WEEK: 1 REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
LEARNING OBJECTIVES;
Describe the male reproductive system
Describe the female reproductive system
Describe the terms gametogenesis
list signs of pregnancy
CONTENT
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF MAN
A. Structure of the Male Reproductive System:
Penis – Organ for copulation and urination
Testes – Produce sperm and testosterone
Scrotum – Sac holding the testes
Vas deferens – Transports sperm
Seminal vesicle & Prostate gland – Produce seminal fluid
Urethra – Conveys semen and urine outside the body
B. Structure of the Female Reproductive System:
Vagina – Receives penis and acts as birth canal
Cervix – Lower part of the uterus
Uterus – Where embryo develops
Fallopian tubes – Transport egg; site of fertilization
Ovaries – Produce eggs and hormones
C. Gametes: Gametes are sex cells or reproductive cells produced by
gametogenesis from the germinal cell.
Gametes contain only one copy (set) of dissimilar chromosomes or half the
genetic material necessary to form a complete organism. It is a haploid
cell.
Male gamete: Sperm
• In animals, sperm is the male gamete produced from the male parents
for sexual reproduction.
• In-plant male gamete present in the pollen of a plant, plant male
gamete formed in the anther of angiosperm, in the archegonial head of
liverworts and moss, and the pollen cones of gymnosperm.
Female gamete: Egg (Ovum)
It is found in the ovary of animals and the ovary of plants.
Ovum
Ovum, when fused with a sperm cell., produces a new individual.
It is produced by sexually reproducing animals, plants, and fungi. In humans
and animals, they are formed by follicle cells, and they are produced by
ovules found inside the ovary in the plant.
The shape of a mature ovum is usually spherical, non-motile with yolky
cytoplasm, and enclosed in one or more egg envelopes.
Depending upon the amount of yolk present in the ovum, the size of an ovum
varies in different animals from 10 microns to a few centimeters.
The central nucleus contains genetic material which is present in the ovum.
The cell plasma or yolk surrounds the nucleus for developing the egg cells as
it contains a nutritional element.
D. Chromosomes and Sex Determination:
Humans have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs)
Sex chromosomes: XX = female, XY = male
The sex of the child is determined by the type of sperm that fertilizes the
egg:
o X sperm + X egg = XX (female)
o Y sperm + X egg = XY (male)
E. Male Sexual Maturation:
Increase in testosterone production
Start of sperm production
Emergence of secondary sexual characteristics
FEMALE SEXUAL MATURATION
A. Ovulation:
The release of a mature egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube, usually around
the 14th day of the menstrual cycle.
B. Menstruation:
The shedding of the uterine lining when fertilization does not occur, leading to
bleeding through the vagina.
C. Menstrual Cycle:
A regular 28-day cycle that includes:
o Menstrual phase (days 1-5): Shedding of the uterine lining
o Follicular phase (days 6-13): Maturation of egg in ovary
o Ovulation (day 14): Egg released
o Luteal phase (days 15-28): Uterus prepares for possible pregnancy
D. Fertilization & Implantation:
Fertilization: Fusion of sperm and egg in the fallopian tube
In fertilization, sperm fuse with an ovum of the female to produce a new
offspring.
Mature sperm looks like a small tad-pole motile cell and consists of two
distinguishable parts, a head and a tail.
The shape and size of the sperm head are not fixed. It varies for each animal
species.
The human sperm’s head is flattened and almond shape, and size about 4 to
5 mm long and 2 to 3 mm wide.
In the head portion, the cell nucleus comprises chromosomes (genetic
material).
The sex of the future child depends on the X or Y chromosome present in the
sperm cell.
Sperm have a long tail-like projection called a flagellum that connects the
head and middle portion.
The size of the tail is about 50mm long, and the tail helps in sperm cell
movement.
Zygote Formation: The fertilized egg begins to divide
Implantation: The zygote attaches to the uterine wall
E. Signs of Pregnancy:
Missed menstrual period
Morning sickness (nausea)
Breast tenderness
Fatigue
F. Types of Child Delivery:
Vaginal delivery: Natural birth through the birth canal
Caesarean section (C-section): Surgical delivery through an incision in the
abdomen