Study Guide
Chapter 31: Reproductive System
Too Many Multiples? The birth of octuplets raises questions about the fertility business.
Driving Question 1:
What is the anatomy of the male and female reproductive tracts, and how
does the anatomy contribute to the function of the reproductive system?
Why should you care?
Considering how much of our sense of self is connected to our gender, it's surprising how
little many people know about the human reproductive system and their own body.
Understanding what the reproductive organs do and where they are is the first step toward
taking an active role in your reproductive health. Even if you are not a woman, it is
important to understand the female reproductive system, if only because it will give you
more empathy with 50% of the people you encounter every day.
The male reproductive system is based on the female reproductive system; if no
androgen hormones are present in a human with X and Y chromosomes, that human will
most likely develop the reproductive features of a female. If you consider this fact, it is
easier to understand the male reproductive system. For example, if you consider that the
testes and vasa deferentia (pl. of vas deferens) are analogous to the ovaries and oviducts
in women, the roundabout route that the vas deferens makes from testis to urethra makes
a little more sense. Overall, the reasons for learning about the male reproductive system
are the same as for the female reproductive system: you should know how each system
works both to control your reproductive health and to be sympathetic with the health
concerns of all sexes.
A fertile man produces millions of sperm cells per day. The image of sperm racing each
other toward the egg has become a trite joke, but it is grounded in truth. Of the vast
number of sperm ejaculated, only the strongest hundred or fewer survive the race to the
egg, and only one will fertilize it. Understanding how fertilization works and where it
occurs is important knowledge for any responsible adult.
What should you know?
To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to
1. Identify and differentiate between the main parts and functions of the female
reproductive system.
2. Identify and differentiate between the main parts and functions of the male
reproductive system.
3. Describe the events that lead to fertilization.
Infographic Focus:
The infographics most pertinent to the Driving Question are 31.1, 31.2, and 31.3.
Test Your Vocabulary:
[OVARIES] a female reproductive organ in which ova or eggs are produced, present
in humans and other vertebrates as a pair
[ESTROGEN] any of a group of steroid hormones which promote the development
and maintenance of female characteristics of the body. Such hormones are also
produced artificially for use in oral contraceptives or to treat menopausal and
menstrual disorders.
[PROGESTERONE] a steroid hormone released by the corpus luteum that stimulates the
uterus to prepare for pregnancy.
[OVIDUCT] the tube through which an ovum or egg passes from an ovary.
[UTERUS] the organ in the lower body of a woman or female mammal where
offspring are conceived and in which they gestate before birth
[ENDOMETRIUM] the mucous membrane lining the uterus, which thickens during
the menstrual cycle in preparation for possible implantation of an embryo.
[TESTES (SINGULAR: TESTIS)] an organ which produces spermatozoa (male
reproductive cells
[SCROTUM] a pouch of skin containing the testicles
[TESTOSTERONE] A hormone made mainly in the testes
[SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES] any of the coiled threadlike tubules that make up the
bulk of the testis and are lined with a layer of epithelial cells from which the
spermatozoa are produced.
[EPIDIDYMIS] a highly convoluted duct behind the testis, along which sperm passes
to the vas deferens.
[VAS DEFERENS] the duct which conveys sperm from the testicle to the urethra.
[URETHRA] the duct by which urine is conveyed out of the body from the bladder,
and which in male vertebrates also conveys semen
[SEMEN] the male reproductive fluid, containing spermatozoa in suspension.
[VAGINA] the muscular tube leading from the external genitals to the cervix of the
uterus in women and most female mammals.
[CERVIX] the narrow passage forming the lower end of the uterus.
[FERTILIZATION] the action or process of fertilizing an egg, female animal, or
plant, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote
1. Identify and differentiate between the main parts and functions of the female
reproductive system.
Match a function from the list to the proper organ.
Organs:
● uterus
● ovary
● cervix
● vagina
● oviduct (Fallopian tube)
Functions:
● produces eggs and some sex hormones: ovary
● site of embryo implantation and fetal development: uterus
● controls passage of sperm as they travel to the egg: cervix
● entrance to the female reproductive tract: vagina
● site of fertilization and egg release: oviduct
2. Identify and differentiate between the main parts and functions of the male
reproductive system.
Match a function from the list to the proper organ.
Organs:
● penis
● epididymis
● urethra
● testis
● scrotum
● vas deferens
● seminiferous tubules
Functions:
● carries sperm to the urethra: vas deferens
● stores mature sperm: epididymis
● produces sperm and sex hormones: testis
● ducts that are the site of sperm development: seminiferous tubules
● carries sperm out of body: urethra
● delivers sperm to the female reproductive system: penis
● contains paired male sex organs: scrotum
3. Describe the events that lead to fertilization.
What is the first step in fertilization?
sperm preparation
Assuming that a viable egg is waiting in the oviduct, what path do sperm take to
reach it and fertilize it? Fill in the following boxes with the listed terms. Refer to
Infographics 31.2 and 31.3.
● oviduct(8)
● urethra(7)
● seminiferous tubules (4)
● cervix (2)
● epididymis (5)
● uterus (3)
● vas deferens(6)
● vagina (1)
Thought Question: Why is it important that only one sperm fertilize the egg?
Review Questions
1. Normally, eggs are fertilized in the _____, and the resulting embryos implant
themselves in the _____.
A. cervix; uterus
B. vagina; endometrium
C. uterus; oviducts
D. oviducts; endometrium lining the uterus
E. ovary; uterus
2. Which of these is the correct path that sperm take out of the male body?
A. seminiferous tubules > epididymis > vas deferens > urethra
B. epididymis > seminiferous tubules > vas deferens > urethra
C. seminiferous tubules > epididymis > urethra > vas deferens
D. urethra > seminiferous tubules > epididymis > vas deferens
E. vas deferens > seminiferous tubules > epididymis > urethra
3. In human male, sperm are produced in which of the following structures?
A. prostate gland
B. vas deferens
C. ureter
D. epididymis
E. seminiferous tubules
4. The correct order of the path that sperm take out of a man's
body during ejaculation is ________.
A. urethra, vas deferens, epididymis, seminiferous tubules
B. epididymis, seminiferous tubules, vas deferens, urethra
C. seminiferous tubules, epididymis, vas deferens, urethra
D. urethra, seminiferous tubules, epididymis, vas deferens
E. urethra, epididymis, vas deferens, seminiferous tubules
5.
Driving Question 2:
What hormones participate in reproduction, and how do they work in the
reproductive systems of males and females?
Why should you care?
The menstrual cycle, governed by an array of hormones, causes a predictable cycle of
changes in a fertile woman's body. Chances are that you already care about the menstrual
cycle, but you may not be aware of all of the changes that happen during it.
Understanding the mechanics of the menstrual cycle will help you understand how
fertilization occurs as well as how hormonal contraception works.
The fact that hormones support pregnancy (or perhaps prevent it) gave rise to the idea of
hormone-based contraception. Imbalances in the hormones that support pregnancy are
also the basis for many kinds of infertility.
What should you know?
To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to
1. Describe the functions and sources of the hormones that regulate the
menstrual cycle.
2. Explain how the ovaries, hormone levels, and endometrium thickness change
throughout the menstrual cycle.
3. Describe the timeline of events leading from ovulation to implantation of an
embryo.
4. Explain how hormones regulate pregnancy.
5. Describe the functions and sources of the hormones that regulate the
production of sperm.
6. Predict how hormone levels could be artificially modified to prevent
pregnancy.
Infographic Focus:
The infographics most pertinent to the Driving Question are 31.5, 31.6, and 31.7.
Test Your Vocabulary:
[ESTROGEN]
[PROGESTERONE]
[HYPOTHALAMUS]
[ANTERIOR PITUITARY]
[FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE (FSH)]
[FOLLICLE]
[LUTEINIZING HORMONE (LH)]
[OVULATION]
[CORPUS LUTEUM]
[MENSTRUATION]
[ZYGOTE]
[PLACENTA]
[EMBRYO]
[HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (HCG)]
[FETUS]
[CONTRACEPTION]
[ANDROGEN]
1. Describe the functions and sources of the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.
2. Explain how the ovaries, hormone levels, and endometrium thickness change
throughout the menstrual cycle.
For each step in the menstrual cycle, describe what happens to estrogen levels,
progesterone levels, and the endometrium.
Estrogen Progesterone
Time Ovary, follicle Endometrium
levels levels
Days 1–14 FSH causes a
follicle to form
and an egg to
develop inside
it.
Days 14–24 LH causes
release of egg,
prompts follicle
to become a
corpus luteum.
Days 24–28 If a fertilized
embryo does
not implant in
the uterus, the
corpus luteum
degenerates.
What contributes to the rise in estrogen levels during days 1 to 14?
What causes the peak in progesterone around day 24?
What causes both progesterone and estrogen levels to begin to decline around day
26?
What prevents degradation of the corpus luteum in pregnancy?
3. Describe the timeline of events leading from ovulation to implantation of an embryo.
What has to occur for an egg to become a zygote? When does this happen?
How does the zygote become an embryo? When does this happen?
After fertilization, which structure, the egg, the zygote, or the embryo, actually
reaches the uterus and implants in the endometrium? When does this happen?
4. Describe the functions and sources of the hormones that regulate the production of
sperm.
Examine Infographic 31.7 and fill in the following chart. (The first entry is an
example.)
Where is it What does it do (in sperm
Hormone
produced? production)?
Gonadotropin-releasing Hypothalamus Stimulates the anterior pituitary to
hormone (GnRH) make FSH and LH
FSH
LH
Testosterone
5. Predict how hormone levels could be artificially modified to prevent pregnancy.
Birth control pills and other hormone-based contraceptives contain estrogen,
progesterone, or both. Refer to Infographics 31.5 and 31.6 to answer these
questions.
How would administering progesterone and estrogen prevent pregnancy?
Review Questions
1. Menstruation occurs when:
A. progesterone and estrogen levels increase.
B. progesterone and estrogen levels decrease.
C. the LH level increases.
D. the FSH level increases.
E. the LH level decreases.
2. FSH is produced by the:
A. implanted embryo.
B. follicle.
C. hypothalamus.
D. anterior pituitary gland.
E. oviduct.
3. Birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives may contain any of the
following hormones EXCEPT:
A. progesterone and estrogen together.
B. progesterone alone.
C. estrogen alone.
D. testosterone.
E. none of the above.
4. A fertilized egg that has not divided (undergone mitosis) is called:
A. a zygote.
B. an embryo.
C. a fetus.
D. a follicle.
E. a corpus luteum.
5. Luteinizing hormone (LH) is produced by which of
the following organs/glands?
A. thalamus
B. anterior pituitary gland
C. hypothalamus
D. ovaries
E. corpus luteum
Driving Question 3:
What are the different types of assisted reproduction, and how do they
work?
Why should you care?
Infertility is a distressing issue for many couples, and diagnosing its source is
complicated by the many causes of infertility. Although hopefully you will never have to
face infertility, understanding its causes will teach you a great deal about your
reproductive health in general.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are the two main forms of
assisted reproduction. Both methods have a high failure rate, but the chance of multiple
births in successful procedures is much higher than the natural rate. Understanding how
the procedures work will help you form informed opinions of ethical issues associated
with assisted reproduction technologies.
What should you know?
To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to
1. Describe the causes of infertility in women.
2. Describe the causes of infertility in men.
3. Explain the steps of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
4. Explain the process of intrauterine insemination (IUI).
5. Compare and contrast natural fertilization with IVF.
6. Compare and contrast IUI with IVF.
7. Explain how IUI and IVF can both lead to multiple births.
Infographic Focus:
The infographics most pertinent to the Driving Question are 31.4, 31.8, and 31.9.
Test Your Vocabulary:
[IN VITRO FERTILIZATION]
[INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION]
1. Describe the causes of infertility in women.
The following are some of the most common causes of infertility in women:
Hormonal imbalances Cancer Genetic problems
Undeveloped ovarian tissue Endometriosis Polyps or fibroids
Nonreceptive fluids Scarring Infection
Some of these causes lead to infertility through a variety of pathways: for
example, one type of cancer may cause infertility through hormonal imbalance,
whereas another causes infertility from blockages.
Come up with an organizing scheme for the different causes and decide on
categories to group them in. Conditions causing blockage could be one category,
but try to come up with two to four groups for the causes.
In the box, make columns for your categories. Write in the name of each category
at the top of the column and list the causes with any notes you want to include
about them.
2. Describe the causes of infertility in men.
The following are some of the most common causes of infertility in men:
Hormonal imbalances Cancer Genetic problems
Sperm abnormalities Prostatitis Testicular varicose veins
Erectile dysfunction Scarring Infection
As with the previous question, some of these causes lead to infertility through a
variety of pathways.
Come up with a categorizing scheme for the different causes and decide on
categories to group them in. Try to come up with two to four groups for the
causes.
In the box make columns for your categories. Write in the name of each category
at the top of the column and list the causes with any notes you want to include
about them.
3. Explain the steps of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
What is the first step in IVF, removing eggs from the ovaries, fertility drug
treatment, or fertilization?
Why is that the first step?
What are implanted in the woman's uterus, embryos or eggs? Why does this make
a difference?
If in vitro means "in glass," what step is IVF named for and why?
4. Explain the process of intrauterine insemination (IUI).
What is the first step in intrauterine insemination?
After ovulation, what is the next step in IUI?
5. Compare and contrast natural fertilization with IVF.
Examine Infographics 31.3 and 31.4 in your text to fill in the chart comparing
natural fertilization and IVF.
Natural Fertilization IVF
Typical number of eggs
released
Where sperm fertilize egg
Number of embryos
reaching uterus
6. Compare and contrast IUI with IVF.
What is IUI?
Fill in the chart below to compare IVF with IUI.
IVF IUI
Eggs hormonally stimulated
to mature?
Ovaries hormonally
stimulated to ovulate?
Eggs removed from body
before fertilization?
Where does fertilization
occur?
What is injected into the
uterus?
Can lead to multiple births?
7. Explain how IUI and IVF can both lead to multiple births.
Why is the chance of multiple births much higher with IVF than with natural
fertilization?
Why is the chance of multiple births much higher with IUI than with natural
fertilization?
For which infertility procedure would it be easier to predict the number of
embryos that would implant into the uterine wall? Why?
What are some of the risks associated with multiple births?
Review Questions
1. Which of the following is NOT a known cause of female infertility?
A. Cancer
B. Hormonal imbalances
C. Ovulating more than one egg at a time
D. Infection
2. In IVF, eggs are fertilized _____ and _____ are inserted into the uterus.
A. externally; embryos
B. externally; eggs
C. internally; embryos
D. internally; eggs
3. In IUI, eggs are _____ from the ovary and fertilized _____.
A. released; externally
B. not released; externally
C. released; internally
D. not released; internally
4. True or False: multiples conceived through natural methods do not have the same
health risks as do multiples conceived through infertility treatments.