin
It has two main functions are urination and sexual reproduction. the penis is
used to deliver his sperm inside the female mate to increase the chance that it
meets her egg
2.2 Scrotum
It has dark skin with many horizontal wrinkles and very elastic.
Function: supports the testicles, regulates temperature, keeps the temperature of
the testicles lower than the body temperature. This is where blood vessels and
nerves are stored and supplied to the testicles