Reproductive System ● Interstitial cells- surround the

seminiferous tubules and produce

androgens- the most important of
Anatomy of the Male Reproductive
which is testosterone.
System
● Testes- Primary reproductive organ
which has both exocrine Duct System
(sperm-producing) and endocrine The accessory organs forming the male
(testosterone producing) function. duct system are the epididymis, ductus
● The accessory reproductive deferens, and urethra.
structures are ducts or glands that
aid in the delivery of sperm to the
body exterior or the female
reproductive tract.

Testes
it is connected to the trunk via the
spermatic cord, a connective tissue sheath
that encloses blood vessels, nerves, and
the ductus deferens.
● Tunica albuginea (white coat)-
surrounds each testis.
● Each lobule contains one to four Epididymis
tightly coiled seminiferous tubules. ● cup-shaped, and is a highly
● Seminiferous tubules- are the convoluted tube that hugs the
actual sperm forming factories. posterior side of the testis.
● Seminiferous tubules of each lobule ● The epididymis is the first part of
empty sperm into another set of the male duct system and provides
tubules, the rete testis. a temporary storage site for the
● Sperm travel through the rete testis immature sperm.
to enter the first part of the duct ● While the sperm make their way
system, the epididymis, which along the torturous course of the
hugs the external surface of the epididymis (a trip that takes about
testis. 20 days), they mature, developing
the ability to swim.
● When a man is sexually stimulated
and ejaculates, the walls of the
epididymis contract to expel the
sperm into the next part of the duct
system, the ductus deferens.

●
Ductus Deferens (vas deferens)
● runs upward from the epididymis
via the spermatic cord through the
inguinal canal into the pelvic cavity
and arches over the superior aspect
of the urinary bladder.
● The ductus deferens then loops
medially over the ureter and
descends along the posterior
bladder wall.
Ampulla- the end of ductus deferens
● After the ductus deferens expands
as the ampulla it then empties into
the ejaculatory duct.
● After it empties into the ejaculatory
duct it then passes through the
prostate to merge with the urethra.

The main function of the ductus deferens

is to propel live sperm from their storage
sites-the epididymis and the distal part of Accessory Glands and Semen
the ductus deferens- into the urethra. ● Accessory glands include paired
Scrotum- a skin sac that hangs outside the seminal vesicles, prostate, and
body cavity and holds the testes, it also has paired bulbourethral glands.
parts of the vas deferens.
Seminal Vesicles
● They are located at the base of the
Urethra bladder.
● The urethra which extends from ● These large hollow glands, each
the base of the urinary bladder to produce 60% of seminal fluid, the
the tip of the penis is the terminal fluid portion of semen.
part of the male duct system. ● Their thick, yellowish secretion is
● It has three named regions: rich in sugar, vitamin c,
❖ Prostatic urethra- prostaglandins, and other
surrounded by the prostate substances that nourish and
gland. activate the sperm passing through
❖ Membranous urethra- the tract.
spanning the distance from ● The seminal vesicles join the ductus
the prostatic urethra to the deferens on the same side to form
penis. the ejaculatory duct.
● Thus sperm and seminal fluid enter
❖ Spongy urethra- running the urethra together during
within the length of the ejaculation.
penis and opening of the
body exterior via the
external urethral orifice.
Prostate ● Semen also contains antibiotic
● The prostate is a single chemicals that destroy certain
doughnut-shaped gland. bacteria, the hormone relaxin,
● It encircles the upper (prostatic) enzymes that enhance sperm
part of the urethra just inferior to motility, and substances that inhibit
the urinary bladder . an immune response in the female
● Prostate fluid is milky and plays a reproductive tract.
role in activating sperm. ● Semen also dilute sperm; without
● During ejaculation, the fluid enters such dilution, sperm motility is
the urethra through several small severely impaired. The amount of
ducts. semen propelled out of the male
● Because the prostate is located duct system during ejaculation is
immediately anterior to the rectum, relatively small, only 2 to 5 ml, but
its size and texture can be felt by there are between 50 and 150
digital (finger) examination million sperm in each milliliter.
through the anterior rectal wall.
External Genitalia
Bulbourethral Glands ● The external genitalia includes the
● They are tiny, pea-sized glands scrotum and the penis.
inferior to the prostate gland.
● They produce thick, clear mucus Scrotum
that drains into the penile urethra. ● It is a divided sac of skin with sparse
● This secretion is the first to pass hairs that hangs outside the
down the urethra when a man abdominal cavity, between the legs
becomes sexually excited. at the root of the penis.
● It cleanses and serves as a lubricant ● Viable sperm cannot be produced
during sexual intercourse. at normal body temperature. The
scrotum provides a temperature of
Semen about 3 degrees celsius lower,
● It’s a milky white sticky mixture of which is necessary for the
semen and accessory organ production of healthy sperm.
secretions. ● When the external temperature is
● The liquid portion acts as a very cold, the scrotum becomes
transport medium for nutrients and heavily wrinkled as it pulls the
chemicals that protect the sperm testes close to the warmth of the
and aid their movement. body wall.
● The fructose in seminal vesicle
secretions provides essentially all of Penis
their energy fuels. ● The penis functions to deliver
● Sperm are very sluggish under sperm into the female reproductive
acidic conditions. tract.
● The alkalinity of semen as a whole ● The skin-covered penis consists of a
helps neutralize the acidic shaft, which ends in an enlarged
environment of the female vagina, tip, the glans penis.
protecting the delicate sperm.
 ● The skin covering the penis is loose, From puberty on, each division of a
and it folds down to form a sleeve spermatogonium produces one stem cell,
of skin, the prepuce or foreskin. called type a daughter cell, and another
● Internally, the spongy urethra is cell called a type b daughter cell.
surrounded by three elongated
areas of erectile tissue, a spongy ● The type of cell remains at the
tissue that fills with blood during tubule periphery to maintain the
sexual excitement, this causes the stem cell population.
penis to enlarge and become rigid. ● The type b cell gets pushed toward
This event is called erection, which the tubule lumen, where it
helps the penis serve as the male becomes a primary spermatocyte
organ of copulation to deliver the destined to undergo meiosis and
semen into the female reproductive form four sperm.
tract.

Male reproductive Functions

● The chief role of the male
reproductive process is to produce
sperm and the hormone
testosterone.

Spermatogenesis
● Also known as sperm production
● It begins during puberty and
continues throughout life.
● A man can make millions of sperm
daily, but only one can fertilize an
egg.
● The process of sperm development
starts with primitive stem cells
called spermatogonia, found in the
outer edge, or periphery, of each
tubule.
● Spermatogonia go through rapid
mitotic divisions to build up the
stem cell line.
● From birth until puberty, all such
divisions simply produce more
stem cells.
● During puberty, however,
follicle-stimulating hormone
(FSH), is secreted in increasing
amounts by the anterior pituitary
gland.
Meiosis Spermiogenesis
● Is a special type of nuclear division ● It is the last stage of sperm
that occurs for the most part only in development.
the gonads. ● All the excess cytoplasm is removed
● It differs from mitosis in two major and what remains is compacted
ways. into, the three regions of the
● Meiosis consists of two successive mature sperm- the head, midpiece,
divisions of the nucleus (called and tail.
meiosis I and meiosis II), instead of ● The sperm head is the nucleus and
only one decision. contains compacted DNA, the
● It results in four daughter cells or genetic material.
gametes. ● Acrosome- it is helmet-like and lies
● Spermatids- is what gametes are Anterior to the nucleus, which is
called during spermatogenesis. produced by the Golgi apparatus
● Spermatids have only half as much and is similar to a large lysosome.
genetic material as other body cells. ● When sperm comes into close
● In humans, this is 23 chromosomes contact with an egg, the acrosomal
rather than the usual 46. membrane breaks down and
● When the sperm and the egg unite, releases enzymes that help the
forming the fertilized egg, or sperm penetrate the capsule of
zygote, the normal 2n number of 46 follicle cells that surround the egg.
chromosomes is reestablished and ● Filaments that form the tail, arise
is maintained in subsequent body from centrioles in the midpiece.
cells by the process of mitosis. ● Mitochondria wrapped tightly
around these filaments provide the
As meiosis occurs, the dividing cells ATP needed for the whiplike
(primary and secondary spermatocytes) movements of the tail that propel
are pushed toward the lumen of the the sperm along the female
tubule. reproductive tract.

The spermatids, produced by meiosis, are The entire process from the formation of
not functional sperm. They are nonmotile immature sperm in the tubule lumen
and have too much excess baggage to takes 64 to 72 days. But sperm in the
function well in reproduction. lumen is still unable to swim and so are
● They must undergo further still incapable of fertilizing an egg.
changes, in which their excess
cytoplasm is stripped away and a They are moved by peristalsis through the
tail is formed. tubules of the testes into the epididymis.
Thus they undergo further maturation,
which results in increased motility and
fertilizing power.
 ● Enlargement of skeletal muscles to
produce the heavier muscle mass
typical of the male physique.
● The increased heaviness of the
skeleton due to bone growth in
both size and density,

Testosterone is also often referred to as

masculinizing hormone.
● Luteinizing hormone- stimulates
testosterone production
● Follicle Stimulating hormone-
stimulates sperm production.

Anatomy of the Female

Reproductive System
Testosterone Production ● Ovaries are the primary female
The interstitial cells produce testosterone, reproductive organ.
the most important hormonal product of ● The female gametes are the ova
the testes. ● Ovaries produce exocrine ( eggs)
● The seminiferous tubules are being and endocrine (estrogens and
prodded by FSH to produce sperm, progesterone) products.
the interstitial cells are being
Ovaries
activated by luteinizing hormone
● They have the same shape as
(LH), which is also released by the
almonds but are twice as large.
anterior pituitary gland.
● Ovarian follicles- the sac-like
● Testosterone is produced
structure found inside the ovary.
continuously (more or less) for the
❖ Each follicle consists of an
rest of a man’s life.
immature egg called an
● The rising blood level of
oocyte,
testosterone in the young man
● Follicle cells- layers that surround
stimulates the adolescent growth
the oocyte
spurt, prompts his reproductive
❖ As a developing egg within
organs to develop to their adult
a follicle begins to ripen or
size, underlies the sex drive, and
mature, the follicle enlarges
causes the male secondary sex
and develops a fluid-filled
characteristics to appear.
central region called an
antrum.
Secondary sex characteristics- in males
❖ At this stage, the follicle,
are features included in nonreproductive
called a vesicular follicle or
organs by sex hormones.
Graafian follicle is mature,
● Deepening of the voice as the
and the developing egg is
larynx enlarges
ready to be ejected from the
● Increased hair growth all over the
ovary, an event called
body, particularly in the axillary and
ovulation.
pubic regions and on the face.
 ● As an oocyte is expelled from an
● The Corpus luteum - is the end ovary during ovulation, the fimbriae
product of the ruptured follicle create fluid currents that carry the
during ovulation. oocyte into the uterine tube.
❖ The corpus luteum ● The oocyte is carried toward the
eventually degenerates. uterus by a combination of
peristalsis and the rhythmic
● Suspensory ligaments - secures beating of cilia.
the ovaries to the lateral walls of the ● The journey to the uterus takes
pelvis about 3-4 days and the oocyte is
● Ovarian ligaments- anchor the viable for at most 24 hours after
uterus medially ovulation The usual site of
● Broad ligament- a fold of fertilization is the uterine tube.
peritoneum that encloses the ● To reach the oocyte the sperm
ovaries and holds in place in must swim upward through the
between. vagina and uterus to reach the
uterine tubes.
Duct System
● The uterine tubes, uterus, and Uterus
vagina form the duct system of the ● Is located in the pelvis between the
female reproductive tract. urinary bladder and rectum.
● It is a hollow organ that functions
Uterine Tubes to receive, retain, and nourish a
● They are also called fallopian tubes fertilized egg.
● They form the initial part of the ● During pregnancy, the uterus
duct system increases tremendously in size and
● They receive the ovulated oocyte during the latter part of pregnancy
and provide a site where can be felt above the umbilicus.
fertilization can occur. ● The uterus is suspended in the
● Like the ovaries, the uterine tubes pelvis by the broad ligament and
are enclosed and supported by the anchored anteriorly and posteriorly
broad ligament. by the round ligaments and
● There is little to no contact between uterosacral ligaments.
uterine tubes and the ovaries.
infundibulum- expands as funnel-shaped
and the distal end of each uterine tube
Fimbriae- fingerlike projections of the
uterine tubes
 ● However, its durability varies in
some women, it is torn during a
sports activity, tampon insertion, or
pelvic examination.
● Occasionally, it is so tough that it
must be surgically ruptured if
intercourse is to occur.

External Genitalia
● Also called the vulva
● It includes the
❖ Mons pubis
❖ Labia
❖ Clitoris
❖ Urethral and vaginal orifices
❖ Greater vestibular glands
● Body- major portion of the uterus
● Fundus- the rounded region Female Reproductive Functions and
superior to the entrance of the Cycles
uterine tubes
● Cervix-the narrow outlet which
extends inferiorly into the vagina.
The thick wall of the uterus is composed of
three layers.
● Endometrium-
❖ the inner layer of mucosa.
❖ If fertilization occur, the
fertilized egg burrows into
the endometrium
(implantation)
Vagina
● The vagina is a thin walled tube
● It lies between the bladder and
rectum and extends from the
cervix to the body exterior ‘
● It is often called the birth canal
● Hymen
❖ It is the distal end of the
vagina
❖ It is partially closed by a thin
fold of mucosa.
❖ The hymen is very vascular
and tends to bleed when its
ruptured during the first
sexual intercourse.