Male Reproductive System

• FUNCTIONS - production and transport of

male gametes (sperm cell) - production of
male sex hormone androgen of which
testosterone is the most important
• GONADS - sexual reproductive organ that
produces gametes and sex hormones
• - male gonad = testis
• GAMETES - germinal cells
• - male gametes = sperm cells/spermatozoa
 Component Organs
External
• 1. Scrotum – external sac containing the testis,
epididymis and part of vas deferens
• wall is made up of loose skin and superficial fascia
• wrinkled appearance due to the presence of the
dartos muscle
• contraction of the dartos muscle helps regulate the
temperature of the testis
– cold temperature – scrotum is pulled up closer to the
body
– warm temperature – scrotum hangs loosely
• temperature 2-3oC lower than the body is required
for production of viable sperm cells.
Parts of the penis:
• 1. body – made up of 3 cylindrical masses of
erectile tissues.
• a. corpora cavernosa penis
– two in number
– dorsolateral
– contain vascular cavities called venous
sinusoids
• b. corpus spongiosum
– ventrally located
– contains the spongy urethra
2. root – proximal portion
• a. bulb – expanded base of the corpora
cavernosa
– covered by bulbospongiosus muscle
– contraction will aid ejection of urine or seminal
fluid
• b. crura – two tapered portions of the corpora
cavernosa
– covered by ischiocavernosus muscle
– contraction maintains erection of the penis
• 3. glans penis – expanded distal end of
the corpora spongiosa
– contains multiple nerve endings
– urethra at this portion enlarges and form the
fossa navicularis and terminates on the
urethral orifice
– prepuce / foreskin folds forward over the
glans (removed during circumcision)
 Internal Organs
• 1. Testis- testicles
• Fetal development
– scrotum descends from the abdominal cavity
into the scrotal sac.
– As it descends, it is partially covered by a
portion of theperitoneum which will become the
tunica vaginalis
– subdivided by the tunica albuginea into lobules
– each lobule contain seminiferous tubules
• Important cells in the testis
• a. spermatogenic cells
– sperm-forming cells
• b. sustentacular cell/ sertoli cell
– * supports and protects spermatogenic cells
• c. interstitial cells of Leydig
– * endocrine cells found in the space in between
the seminiferous tubules
– * secrete male sex hormone androgen of which
testosterone is the most important
2. Male reproductive duct –
passageway of sperm
A. Epididymis - comma
shaped organ about 4 cm
long that lies along the
posterior bodies of each
testes
A. made up of the tightly coiled
ductus epididymis
• 1. head – superior portion
• joins the ductus efferentis
• 2. body – narrow midpart
• 3. tail – inferior portion
• continuous with the
ductus deferens
• Functions:
• a.1. site of sperm maturation – mobility
and ability to penetrate ovum – occur over
10-14 day period
• a.2. storage of sperm cells
• a.3. propels sperm into the vas deferens
by peristaltic contraction
• B. Ductus deferens /vas deferens
• - dilated continuation of ductus
epididymis
• - about 45 cm long
• - passes through the inguinal
canal to reach the
abdominopelvic cavity
• - loops over the ureter, passes
over the side and down the
posterior surface of the urinary
bladder.
• - joins duct of seminal vesicle to
form ejaculatory duct
• - dilated terminal end is called
ampulla.
• Functions:
• 1. storage of sperm cells.
• 2. convey sperm cell from epididymis to the
ejaculatory
• duct & urethra by peristaltic contraction of
its muscular
• coat.
• 3. sperm cells that are not ejaculated are
eventually
• reabsorbed by it.
• C. Ejaculatory duct
• - about 2 cm long
• - formed by the union of
the duct of ampulla of
ductus deferens and the
duct of the seminal vesicle
• - terminates in the
prostatic urethra
• D. Urethra
• - in males, it serves as
passageway of both urine and
semen
• - about 20 cm long made up of:
• 1. prostatic urethra - 2-3cm long
• - widest and most dilatable part
• - traverses prostate gland
• 2 .membranous urethra – 1cm
long
• - shortest part
• - traverses urogenital diaphragm
• 3. spongy urethra -15-20 cm
long
• - longest part
• - traverses the corpus
spongiosum of the penis
Accessory Sex Glands
• A. Seminal Vesicles
• - about 5 cm long
• - convoluted pouch-like
structure lying posterior
to base of the urinary
bladder and anterior to
rectum
• - secretions – normally
constitute 60% of
volume of semen
• 1. alkaline viscous fluid
• - neutralizes acidic environment of male urethra and
female reproductive tract that otherwise would
inactivate and kill sperm cell
• - contains fructose (monosaccharide sugar) - source
of energy of sperm
• 2. prostaglandin
• - contribute to sperm mobility and viability
• - stimulate smooth muscle contraction of female
reproductive tract
• 3. clotting protein
• - different from blood clotting protein
• - coagulate sperm after ejaculation
• B. Prostate Gland
• - located inferior to the
urinary bladder
• - surrounds the
prostatic urethra
• - can contract like a
sponge and squeeze
its secretion through
tiny openings into the
urethra
Secretions – milky, slightly
acidic fl uid; pH6.5
• 1. citric acid – for ATP
production energy of sperm
• 2. acid phosphatase –
unknown function
• 3. proteolytic enzyme –
breakdown clotting protein
secreted by seminal vesicles
• - has 5 lobes :
• 1. anterior
• 2. posterior – usually affected
by prostatic cancer
• 3. middle – usually affected by
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
• 4. 2 lateral lobes
C. Bulbourethral Glands/Cowper’s
glands
• - paired; about the shape and size
of a pea
• - located inferior to the prostate
gland - one on each side of the
membranous urethra
• - embedded in the urogenital
diaphragm
• - ducts open into the penile urethra
• - secretion – produced during
sexual arousal
• a. alkaline fl uid- neutralizes acid
from urine in the urethra
• b. mucus- lubricates end of penis
and lining of the urethra thus
decreasing number of sperm
damaged during ejaculation.
• SEMEN
• - mixture of sperm and seminal fl uid
• - volume per typical ejaculation = 2.5-5 ml with 50-150 millions
sperms/ml of semen (roughly 300-500 million sperm)
• - slightly alkaline – 7.2-7.7
• - contains seminal plasmin (naturally occurring in the semen), an
antibiotic that destroys certain bacteria in the lower female
reproductive duct once ejaculated, semen coagulates in 5 mins
due to the presence of clotting protein from seminal vesicles.
• - about 10-20 mins, it liquefi es due to PSA (prostate specifi c
antigen) and other proteolytic enzymes produced by the prostate
gland.
• - abnormal or delayed liquefaction of clotted semen may cause
complete or partial immobilization of sperm thereby inhibiting
their movementthrough the cervix of uterus.
• Components:
• 1. Seminal Fluid
• - secretion from the accessory organs
• - prostatic secretion that gives the semen
its milky-white appearance
• - secretions from the seminal vesicle and
bulbourethral glands gives it a sticky
appearance
• SPERM CELL
• - 70 um in length; viable in about
72 hours
• - made up of :
• a. head contains the:
• 1. acrosome which has
lysosome-like vesicles
containing enzymes which aid in
penetration of the zona pellucida
in the 2° oocyte
• 2. nucleus – contains 23
chromosomes (haploid number)
• b. mid-piece – made up of many
mitochondria that supplies ATP
to provide energy for movement
• c. tail – typical fl agellum for
motility
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
• FUNCTIONS :
• 1. production and transport of ovum
• 2. production of female sex hormones
• - progesterone
• - estrogen
• - relaxin
• - inhibin
• 3. nurture of the developing zygote
• PERINEUM
• - diamond-shaped area medial to the thigh
and buttocks of male and female genitalia
• - contains the male and female external
genitalia and anus
• COMPONENT ORGANS
• I. EXTERNAL GENITALIA/VULVA/
PUDENDUM
• – sex characteristics of female found at
the perineum
• 1. MONS PUBIS
• - elevation/mound of fatty
tissue that covers the
symphysis pubis
• - at puberty, it is covered with
coarse pubic hair. Unlike the
male pubichair which may
extend in a thin line up to the
navel, female pubic hair
upper limit lines horizontally
across the lower abdomen
• 2. LABIA MAJORA - (labium majus
– singular form)
• - two longitudinal folds of skin just
below the mons pubis which form
the lateral border of the vulva
• - pudendal cleft – space enclosed
by the labia majora
• - covered by pubic hair on the
outer side
• - made up of :
• - abundant adipose/fatty tissue
• - sebaceous (oil) gland
• - apocine sudoriferous (sweat)
gland
• - homologous to the scrotum
• 3. LABIA MINORA -(labium
minus –singular form)
• - 2 smaller folds of skin
within the pudendal cleft
• - no pubic hair and fat
• - few sudoriferous (sweat)
gland
• - many sebaceous glands
• - vestibule – space enclosed
by the labia minora
structures found within the vestibule
• a. clitoris
• b. external urethral orifice (meatus
located below the clitoris
• c. paraurethral (skene’s gland) –
located on either side of the external
urethral orifice
• - secretes mucus
• - homologous to prostate gland
• d. vaginal orifi ce / introitus – located
below external
• urethral meatus
• - guarded by a highly vascularized
thinmembrane called hymen
• e. greater vestibular gland (Bartholins
gland)
• - located on either side of vaginal orifi
ce
• anteriorly, labia minora
splits into 2 folds
around the clitoris
• 1. prepuce – junction
of the labia minora
above the clitoris
• 2. frenulum – junction
of the labia minora
below the clitoris
• 4. CLITORIS
• - a small cylindrical mass of
erectile tissue located at the
anterior junction of the labia
minora
• - contains many nerve endings
• - has corpora cavernosa that
fills with blood during sexual
arousal causing clitoris to
enlarge
• - glans- sensitive exposed
portion
• - homologous to the glans penis
Internal Genitalia
• A. Vagina
• - fibromuscular canal from the extension of the uterine cervix
• - lined by mucous membrane
• - with series of transverse folds called rugae
• - hymen – thin fold of vascularized mucous membrane
partially blocking the orifice
• - acidic pH helps prevent proliferation of harmful bacteria
• - it forms recess called (fornices) –anterior, lateral, and
posterior as it connects to the uterus
• - it contains the cervix at the vaginal vault (fornix)
• functions:
• 1. organ of copulation – receives penis
during sexual intercourse
• 2. passageway of fetus during childbirth
• 3. outlet for menstrual fl ow
• B. Uterus / womb (Hyster / metrium)
• - organ of gestation - houses & nourishes the
developing embryo
• - hollow, muscular organ located posterior to
the urinary bladder & anterior to the rectum
• - leans over the bladder at almost right angles
to the vagina (anteverted)
• Parts of uterus:
• a. fundus – dome-shaped upper portion above
attachment of fallopian tube
• b. body – tapering middle portion
• - uterine cavity – interior of the body of uterus; usually
• c. isthmus – a constricted region between body and
cervix
• d. cervix – inferior portion that is projected into
vaginalvault
• - internal os (mouth-like opening) – opening into
theuterine cavity
• - external os - opening into the vaginal cavity
• - cervical canal – connects the internal and external os
• Layers of the Uterus
• 1. Perimetrium – (peri-around; metrium-
uterus)
• - outer serosal layer
• - anteriorly, it covers the urinary bladder &
forms a shallow vesicouterine pouch
• - posteriorly, it covers the rectum & forms a
deep rectouterine pouch or pouch of
Douglas
• 2. Myometrium– myo-muscle
• - middle muscular layer
• - thickest at the fundus and thinnest in the
cervix
• - during labor and childbirth, coordinated
contractions of the myometrium in response
to oxytocin from posterior pituitary gland
helps expel the fetus at childbirth
• - capable of stretching during pregnancy to
accommodate one or more growing fetus
• - contracts also during orgasm
• 3. Endometrium
• - innermost layer
• - specialized mucous membrane
• - highly vascularized
• - contains the endometrial glands
• - every month, estrogen & progesterone build up the
endometrium in preparation for the implantation of
the fertilized ovum
• - if pregnancy does not occur, menstruation (mensis-
month) ensures breakdown of endometrium
• divided into 2 layers
• a. stratum functionalis – sloughs of during
• menstruation
• - expelled along with blood and glandular
secretion
• b. stratum basalis – basal layers
• - permanent layer underneath stratum
functionalis
• - regenerates the give rise to stratum
functionalis after each menstruation
• Ligaments that place the uterus in position inside the
pelvic cavity:
• 1. broad ligament – double fold of peritoneum
attaching uterus on either
• side to the pelvic wall
• 2. round ligament – located just below the entrance of
uterine tube; keeps uterus tilted forward over the
bladder
• 3. uterosacral ligament – connect uterus to the
sacrum
• 4. cardinal ligament – connects cervix & vagina to
lateral pelvic wall
• C. Uterine tubes/Fallopian tubes/Salphinx/Oviducts
• - extend laterally from the superolateral angle of the
uterus
• - lie between folds of the broad ligaments of the
uterus
• FUNCTIONS:
• - provides a route for sperm to reach an ovum
• - transport secondary oocyte from ovary to the
ampulla of the uterine tube
• - site of degeneration of unfertilized oocyte
• - transport fertilized ovum to be implanted in the
endometrium of the uterus
• PARTS:
• a. interstitial/intramural – inside uterine wall
• b. Isthmus - short or narrow, more medial thick-
walled portion lateral to the interstitial part
• c. ampulla –widest, longest portion making up about
the lateral 2/3 of the oviduct
• - common site of fertilization
• d. infundibulum – funnel-shaped distal portion; ends
in a fringe of fingerlike projections called fimbriae
• D. Ovary (oophoron)
• - paired; somewhat flattened
bodies about the size & shape of
unshelled almonds
• - located one on either side of the
uterus
• Ligaments that hold the ovary in
position in the pelvic cavity:
• [Link] – part of the broad
ligament of the uterus that covers
the ovary
• [Link] ligament – anchors
ovaries to the uterus
• [Link] ligament – attaches
ovaries to the pelvic wall
• Histological
feature:
• Made up of 2
regions:
• 1. ovarian cortex
– outer area
• - contain follicles
at various stage
of development
• 2. ovarian
medulla - inner
area
• FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE:
• - encompasses the ovarian and uterine
cycles, the hormonal changes
• that regulate them, and cyclical changes in
the breast and cervix
• a. Ovarian cycle
• - series of events associated with the
maturation of an oocyte.
• b. Uterine menstrual cycle
• - series of changes in the endometrium of
the uterus.
Hormonal regulation:
• • uterine and ovarian cycle are controlled by
gonodotropin
• releasing hormones (GnRH) from the hypothalamus.
GnRH
• stimulates the release of FSH and LH from the anterior
pituitary gland:
• 1. follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
• - stimulates the initial secretion of estrogen by the
growing follicles.
• 2. luteinizing hormone (LH)
• - stimulates the further development of the ovarian
follicle and their full secretion of estrogen
• - causes ovulation
• - promotes formation of corpus luteum that produces
progesterone
• 3. Estrogen
• - secreted by the follicular cells promotes the
development and maintenance of female
reproductive structures, secondary sex
characteristics and the breast
• 4. Progesterone
• - secreted mainly by cells of the corpus
luteum and acts synergistically with estrogen
to prepare the endometrium for implantation
of the fertilized ovum and the mammary
glands for milk secretion.
• PHASES OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE
CYCLE
• - Duration of the female reproductive cycle
typically is 24-35 days.
• - has 3 phases:
• a. menstrual phase
• b. pre-ovulatory phase
• c. postovulatory phase
• C. Ovulation
• - the rupture of the mature (Graaffi an)
follicle with the release of thesecondary
oocytes into the pelvic cavity; usually
occurs on day 14 in a 28-day cycle
• - after ovulation, the mature follicle in the
ovary collapses. Blood within it forms a clot
due to minor bleeding during rupture of the
follicle forming the corpus hemorrhagicum
• D. Postovulatory Phase
• - the most constant in duration and lasts for
14 days from day 15 to 28
• - time between ovulation and onset of the
next menses
• - after ovulation LH secretion stimulates the
remnant of the mature follicle to develop into
the corpus luteum
• - the corpus luteum secretes increasing
quantities of progesterone and some
estrogen
Mammary Gland
END OF LECTURE