HUMAN

REPRODUCTI
VE SYSTEMS
 OBJECTIVES

• -Identify on diagrams and state the functions of the following parts of

the male reproductive system: testes, scrotum, sperm ducts, prostate
gland, urethra and penis
• · -Identify on diagrams and state the functions of the following parts
of the female reproductive system: ovaries, oviducts, uterus, cervix
and vagina
• · -Describe fertilisation as the fusion of the nuclei from a male
gamete (sperm) and a female gamete (egg cell)
• · -Explain the adaptive features of sperm, limited to: flagellum,
mitochondria and enzymes in the acrosome
• · -Explain the adaptive features of egg cells, limited to: energy stores
and the jelly coat that changes at fertilisation
• · -Compare male and female gametes in terms of: size, structure,
motility and numbers
 WHAT IS REPRODUCTION?

Reproduction is one of the

seven life processes.

All living things reproduce.

Humans use sexual

reproduction to
produce their young.

In order to do this, the two

parents (male and female)
have different reproductive
systems and organs that
produce different sex cells.
 Male Reproductive Organs

Vas deferens Prostate

Carries sperm from the testes to Produces a fluid that mixes with
the urethra during ejaculation sperm to form semen, nourishing
and protecting sperm

Testes Urethra
Produces sperm and Passageway for both urine and
testosterone—male sex semen when exiting the body
hormones that affect the way
bodies develop Penis
Used for both the elimination of urine
from the body and the delivery of sperm
for sexual reproduction
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• A human male has two testes, in

which sperm is produced.
• The testes are supported outside
the body in the scrotum. Which
keeps them cooler, as fewer sperm
are produced at higher
temperatures.
• Sperm ducts carry the sperm from
the testes to the penis.
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM

• Penis
• Made up of spongy tissue that can expand and contract which is
made up of soft tissues and rich in blood vessels
• At the end of the penis is an opening, which is where semen and
urine exit the body through the urethra
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM

• Testicles
• Produce and store millions of tiny sperm cells Testicles
• Males are born with a pair of testicles. Sperm cells are made inside them.
• On its own, sperm is actually like jelly. Each testicle is connected to a gland. These add a pale
white fluid to the sperm called semen.

• Scrotum
• A pouch-like structure outside the body
❑ Helps to regulate the temperature of the testicles, which need to be kept cooler than body
temperature to produce sperm (Provides a temperature 1 °C lower than the body temperature
favourable for sperm production)
• The scrotum is a sack of skin that protects the testicles. When a man is cold, the scrotum
tightens up pulling the testicles closer to the body.

• When a man is hot, the scrotum relaxes to allow the testicles to hang further away from the
body.
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM

Vas deferens
• A muscular tube that passes upward alongside the testicles
• Transports the sperm-containing fluid called semen
• The epididymis
• is a set of coiled tubes (one for each testicle) that
connects to the vas deferens.
• The sperm is stored in the epididymis prior to exiting
through sperm duct
 MALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM

• Prostate gland
• Produces some of the parts of semen
• Surrounds the ejaculatory ducts at the base of the urethra, just
below the bladder
• Urethra
• The channel that carries the semen to the outside of the body
through the penis
• The channel through which urine passes as it leaves the bladder
and exits the body
 Female Reproductive Organs

Oviduct Ovary
(FALLOPIAN TUBE) Produces eggs (ova) and female sex
Passageway for eggs from the hormones like estrogen and
ovaries to the uterus and provides progesterone
the site for fertilisation by the
sperm

Uterus Vagina
Where a fertilised egg implants Site of sperm deposition, allows
and grows into a fetus during the menstrual blood to exit the
pregnancy body and lets the baby passes
Cervix through during childbirth
Allows menstrual blood to flow from the
uterus and serves as a pathway for sperm
to enter the uterus
 THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
• The two ovaries produce egg cells.

• They are either side of the uterus and joined to it by the

oviducts (sometimes called the fallopian tubes)
• The uterus has thick muscular walls.

• At the lower end of the uterus is an opening called the

cervix.

• The cervix leads to the vagina, which leads to the outside

of the body
 FEMALE INTERNAL VIEW

• Vagina:
• The muscular, hollow, tube-shaped organ that extends from the
vaginal opening to the uterus
• Functions:
• The pathway that a baby takes out of a woman’s body during
childbirth
• The route for the menstrual blood (the period) to leave the
body from the uterus
 FEMALE INTERNAL VIEW

• Cervix
• The part of the uterus that opens into the upper part of the vagina
• The cervix is a ring of muscle at the lower end of the uterus. It keeps the baby in place
while the woman is pregnant.

• Uterus (womb)
• Shaped like an upside-down pear; has a thick lining and muscular walls
• The uterus is also called the womb. It is a muscular bag with a soft lining.
• The uterus is where a baby develops until its birth
• Functions:
• Expands and contracts to accommodate a growing fetus
• Helps push the baby out during labor
 FEMALE INTERNAL VIEW

• Fallopian tubes
• Connects the uterus to the ovaries
• Oviduct or Fallopian tube is lined with cilia, which are tiny hairs on cells.
• Every month, an egg develops and becomes mature, and is released from an ovary.
The cilia waft the egg along inside the egg tube and into the uterus.

• Ovaries
• Two oval-shaped organs that lie to the upper right and left of the uterus
• Produce, store and release eggs into the fallopian tubes (ovulation) The two
ovaries contain hundreds of undeveloped female sex cells called egg cells or ova.
• Women have these cells in their bodies from birth - whereas men produce new
sperm continually.
meiosis
SEX CELLS – THE SPERM & THE OVUM
 SEX CELLS

Sperm cell (Male) Egg cell (Female)

The main function of a sperm cell is The main function of an egg cell is
to FERTILISE the egg cell and pass to join with a SPERM CELL
on the genetic information (DNA) (fertilisation) and pass on the
needed to make a baby genetic information (DNA) needed
to make a baby
 SEX CELLS – SPERM

In males, the sex cells are called sperm.

tail middle piece head

cell membrane nucleus containing

DNA

Sperm are produced in sex organs called testes.

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 STRUCTURE OF A SPERM

• Structure of a sperm: Contains

head, mid-piece and tail.
• Head: contains the nucleus with
the genetic material from the
father , surrounded in front by a
thin sac called the acrosome,
which contains enzymes used
for penetrating the female egg.
• Middle-piece contains
mitochondria.
• Tail helps the sperm to move.
 TESTES MAKE SPERM

❑ Sperms are made in narrowed coiled tubes called tubules.

❑ Sperms are made continually from puberty onwards.
❑ Sperm production is very sensitive to heat. If it gets too hot, the cells in the
tubules will not develop into sperm. That is why the testes are outside the body.
 HUMAN MALE GAMETE

• The sperm is among the smallest cells in the human body.

• Measures about 45 micrometers long.
• Over 100 million sperm cells are produced daily.
• Sperm cells are motile, as they can move on their own,
 STRUCTURE OF EGG

• The egg or ovum (pl. ova) is

circular in shape. Larger in size
than sperms
• Inside the cell there are
nucleus containing genetic
information from the mother.
• It contains yolk as food store.
• It has jelly coat that also
protects the ovum.
 SEX CELLS – EGG

In females, the sex cells are called eggs.

nucleus containing cytoplasm

DNA

membrane jelly coat

Eggs are produced in sex organs called ovaries.

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 HUMAN FEMALE GAMETE
• The egg is among the largest cells in the human body.
• Measures about 0.2mm in diameter.
• Only one egg is released from the ovaries each month at ovulation.
(The ovary may contain thousands of egg cells)
• It cannot move on its own, rather it’s wafted along by cilia. They’re
mobile, as in they can move but not on their own (the egg is caught
in the funnel of the oviduct. The funnel is lined with cilia which beat
to move the egg towards the uterus)
• Muscles in the wall of the oviduct also help to move the egg by
peristalsis.
• After penetration, the jelly coat changes to an impermeable barrier,
that prevents other sperm nuclei to enter the egg cell.
OBJECTIVES
 ADOLESCENCE

• Adolescence - the period of life when a

child develops into an adult.
• Age: 10-14 years
• You become an adolescent on the onset
of puberty.
• Adolescence finishes when you stop
growing at 18.
• Why does this changes occur? – Due to
hormones.
 PUBERTY

• Puberty - the period during which

adolescents reach sexual maturity
and become capable of reproduction.
 SEX HORMONES
In males, the testes produce the sex hormone testosterone, which
makes male secondary sexual characteristics develop.

ovaries
(females)
testes
(males)

In females, the ovaries produce the sex hormones oestrogen

and progesterone.

These make female secondary sexual characteristics develop and

are involved in fertility and the menstrual cycle.
 THE PITUITARY GLAND

The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland

at the base of the brain.
It releases many hormones and
controls several other glands in the
body. pituitary
gland

The pituitary gland produces

two hormones involved in
fertility/reproduction:
⚫ follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
⚫ luteinizing hormone (LH).
What is puberty?

• Puberty is the stage of human growth and development in which a

person is physically mature.

Secondary sexual characteristics

Males Females
Facial hair starts to grow. Hair Hair appears in the pubic region
appears in the pubic region and and under armpits.
under armpits.
The penis and testicles increase The breasts and uterus enlarge.
in size.
Larynx enlarges and voice Hips broaden.
deepens.
Production of sperm starts. Menstruation and ovulation start.
 The menstrual cycle

• A sign of puberty for a female is usually the monthly discharge of

blood or menses from the uterus via the vagina. This is called
menstruation.

• Menstrual cycle is the cycle of events that takes place in the

female reproductive organs every month. The average menstrual
cycle is 28 days, but this can vary.

• As a female ages, the ovaries will eventually stop releasing eggs

and the menstrual cycle will stop. This is called menopause.
Menopause usually takes place between 45 and 55 years of age.
 WHAT IS THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE?
• The menstrual cycle is a recurring process that
takes around 28 days.
• The 28 days is an average, and it is very dependent each
individual female
• During the process, the lining of the uterus is
prepared for pregnancy.
• Fertilization of the sperm to the egg will form a
zygote, which will eventually develop into an embryo
But…
• If there is no fertilization and if implantation of the
fertilised egg into the uterus lining does not happen,
the lining is then shed.
• This is known as menstruation
• It occurs as the first part of the cycle and is known
as a PERIOD
FEMALE SEX HORMONES CONTROL THE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Pituitary gland secretes LH and FSH. This

stimulates the development of the follicles

The developing follicle secrete oestrogen

continuously and this causes the lining of the
uterus wall to become thicker

When the follicle matures, it secretes a large

amount of oestrogen and this causes a surge in
the LH and FSH levels. High LH level causes
ovulation

The empty follicle becomes a corpus luteum. The

corpus luteum secretes progesterone which
makes the lining of uterus wall thicker, in case if
fertilisation occurs until the embryo is implanted
and the placenta forms. The placenta takes over
the corpus luteum role to secrete progesterone

If fertilisation does not occur, the corpus luteum

degenerates. Progesterone is not secreted
anymore, so the lining of the uterus wall breaks
down (menstruation)
What are the changes in a follicle during the menstrual cycle?

Section of a human ovary showing changes in one follicle during a menstrual cycle
 ROLE OF THE HORMONES IN THE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE

If a woman becomes
pregnant,the placenta produces progesterone.
This maintains the lining of the uterus during
pregnancy and means that menstruation does not
happen.
 MATING INTRODUCES SPERM INTO
THE VAGINA

❑ Sperms are pushed out of the penis into the vagina. This is due to the muscular
contraction in the walls of the tubes containing the sperm.
❑ The wave of contraction begins in the testis, to the sperm ducts and into the
penis.
❑ Fluid containing sperm is called semen.
❑ Ejaculation deposits semen in the vagina.
 FERTILISATION HAPPENS IN THE
OVIDUCT
❑ Pathway of the sperm in the female body:

Vagina Cervix Uterus Oviduct

 Mating or sexual intercourse
• When a male’s penis is placed inside the vagina of a female, this is known as mating, or sexual intercourse.

Fertilisation

Fertilisation
FERTILISATION HAPPENS IN THE
OVIDUCT

Fusion of the nucleus of the sperm and the nucleus of an egg

 How does the embryo develop after fertilisation?
Implantation Development of placenta and amniotic sac

Early stages of embryo development Placenta and amniotic sac development in the uterus
 THE ZYGOTE IMPLANTS IN THE
UTERUS WALL

One successful sperm

penetrates the membrane
of the egg. Fusion of the
sperm’s nucleus and the
ovum’s nucleus occurs
(fertilisation) The zygote moves
down the fallopian
tube into the
uterus

The zygote forms

a ball of cells, the
embryo
After fertilisation, a
One mature egg
zygote is formed. It
is released by
the ovary into then undergoes
repeated cell
the oviduct
division The embryo is implanted
(ovulation)
inside the lining of uterine
wall (implantation). A
placenta forms around the
implanted embryo

Ovulation, fertilisation and implantation of embryo

 THE EMBRYO LIFE-SUPPORT
SYSTEM IS ITS PLACENTA
❑ As the embyro grows, a placenta also
grows, which attaches it to the wall of the
uterus.
❑ The placenta has finger-like projections
called villi that fit closely into the uterus
wall.
❑ After 11 weeks, the embryo has
developed into a fetus which is joined to
the placenta by the umbilical cord.
❑ In the placenta are capillaries filled with
the fetus’s blood. In the wall of the uterus
are large spaces filled with the mother’s
blood.
❑ Although separated, the mother’s and
fetus’s blood are brought very close
together because the wall of the placenta
is very thin.
❑ The mother’s and fetus’s blood meet at the placenta and exchange
substances.

Nutrients and
oxygen diffuse Fetus’s Fetus
Umbilical
from the mother’s blood in the
blood in the cord
placenta
placenta

Waste products
and carbon Mother’s
dioxide diffuse Mother’s
blood in the
from the fetus’s vein
placenta
blood in the
placenta
 What are the functions of the placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic fluid?

Placenta
• 1) Allows oxygen,
dissolved food
substances and
Allows waste or
excretory products
to diffuse from the Amniotic fluid
fetus’ blood to the • Supports the fetus
mother’s blood. before birth.
• 2) protective 1) Protects the fetus
antibodies to diffuse against physical injury.
from the mother’s 2) Allows the fetus a
blood to the fetus’ certain degree of
blood. movement.
• 3) Produces 3) Provide warmth.
progesterone. 4) Lubricates and
reduces friction in the
vagina during birth.
 AMNIOTIC FLUID FUNCTION
• Maintains temperature→ The fluid keeps the baby’s surroundings at a constant, warm
temperature, protecting it from sudden changes in the mother’s body temperature.
• Mechanical protection (shock absorber)→ The fluid acts like a cushion, protecting the baby
from bumps or pressure if the mother moves or is lightly hit in the abdomen.
• Provides support for the fetus→ The baby “floats” in the fluid, so it’s not pressed against the
uterus wall. This helps prevent physical damage and allows the baby to grow evenly.
• Provides a sterile environment / prevents infections→ The amniotic sac forms a sealed
barrier around the baby, protecting it from bacteria and infections.
• Allows movement of the fetus→ The baby can move freely in the fluid — important for
muscle and bone development.
• Swallowing of fluid→ The fetus swallows some of the fluid, which helps develop its digestive
system.
• Lubrication→ The fluid helps prevent parts of the body (like fingers and toes) from sticking
together before birth.
• Amniotic sac is A thin, double-layered membrane that surrounds the fetus. It forms a sealed
bag. It holds the amniotic fluid and protects the fetus from germs (creates a sterile
environment).
❑ Although useful substances can diffuse from mother’s blood to fetus’s blood, some
harmful substances can too.
• For example,
nicotine, carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke, alcohol, drugs and viruses.
 AN AMNION PROTECTS THE FETUS

❑ The fetus is surrounded by a strong membrane called the amnion.

❑ The amniotic fluid which gives 1) warmth,
2) reduces friction to facilitate movement and 3) protect the fetus.
❑ Birth begins when the strong muscles in
the uterus wall contract. This called labour.
❑ Due to the strong contraction, the cervix widens. When the cervix is wide
enough, the contraction will push the baby down the cervix and the vagina.
The fetal blood system is separated from the maternal blood system

Section showing fetus in the uterus

 HIV C AN BE TRANSMITTED
DURING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE

❑ AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is caused by HIV (human

immunodeficiency virus).
❑ HIV can only reproduce inside a host cell.
❑ AIDS can only be transmitted by direct contact of your body fluid and the body
fluid of someone with the virus.
 What is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)?
Modes of transmission
• Sexual intercourse with an infected person
• Sharing hypodermic needles with an infected Prevention and control
person • Keep to one sex partner.
• Blood transfusion with blood from an infected • Males should wear a condom if they are not sure
person whether their partner(s) or themselves are infected
• During pregnancy, the virus may pass from the with HIV.
infected mother to the fetus. • Do not share instruments that are likely to break the
skin and be contaminated with blood.
• Go to reliable operators if you require acupuncture
treatment, ear-piercing or tattooing.