Chapter-10

Reproductive system

By Milion R (BSc. MScN)

1/31/2026 By Milion R(BSc, MScN) 1

Male Internal Genital Organs
• The male internal genital organs include
– ductus deferens
– seminal glands
– ejaculatory ducts
– Prostate
– bulbourethral glands

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Ductus deferens (vas deferens )
• Thick walled muscular tube, about 45cm long
• Transports sperm from the epididymis during
ejaculation

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 Seminal vesicles (glands)
• Thin-walled, pear-shaped
gland
• Consists of highly
tortuous (coiled) tubes
that form vesicle-like
mass
• The gland is bout 5 cm
long, but about 15 cm if
the coiled tube is
stretched.
• Obliquely placed b/n
fundus of bladder &
rectum (in the
rectovesical septum)
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 Seminal vesicles (glands)…
• Secrete yellowish, viscous, alkaline fluid called
seminal fluid (about 70% of the ejaculate)

• This fluid is released in to the ejaculatory duct via

duct of seminal gland on its inferior end

• The seminal fluid is major nutrient energy sources

for the sperm, coagulate semen after ejaculation,
and affect activity of the female reproductive tract

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 Ejaculatory ducts
• Formed by union of ducts of seminal vesicle and
ductus deferens near the neck of the bladder

• Traverse through the posterior part of prostate

gland anteroinferiorly

• The right & left ducts run close together within the
prostate and converge to open by slit-like apertures
in to the posterior wall of prostatic urethra

• Prostatic secretions then join the seminal fluid in

the prostatic urethra

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Prostate gland
• Is the largest accessory gland of male reproductive
system
– 3 cm long, 4 cm wide, and 2 cm AP and weighs about 20 g

• Lies immediately below the neck urinary bladder

• The prostate is a collection of 30–50 branched
tubuloalveolar glandular units

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Bulbourethral gland (Cowper’s glands)
• Paired round glands, pea-size (3–5 mm in diameter)
• Located in the urogenital diaphragm (deep perineal
pouch) posterolateral to the membranous urethra
largely embedded in the external urethral sphincter

• Their ducts leaves deep perineal pouch passing

through the perineal membrane along with urethra
• Opens through minute apertures into the proximal
part of the spongy urethra in the bulb of the penis
• During erection the bulbourethral glands, like the
numerous small urethral glands along the urethra,
release a clear mucus-like secretion
• These secretions lubricate the urethral lining in
preparation for the imminent passage of sperm
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 Female internal genital organs
The female internal genital organs include:
1. Primary female reproductive organs= Ovaries
– Are female gonads that produce gametes (ovum)
– produce female sex hormones (estrogen and
progesterone)

2. Accessory genital ducts

– uterine tubes, uterus, and vagina
– transport or otherwise serve the needs of the
reproductive cells, embryo or fetus

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 Uterus (womb)
• Thick-walled (2cm thick), pear-shaped, hollow
muscular organ
• Its thick muscular walls adapt to the growth of the
fetus and then provide the power for its expulsion
during childbirth
• The non-gravid (not pregnant) uterus is approximately
7.5 cm long, 5 cm wide & usually lies in the lesser
pelvis (during pregnancy, it is abdominal organ)

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- Has 2-parts: the body and cervix

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 Body of the uterus
• Expanded superior 2/3rd of uterus
• Projects superoanteriorly over bladder
• Has 3-Parts:
– Fundus
• rounded part of the body that lies superior to
the level of its attachments to uterine tubes
– Uterine horns (cornu)
• superolateral regions where the uterine tubes
enters the uterus
– Isthmus
• Short constricted inferior region of the body
(about 1 cm long) just superior to the cervix
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Cervix of the uterus
• Narrow cylindrical inferior 3rd part of the uterus
• Outlet, which projects into the vagina inferiorly
• Lies b/n the urinary bladder & the rectum
• Has 2-Parts:
– Vaginal part: protrudes into the vagina and
surrounds the external os
– Pelvic (supravaginal) part : immediately next to
the isthmus & above the vaginal part
• is separated from the bladder anteriorly by
loose connective tissue and from the rectum
posteriorly by the rectouterine pouch
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• The lumen of the uterine
body is uterine cavity,
and that of the cervix is
called cervical canal
• Constricted part of the
lumen b/n the uterine
cavity and the cervical
canal is called internal os

• The opening of the cervix

into the vagina is called
external os:
– circular until giving
first child & transverse
slit after giving birth
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 External os of the cervix of a women before giving first birth

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• Functions
– Catch the ovulated secondary oocyte
– Nourish both the oocyte and sperm
– Site of fertilization
– Transport the embryo undergoing cleavage to the
uterus

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 Vagina
• Is a distensible Musculomembranous tube
• Its anterior wall is shorter (7cm) than the posterior
wall (9cm), so it is about 7-9 cm long
• Extends from the cervix of the uterus to the
vestibule (the cleft b/n the two labia minora)
• It descends anteroinferiorly b/n rectum & urethra
• Relations:
- anteriorly, fundus of urinary bladder & urethra
- posteriorly, the rectum, anal canal & douglas pouch

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• Functions:
– Canal for menstrual fluid
– Lower birth canal
– Organ of copulation
• receives the penis and ejaculate during sexual
intercourse

• Generally, the lumen of the vagina is collapsed

except where it is held open by the cervix, its
posterior and anterior wall are in contact with one
another

• Its lateral distension is limited by ishial spines and

sacrospinous ligaments

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 Vaginal fornices
• The upper end of the vaginal canal loosely
surrounds the vaginal part of cervix, producing a
recess b/n the wall of vaginal & cervix called the
vaginal fornix
•

– Have anterior, posterior, and lateral parts

– The posterior vaginal fornix is the deepest
part and is closely related to the rectouterine
pouch

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 Perineum

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 Introduction
• Perineum is a diamond
shaped region of trunk below
pelvic diaphragm

• Extends from:
– the mons pubis anteriorly
– the medial surfaces of
the proximal parts of the
thighs & gluteal folds
laterally
– superior end of natal
cleft (intergluteal cleft)
posteriorly

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Male Perineum

• The male perineum includes

– external genitalia (scrotum, testis, and penis)
– Urethra (membranous and spongy urethra)
– perineal muscles
– anal canal

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Male external genitalia

Scrotum
• Cutaneous fibromuscular sac for the testis and
associated structures
• Consisting of two layers
– skin
– dartos fascia with smooth muscle fibers (dartos
muscle)
• Skin is heavily pigmented and covered with sparse
hairs

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Scrotum: temperature regulation
• The superficial location of the scrotum provides a
temperature which is about 2-3 degree cooler
• The scrotum also responds to temperature changes
– When it is cold, the testes are draw closer to the
warmth of the body and the scrotum becomes
shorter and heavily wrinkled to reduce heat loss
– When it is warm, the scrotal skin is flaccid and loose
to increase cooling, and the testes hang lower
• These changes reflect the activity of the two sets
of muscles:
– Dartos (sub-cutaneous)= wrinkles the skin when cold
– Cremaster= elevates the scrotum (testis) when cold
• The other is the cooling effect of pumpniform plexus
of vein over testicular artery
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 Penis
• The male organ of copulation
• The main components of the penis are three
cylindrical masses of erectile tissue, plus the penile
urethra, surrounded by connective tissue & skin
• The 3 cylindrical erectile tissues are:
1. Pair of corpora cavernosa
• are placed dorsally
• the two masses are closer with each other, but
diverge posteriorly to form crura

2. unpaired corpus spongiosum –

• is placed ventrally and surrounds the penile urethra
• enlarged both at its anterior end to form the glans
1/31/2026
of the penis & atBy Milion
its R(BSc,
posterior
MScN)
end to form bulb 28
 Crossection
Glans penis

Body of penis

Corpora cavernosa
Corpus spongiosum
urethra
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Parts of penis:
– root, body, and glans
• Root
– consists of the crura of [Link] and bulb of
[Link]
– Is attached portion located in the superficial
perineal pouch

– The crura are surrounded & attached to ischial

rami by Ischiocavernosus muscle

– The bulb is surrounded & attached to perineal

membrane by bulbospongiosus muscle (expel last
drop of urine)
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• Body
– free part that is
suspended from the
pubic symphysis
body
– consists of the 3
erectile cylinders

Ischiocavernosus muscle
bulbospongiosus muscle

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• Glans penis
– The enlarged distal end of corpus spongiosum
– The margin of the glans (head) projects beyond
the ends of the corpora cavernosa to form the
corona of the gland. The corona overhangs the
neck of the glans
– The neck of the glans separates the glans from
the body of the penis
– The slit-like opening of the spongy urethra, the
external urethral orifice, is located near the tip
of the glans

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Female Perineum

• The female perineum includes

– female external genitalia
– perineal muscles
– anal canal

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 Female external genital organs (pudendum or vulva)

• The female external genitalia include

– Mons pubis
– Labia majora
– Labia minora
– Clitoris
– Vestibule structures
• bulbs of the vestibule
• greater and lesser vestibular glands

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Mons pubis
• Rounded fatty eminence anterior to the pubic
symphysis, pubic tubercle, and superior pubic rami
• Consists of pad of fatty tissue
• The amount of fat in the mons increases at puberty
and decreases after menopause

• After puberty, the mons pubis is covered with

coarse pubic hairs

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Labia Majora
• Prominent folds of skin with a core of fat
• Is an extension of mons pubis (passes
inferoposteriorly from the mons pubis toward the
anus)
• bound or enclose the pudendal cleft (the slit or
cleft b/n the two labia majora)
• Is the homologous structure of the male scrotum
• largely filled with subcutaneous fat containing
smooth muscle and the termination of the round
ligament of the uterus

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Labia Minora
• The labia minora are thin folds of fat-free, hairless
skin sandwiched b/n the labia majora (enclosed in
the pudendal cleft)
• They have a core of spongy connective tissue
containing erectile tissue and many small blood
vessels
• the thin moist skin on the internal surface of each
labium minus has the typical pink color of a mucous
membrane and contains many sensory nerve endings
• The cleft b/n the labia minora is the vestibule into
which the external urethral and vaginal orifices open

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 Clitoris
• Small protruding erectile organ
• composed of erectile tissue that is homologous to
the penis of the male but not traversed by urethra
• located where the labia minora meet anteriorly
posterior to anterior labial commissure
• Like the penis, the clitoris has a pair of corpora
cavernosa, but it lacks corpus spongiosum
• The clitoris is richly innervated with sensory nerve
endings sensitive to touch
• it becomes engorged with blood and erect during
tactile stimulation, contributing to a female’s
sexual arousal
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• Parts of clitoris
– The clitoris consists of a root, body and glans
Root:
– composed of the two crura of corpora cavernosa
– Attached to the ischiopubic rami where it is
surrounded by ischiocavernosus muscle
Body:
– Protruding part
– formed by the two columns of corpora cavernosa
only (no corpus spongiosum)

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Glans of the clitoris:
-Small pea- shaped erectile mass attached to the distal
end of the body of clitoris by a small band of erectile
tissue (seems the union of anterior ends of c. cavernosa)
- is the most sensitive (highly innervated) part of the
clitoris & covered with prepuce of the clitoris

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• The hymen is quite vascular and is highly variable
in form or completely closed in some women

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Vestibular glands
• Greater vestibular glands (Bartholin glands)
– round or oval, pea sized gland located on each
side of the vestibule, posterolateral to the
vaginal orifice
– Its slender duct (~1cm long) open in the
posterolateral part of the crease (groove) b/n
the vaginal orifice and remnants of the hymen.
– partially surrounded by the bulbospongiosus
muscles where it overlaps with posterior part of
bulb of vestibule
– Homologous to bulbourethral gland in male
(secrete mucus into the vestibule during sexual
arousal, which keep it moist and lubricated,
facilitating intercourse)
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• Lesser vestibular glands (skene’s gland)
– Also called paraurethral gland
– smaller glands on each side of the vestibule
anterior to greater
– open into it between the urethral and the
vaginal orifices
– Also secrete mucus into the vestibule during
sexual arousal or female ejaculation
– Is homologous structure of prostate in male

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 Thank you!

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