Reproductive System

REPRODUCTION is the mechanism by which cellular life perpetuates itself.

 THE MALE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
 The Scrotum

 Located inferior to the penis in

the pubic region
 It is a sac-like organ made of
skin and muscle that houses the
testes
 It is made up of 2 side-by-side
pouches with a testis located in
each pouch.
 Testes

 The testes (testicles) are the male

gonads.
 responsible for the production of
sperm and testosterone.

 The cremaster muscle contract and

relax along with the scrotum to
regulate the temperature of the testes.
 The inside of the testes is divided into
small compartments known as
lobules.
Each lobule contains a section of seminiferous tubule lined with epithelial cells. These
epithelial cells contain many stem cells that divide and form sperm cells through the
process of spermatogenesis.
Epididymis

 A sperm storage area that wraps

around the superior and posterior
edge of the testes.
 It is made up of thin tubule that are
tightly coiled into a small mass.
 Sperm produced in the testes moves
into the epididymis.
 Spermatic
Cords and Vas
Deferens

 Within the scrotum, pair of

spermatic cords connects the testes
to the abdominal cavity.
 The spermatic cords contain the vas
deferens along with nerves, veins,
arteries, and lymphatic vessels that
support the function of the testes.
 The vas deferens is a muscular tube that
carries sperm superiorly from the
epididymis to the abdominal cavity and into
the ejaculatory duct
 Seminal
Vesicles

 They store and produce some of

the liquid portion of semen.
 The liquid produced by the
seminal vesicles contains proteins
and mucus and has an alkaline pH
to help sperms survive in the
acidic environment of the vagina.
The liquid also contains fructose
to feed sperm cells.
Ejaculatory
Duct

 Contains the ducts fro the seminal vesicles.

 During ejaculation, the ejaculatory duct opens and expels sperm and
the secretions from the seminal vesicles into the urethra.
 Urethra

 Is a muscular tube that passes through

the prostate and ends at the external
urethral orifice located at the tip of the
penis.
 Prostate

 Is an exocrine gland that

borders the inferior end of the
urinary bladder and surrounds
the urethra.
 It produces a large portion of
the fluid that makes up semen.
 This fluid is milky white in
color and contains enzymes,
proteins, and other chemicals
to support and protect sperm
during ejaculation.
 Cowper’s
glands

 It is also called as bulbourethral glands.

 Are pair of exocrine glands located
inferior to the prostate and anterior to
the anus.
 They secrete a thin alkaline fluid into
the urethra that lubricates and
neutralizes acid from urine remaining in
the urethra after urination.
 Penis

 The male external sexual organ located

superior to the scrotum and inferior to the
umbilicus.
 Large pockets of erectile tissue in the penis
allow it to be filled with blood and become
erect.
 The function of the penis is to deliver
semen into the vagina during sexual
intercourse.
 The head of the penis or the glans penis is
covered by the foreskin or prepuce, which
may have been removed by circumcision.
 Semen

 Is the fluid produced by males for sexual

reproduction and is ejaculated out of the body
during sexual intercourse
 The chemical composition of semen gives it a
thick, sticky consistency and slightly alkaline
pH
 These traits help semen to support
reproduction by helping sperm to remain
within the vagina after intercourse and to
neutralize the acidic environment of the
vagina.
 In healthy adult males, semen contains around
100 million sperm cells per milliliter.
 The Sperm
Cells

 Each sperm cell consists of a head,

which has an acrosome at its tip and
contains a haploid set of chromosomes
in a compact, inactive state

 They have a midpiece containing

mitochondria and a single centriole.

 They have a tail which is a flagellum.

Spermatogenesis

 The process of producing sperm that takes place in the testes and
epididymis of adult males.
At puberty, spermatogenesis begins when luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle
stimulating hormone (FSH) are produced.

LH triggers the production of testosterone by the testes while FSH triggers the
maturation of sperm cells.

Testosterone stimulates stem cells in the testes known as spermatogonium to

undergo the process of developing into spermatocytes.

Each diploid spermatocyte goes through the process of meiosis 1 and splits into 2
haploid secondary spermatocytes.

The secondary spermatocytes go through meiosis II to form 4 haploid spermatid

cells. The spermatid cells then go through a process known as spermiogenesis
where they grow a flagellum and develop the structures of the sperm head. After
spermiogenesis, the cell is finally sperm cell, or spermatozoa.
Fertilization
 THE FEMALE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
 Vagina

 A muscular canal that connects the

uterus to the exterior of the body.
 It receives the penis during
intercourse and a baby leaves the
uterus through it during childbirth.
 It also serves as the passageway of
menstrual flow from the uterus.

 Deep to the epithelial layer is the

lamina propria, a layer of
connective tissue with many
elastin fibers that allow the vagina
to stretch.
 External
Genitalia

 Are collectively called the vulva (pudendum)

Mons pubis
• A fatty pad over the
symphysis pubis
 Labia minora
• A thin pair of skin fold medial to
Labia majora
the labia majora
• Posterior to the mons pubis
• The labia minora skin folds enclose
extend two rounded folds
the vaginal opening and can be
of skin.
spread apart or “opened” to expose
the vestibule floor.
Bartholin’s glands
• Which lubricate the vagina

Clitoris
• A small erectile structure
that responds to sexual
stimulation.
• The structure of the clitoris
is similar to the structure of
the penis.
Uterus

 A hollow muscular organ located in the female pelvis between the

bladder and rectum.

 The narrow lower portion of the uterus is the cervix (the neck of the
uterus)
The broader upper part is the corpus, which is made up of three layer of tissue.

 The inner layer (endometrium) of the uterus goes through a series of monthly
changes known as the menstrual cycle.
 The middle layer (myometrium) of the uterus is muscular tissue that expands
during pregnancy to hold the growing fetus and contracts during labor to
deliver the child.
 The outer layer (parametrium) also expands during pregnancy and
contracts thereafter.
 Ovaries

 Ductless reproductive gland.

 Produce and release eggs
(oocytes) into the female
reproductive tract at the mid-
point of each menstrual cycle.
 They also produce the female
hormones estrogen and
progesterone.
Fallopian
Tube

 Are a pair of narrow tubes connecting the ovaries to the uterus.

 The Isthmus of the fallopian
tubes is the narrowest and
thickest walled region of the
The Ampulla, which makes fallopian tube bordering on
up the bulk of its length. the uterus.

The fallopian tube widens

greatly into the funnel-shaped
infundibulum before ending
superior and lateral to the
ovary.

Many finger-like projections

known as fimbriae extend from
the infundibulum to reach the
surface of the ovary.