♻️ What is Reproduction?

😊
Reproduction can be defined as the process whereby organisms reproduce new
offsprings which bear resemblance with themselves in order to prevent their extinction
and to ensure their continued survival.

So for the course of this lesson, we'd focus solely on reproduction in mammals especially
humans

📌
Mammals are biparental in reproduction that is sexual reproduction involves two distinct and
separate individuals, sexually mature male and female.

Gametes are produced by the male and female which unites to create a zygote in a process
called fertilization.

Before this process can be achieved the organism must have reached puberty

🛎️Male reproductive system

This consists of several organs with only 2 functions
▫️production of male gametes
▪️Introduction of male gametes into the females body.

The male reproductive system consists of assesory ducts, assesory glands, paired testis and
external genitalia .

Let's discuss them

🔸Paired testis : This is the primary sex organ and is located outside the abdominal cavity in a
sad called the scrotum or scrotal sac which keeps it at 2°c less than body temperature to
facilitate spermatogenesis . Each testis is made up of seminiferous tubules which are made up

⚖️
of 2 cells

⚖️
Germ cells:Aids formation of sperm
Sertoli cells:Provides germ cell with nutrition

The Sertoli cells are called the nurse of the testis and the release of sperm form these
cells is called Spermiation. The region outside the seminiferous tubules is called the
interstitial space and it is made up of blood vessels,leydig cells and competent cells.

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Function

🔊
Leydig cells secretes testosterone
It produces millions of spermatozoa daily by spermatogenesis
Those of you boys that waste your own daily by masturbation better stop it before you become
azoospermic and damage your life.

Assesory ducts : This is made up of rete testis, vasa efferentia, vas deferens,epididymis

The epididymis stores premature sperm cells

Vas deferens transfers sperm from epididymis to the urethra during ejaculation

Urethra is the excretory and reproductory duct that runs from through the penis to the tip
of the penis

The seminiferous tubules opens into the vasa efferentia through the rete testis which
then leads to the epididymis then to the vas deferens and to to ejaculatory duct.

Assesory glands : This includes the prostate gland, pair of seminal vesicles, Cowper
glands or bulbourethral glands . The secretion from these glands makes up the seminal
plasma.
Seminal plasma + sperm = Semen.

📍
Functions

📍
Helps to transport the sperm

📍
Helps to lubricate the penis

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Helps to nourish the sperm
Provides an alkaline medium to counter the acidic uterus .

Seminal vesicles : This fluid is thick, yellowish and alkaline [to neutralize the acidity of the uterus
] .It contains mucus, ascorbic acid and fructose for energy.

Prostate gland : This fluid is thin and milky and it contains citrate and enzymes. It is the largest
of the 3 glands.

Cowper glands : This fluid contains thin mucus and it is also alkaline to neutralize the acidity of
the uretha.

These fluid carry little semen and has the ability to fertilize any available egg it contacts.

External genitalia [penis ] : This is a copulatory organ made up of 2 types of spongy cells which
becomes hard when filled with blood. The cone shaped structure at the tip is called the glans
penis and it is covered by the perpuce.

🔰Female reproductive system

The female reproductive system just like the male is made up of organs that play 2 major
roles.
▪️Production of female gametes
▫️Receives sperm for fertilization, implantation and foetal development.

It includes a pair of ovaries, assesory ducts and external genitalia.

⚜Ovaries : it is the primary sex organ and it is located on both sides of the abdomen. Each
ovary is cover by a thin epithelium . It is made up of group of cells called ovarian or graafian
follicles which protects and nourishes the cells of the ovaries. After puberty each follicle mature
and releases one egg in the menstrual cycle.

Function
▪️The ovary is responsible for the production of egg or ova
▫️The graafian follicle secretes oestrogen.

🔊Assesory ducts : This consist of 2 oviducts or Fallopian tubes, vagina and uterus or
womb.

The Fallopian tubes is a ling tube divided into three segments the isthmus, Ampulla and
infundibulum.
Fertilization takes place at the Isthmus-Ampulla junction.

The uterus which is an inverted pear shape is made up of 3 parts also the upper fundus,middle
body and terminal cervix . The cervix is the junction between the vagina and the uterus .it is
made up of corners called fornix.

Function
Helps in foetal development during parturition

🔆 Vagina
The vagina leads from the cervix of the uterus to the outside of the body.

It is an elastic and muscular tube of about 10 - 14cm long. The walls are wrinkled

The opening of the vagina is partially covered by a thin membrane called hymen.

If the hymen is intact, it means the girl is a virgin. However, the hymen can be torn during
vigorous physical exercise such as athletics or during sexual intercourse.
‼️ Functions of the Vagina

1. It receives the male penis which deposits sperm into it.

2. It serves as a birth canal during the expulsion of the foetus from the uterus
3. The woman menstruates through the vagina

⚠️ Note: please note that urine is not passed out through the vagina📌 but rather through the
urethra opening. I am sure majority of you girl don't know you have 2 opening on your vulva 😂
check it and you will see it for yourself one if for you know and the other is for you know

The vagina is made up of glycogen rich mucus membranes and Bartholin's gland which are
analogous to the cowpers gland to lubricate the penis during sexual intercourse .

External genitalia : Mons pubis, vestibule, clitoris, hymen.

Mons pubis is a cushion of fatty tissue covered by skin and pubic hair.

Vestibule is a depression which is made up of the labia or lips.

Labia majora- It is the outer, large, flashy, fatty fold which extends from the mons pubis and
surrounds the vaginal opening
Labia minora-It is a small, thin and hairless fold found under the labia majora.

Clitoris : This is the most sensitive area in the female reproductive system and it is analogous to
the glans in male. It hardens during arousal too and it is found just in front of the urethral
opening.

Hymen[Maidens head]: This is a membrane found in the vaginal lumen. It is broken

during first coitus, sudden heavy fall,jolt or strenuous sport activities it might even still
remain after coitus

Mammary glands [Breast]: This contains glandular tissue and fat.

It is made up of lobes which are also made up of mammary aveoli.
The aveoli cells secretes milk and store it in the lumen of the alveoli. The tubules of each
lobes come together to form the mammary ducts which aggregate to form the mammary
ampulla which leads to the lactiferous ducts through which milk is sucked out.

Secretion or let down of milk is controlled by oxytocin

Production of milk is controlled by prolactin.

Big breast or small breast all will still produce Dano milk
The size of the best doesn't determine the amount of milk produced the cells in the
breast does .

Gametogenesis

This is the formation of gamete in the gonads

🔰Spermatogenesis
🔰Oogenesis
Spermatogenesis
It is the process of formation of sperm in the seminiferous tubules of the testis and it is divided
into 2
▪️Formation of Spermatids
▫️Spermiogenesis-Develoment of spermatids into spermatozoa.

Structure of the spermatozoa

⚜️
It is a very small cell and it enclosed by the plasma membrane. It has 3 regions which are
Head-Oval shaped,made up of nucleus and acrososme ,acrosome is made up of Golgi

⚜️
[Link] contains lytic enzymes to be able to penetrate the egg
Middle-Composed of axial filament surrounded by the mitochondria and cytoplasm.

⚜️
Mitochondria produces energy for the sperm cell
Tail- composed of central axial filament which has the flagellum to stir it forward by moving in
an undulation way.

The sperm count of a man is calculate by a nomograph.

Oogenesis

It is the process of formation of mature ovum from the oogonia in females. It takes place in the
graafian follicle. This process is completed before birth as no oogonia is added after birth.

Structure of the ovum

This is a large cell which is non-motile .it has 4 membranes which are the Plasma
membrane,Zona pellucida and corona radiata,vitelline membrane.

Menstrual cycle ‼️‼️

What Happens During the Menstrual Cycle?

Females of reproductive age experience cycles of hormonal activity that repeat at about
one-month intervals. With every cycle, a woman's body prepares for a potential
pregnancy, whether or not that is the woman's intention. The term menstruation refers to
the periodic shedding of the uterine lining. (Menstru means "monthly.'').The first
menstrual flow is called the [Link] cycle is made up of the ovarian and uterine
cycle.

The average menstrual cycle takes about 28 days and occurs in phases:
The menstrual phase
The follicular or proliferative phase,
The ovulatory phase (ovulation), and
The secretory or luteal phase.

There are four major hormones (chemicals that stimulate or regulate the activity of cells or
organs) involved in the menstrual cycle: Follicle-stimulating hormone, Luteinizing hormone,
Oestrogen, and Progesterone.

Menstrual Phase : This phase occurs at the beginning of of the menstrual flow. It lasts for 3-5
days. It occurs if the ovum is not fertilized and it is due to the sloughing of the endometrium
lining and blood vessels of the uterus.

Follicular Phase of the Menstrual Cycle

This phase starts on the 5th day after your [Link] lasts for 8-12 days. During the follicular
phase of the menstrual cycle, the following events occur:

Two hormones, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), are released
from the brain and travel in the blood to the ovaries.
The hormones stimulate the growth of about 15 to 20 eggs in the ovaries, each in its own
"shell," called a follicle.
These hormones (FSH and LH) also trigger an increase in the production of the female
hormone oestrogen.
As oestrogen levels rise, like a switch, it turns off the production of follicle-stimulating hormone.
This careful balance of hormones allows the body to limit the number of follicles that mature.
As the follicular phase progresses, one follicle in one ovary becomes dominant and continues to
mature. This dominant follicle suppresses all of the other follicles in the group. As a result, they
stop growing and die. The dominant follicle continues to produce oestrogen.

Ovulatory Phase of the Menstrual Cycle

The ovulatory phase, or ovulation, starts about 14 days after the follicular phase started. The
ovulatory phase is the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, with the next menstrual period starting
about two weeks later. During this phase, the following events occur:

The rise in estrogen from the dominant follicle triggers a surge in the amount of luteinizing
hormone and follicle stimulating hormone that is produced by the brain.
This causes the dominant follicle to release its egg from the ovary.
As the egg is released (a process called ovulation), it is captured by finger-like projections on
the end of the fallopian tubes (fimbriae). The fimbriae sweep the egg into the tube through the
Opening in the oviduct called Ostium
Also during this phase, there is an increase in the amount and thickness of mucus produced by
the cervix (lower part of the uterus). If a woman were to have intercourse during this time, the
thick mucus captures the man's sperm, nourishes it, and helps it to move towards the egg for
fertilization.
Luteal Phase of the Menstrual Cycle
The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle begins right after ovulation and involves the following
processes:

Once it releases its egg, the empty follicle develops into a new structure called the corpus
luteum.
The corpus luteum secretes the hormone progesterone. Progesterone prepares the uterus for a
fertilized egg to implant by vascularising it.
If intercourse has taken place and a man's sperm has fertilized the egg (a process called
conception), the fertilized egg (embryo) will travel through the fallopian tube to implant in the
uterus. The woman is now considered pregnant.

If the egg is not fertilized,the corpus luteum develops to the corpus albicans which stops the
secretion of progesterone, the unfertilized egg passes through the uterus. Not needed to
support a pregnancy, the lining of the uterus breaks down and sheds, and the next menstrual
period begins.

How Many Eggs Does a Woman Have?

The vast majority of the eggs within the ovaries steadily die, until they are depleted at
menopause. At birth, there are approximately 1 million to 2 million eggs; by the time of
puberty, only about 300,000 remain. Of these, only about 500 will be ovulated during a
woman's reproductive lifetime. Any remaining eggs gradually die out at menopause.