Gonads

By: Dr. Supreet Kaur Bhasin

Gonads
 Location

• Female Gonad (Ovaries): They are located in the pelvis, one

on each side of the uterus.
• Male Gonad (Testes): They are located behind the penis in a
pouch of skin called the scrotum.
 Structure

• Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond. The

ovaries have two functions: they produce eggs (ova) and
female hormones.
• These are oval organs about the size of large olives that lie in
the scrotum
 Physiological Mechanism- Male reproductive
System
• It consists of testes contained in a sac called scrotum. It acts as a
climate control system for the testes. For normal sperm
development, the testes must be at a temperature slightly cooler
than the body temperature.

• Meosis (creation of sex cells or sperms) occur in seminiferous

tubules

• These sperms from semen which is collected in seminal vesicle.

• During copulation (sexual intercourse) the penis ejaculate the

semen that contains sperm cells
• Androgens are hormones responsible for the male
features and reproduction. Androgens are responsible for
sexual development in males and are produced by the
testes. Women have smaller amounts of androgens too,
and the ovaries produce these.

• Androgens are secreted by interstitial tissues. The

secretion of androgen by this tissue is stimulated by FSH
from the anterior pituitary

• Removal of gonads is called castration. Lack of androgen

caused by castration before puberty results in failure to
develop secondary sexual characteristics
 Physiological Mechanism- Female reproductive System

• It includes paired ovaries in the abdomen that contains

immature follicles each of which have ovum or egg cell

• The open ends of the fallopian tubes lie near the ovaries.
When ovulation produces a mature ovum, a fallopian tube
carries it to the uterus

• If the ovum is fertilized by the sperm cell, it develops into an

embryo in the wall of the uterus.

• At birth, the foetus is discharged through cervix and vagina

• The female reproductive cycle averages 28 days and begins at the end of
menstruation with increased output of FSH by the anterior pituitary
gland

• The hormone causes increased growth of the follicle in the ovary. The
growing follicle secretes estrogen

• The estrogen stimulate LH secretion by the anterior pituitary gland

• The ovum is released on the 14th day. The ovum is carried by the
fallopian tube to the uterus and burries itself in the wall of the uterus on
about 17th day

• This period (14th day to 17th day) is the period of maximum fertility
• If the pregnancy occurs, placenta develops in the wall of the uterus to
support and nourish the embryo

• Both FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (leutinizing hormone) is

 Major Hormones

• Female Gonad Hormone: Estrogens and Progesterone

• Male Gonad Hormone: Androgens and Teststerone

 Function of Hormones

• The reproductive organs of males and females have two roles

1. Maturation of reproductive organs and development of

secondary sexual characteristics (deepening of voice, body
hair etc.)

2. Growth and development of germ cells (sperm or ova)

 Female Gonad Hormones

1. Estrogens - Group of female sex hormones important for

reproduction and the development of female sex
characteristics.

2. Progesterone - Hormone that functions to prepare the

uterus for conception; regulates uterus changes during the
menstrual cycle; increases sexual desire; aids in ovulation;
and stimulates gland development for milk production
during pregnancy.
 Hormones during pregnancy and childbirth
• Fertilization of the ovum by a sperm cell from the male causes
secretion of both estrogen and progestrogen to develop the uterus
and nurture embryo for 9 month period

• Continued secretion of estrogen enlarges the vagina for the delivery

of the child

• Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is secreted near the fertilized

ovum and that helps in development of placenta

• Oxytocin is secreted by pituitary gland stimulates the uterus to

contract and birth canal to enlarge

• Prolactin is also secreted when the infant is born for production of

milk
 Male Gonad Hormones

• Androgens are hormones that primarily influence the

development of the male reproductive system.

• Testosterone - Sex hormone important for the development

of male sex organs and sex characteristics. Testosterone is
responsible for increased muscle and bone mass; increased
growth of body hair; development of broad shoulders;
deepening of the voice; and growth of the penis.
 Abnormalities

• Hypogonadism occurs when gonads (testes in men and the

ovaries in women) produce little or no sex hormones.
• The two types of hypogonadism are primary and central
hypogonadism.
• 1. Primary hypogonadism means that there are not enough
sex hormones in body due to a problem in gonads.
• 2. In Secondary Hypogonadism the problem lies in brain. The
hypothalamus and pituitary gland which control gonads,
aren’t working properly.
 Causes of Primary Hypogonadism

1. Autoimmune disorders, such as Addison’s disease (adrenal

glands do not produce enough hormones)
2. Genetic disorders, such as Turner syndrome (Turner
syndrome occurs when one of the two X chromosomes
normally found in women is missing or incomplete) and
Klinefelter syndrome (The presence of an extra X chromosome
in males)
3. Severe infections
4. Liver and kidney diseases
5. Hemochromatosis, which happens when your body absorbs
too much iron
6. Surgery on sex organs
 Causes of secondary Hypogonadism

1. Genetic disorders, such as Kallmann syndrome

(genetic disorder that prevents a person from starting or fully
completing puberty.)
2. Infections, including HIV and AIDS
3. Pituitary disorders
4. Inflammatory diseases like tuberculosis
5. Obesity
6. Rapid weight loss
7. Nutritional deficiencies
8. Brain surgery
9. Injury to your pituitary gland or hypothalamus
10. A tumor in or near pituitary gland
 Symptoms that may affect females include:

1. lack of menstruation
2. slow or absent breast growth
3. loss of body hair
4. low or absent sex drive
5. milky discharge from breasts
 Symptoms that may affect males include:

1. loss of body hair

2. muscle loss
3. abnormal chest growth
4. reduced growth of penis
5. erectile dysfunction
6. low or absent sex drive
7. infertility
8. fatigue
9. difficulty concentrating
• Hypergonadism have higher levels of testosterone and estrogen
in their systems. Hypergonadism is rarer than hypogondism.

• Signs and Symptoms in males:

1. Facial or Pubic hair growth
2. Testicle and Penis enlargement
3. Muscle Growth
4. Erections
5. Voice change

• In males, normal onset puberty develops around age 11

(between 9 and 14). With hypergonadism these signs or
symptoms may began to manifest themselves before the age of
10
• Signs and Symptoms in females:
• Pubic hair growth
• Breast Development.
• Menstrual periods.
• In females, Puberty usually begins around age 10 (between 8
and 13)
 Gonads and other hormones

• Gonads produce hormones which are regulated by hormones

secreted by the anterior pituitary

• The pituitary secretes the gonadotropins luteinizing hormone

(LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

• These protein hormones influence reproductive organs in

various ways. LH stimulates the testes to secrete the sex
hormone testosterone and the ovaries to secrete progesterone
and estrogens. FSH aids in the maturation of ovarian follicles
(sacs containing ova) in females and sperm production in
males.