Because learning changes everything.
Chapter 22
Reproductive
Systems
Hole’s Human
Anatomy & Physiology
2024 Release
Charles J. Welsh, Cynthia
Prentice Craver
© McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
22.2 Organs of the Male Reproductive System
Primary sex organs (gonads) are the 2 testes:
• Produce sperm cells, or spermatozoa
• Produce male sex hormones
Secondary (accessory) sex organs:
• Other internal and external sex organs
• Secrete male sex hormones
• Transport sperm and secretions to outside of body
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Figure 22.5a Male Reproductive Organs
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Figure 22.5b Primary and Accessory Sex Organs of the
Male
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Structure of the Testes
Tunica albuginea: Tough, fibrous capsule enclosing
each testis
Lobules: Compartments in testis, separated by
connective tissue septa
Seminiferous tubules:
• Highly coiled tubules inside lobules
• Lined with a special stratified epithelium containing
spermatogenic cells that give rise to sperm cells
Interstitial cells (cells of Leydig):
• Lie between seminiferous tubules
• Produce and secrete male sex hormones
Rete testis: Channels that transport sperm from testis to
epididymis
Epididymis: Coiled tube on surface of testis, that
transports sperm from rete testis to ductus deferens
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Male Internal Accessory Reproductive Organs
Male internal accessory organs:
• Nurture and transport sperm cells
• Consist of epididymis, ductus deferens, ejaculatory duct, seminal vesicles,
prostate gland, bulbourethral gland, urethra
Epididymis (plural is epididymides):
• Narrow, tightly coiled tubes at top of each testis
• Connected to ducts in the testis
• Run between testis and ductus (vas) deferens
• Promote maturation of sperm cells
• Lined with pseudostratified columnar epithelium with nonmotile cilia
Ductus (vas) deferens (plural is ductus deferentia):
• Muscular tubes, 45 cm long
• Part of the spermatic cord
• Each extends from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct
• Lined with pseudostratified columnar epithelium
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Seminal Vesicles, Prostate Gland, and Bulbourethral
Glands
Seminal Vesicles (Glands):
• Each is attached to a ductus deferens near base of the urinary bladder
• Secrete alkaline fluid, fructose and prostaglandins
Prostate Gland:
• Secretes a thin, milky, alkaline fluid
• Secretion enhances sperm motility
Bulbourethral Glands
• Secrete mucus-like fluid into urethra
• Fluid released in response to sexual stimulation
• Lubricates end of penis
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Semen
Fluid transported by urethra to outside of body during ejaculation;
Contains sperm + various secretions of the accessory reproductive glands
Semen composition and properties:
• Contains sperm cells from the testes
• Contains secretions of the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral
glands
• Slightly alkaline, pH = 7.5
• Contains prostaglandins and nutrients
• Volume is 2 to 5 mL per ejaculation
• Averages 120 million sperm cells per mL of semen
• Sperm begin to swim as they mix with secretions of accessory glands
• Sperm cannot fertilize egg until they go through capacitation in female tract,
which weakens acrosome (cap over sperm head)
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Penis
Structure of the Penis:
• Conveys urine and semen through
urethra to outside of body
• Specialized to become erect for
insertion into the vagina during
sexual intercourse
• Body (shaft) contains 3 columns of
erectile tissue:
• 2 corpora cavernosa
• 1 corpus spongiosum, which
surrounds urethra
• Glans penis is distal enlargement of
corpus spongiosum
• Prepuce (foreskin) is covering of
glans penis; removed during
circumcision
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22.3 Spermatogenesis: Formation of Sperm Cells
Spermatogenesis:
• Formation of sperm cells
• Sustentacular (Sertoli) Cells:
• Large cells, spanning the entire thickness of the epithelium of a
seminiferous tubule
• Support and nourish spermatogenic cells throughout their development into
sperm
• Sperm formation proceeds in this sequence:
• Spermatogonia → primary spermatocytes → secondary spermatocytes →
spermatids → spermatozoa
• Meiosis reduces number of chromosomes, so each sperm has 23
• Spermiogenesis: Development of spermatids into sperm
• Spermatogenesis:
• Combined processes of meiosis and spermiogenesis
• 4 sperm cells are produced from meiosis of 1 primary spermatocyte
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Structure of a Sperm Cell
Sperm Structure:
• Sperm cell is a tiny tadpole-shaped structure
• Parts of a sperm cell:
• Head:
• Nucleus contains 23 chromosomes
• Acrosome: Cap over the nucleus, which
contains enzymes that penetrate layers
around oocyte during fertilization
• Midpiece (body):
• Contains many mitochondria ,which provide
ATP for swimming
• Tail (flagellum):
• Contains many microtubules enclosed in
extension of cell membrane
• Lashing movement propels sperm toward
egg
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22.5 Organs of the Female Reproductive System
Specialized functions of the female reproductive organs:
• Produce female sex cells (egg cells, or oocytes)
• Transport oocytes to site of fertilization
• Provide favorable environment for developing offspring
• Transport offspring to outside the body
• Produce female sex hormones
Female reproductive organs:
• Primary female sex organs (gonads) are the ovaries
• Accessory (secondary) female sex organs are the
internal and external reproductive organs
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Figure 22.19a Organs of the Female Reproductive
System
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Ovaries and Ovarian Attachments
Ovaries:
• Solid, oval structures
• Lie in the lateral wall of the pelvic cavity
Ovary Attachments (ligaments):
• Broad ligament: Largest ligament; holds ovary in place,
and is also attached to the uterine tubes and uterus
• Suspensory ligament: Holds the ovary at the upper end
• Ovarian ligament: Rounded, cord-like thickening of the
broad ligament; attaches lower end of ovary to uterus
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Figure 22.20 Location and Ligaments of the Ovary
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Figure 22.21 Frontal View of the Ovary
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Primordial Follicles
Primordial Follicles:
• During prenatal development of a female, primordial germ cells called
oogonia divide by mitosis to produce more oogonia in the fetal ovaries
• Oogonia develop into primary oocytes
• Each primary oocyte is surrounded by a layer of flattened epithelial cells called
follicular cells, forming a primordial follicle
• Early in fetal development, primary oocytes begin the process of meiosis, but
the process soon stops, and does not start again until puberty
• Once the primordial follicles are produced during fetal development, no new
ones are produced
• Number of oocytes continually declines, as 90% of the primordial follicles
present at birth are lost to apoptosis (programmed cell death) between birth
and early adulthood
• 300 to 400 oocytes are released from ovary during female’s reproductive life
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Female Internal Accessory Reproductive Organs
Internal accessory reproductive organs of
the female: Uterine tubes, uterus, and vagina
Uterine tubes:
• Also called fallopian tubes or oviducts
• Tubular organ that transports ovulated
egg cell from ovary to uterus
• End near ovary is funnel-like
infundibulum with extensions called
fimbriae
• Fimbriae lie close to ovary, so they pick
up ovulated egg cell
• Layers: Inner mucosa, middle muscularis,
outer covering of peritoneum
• Mucosa is lined with cilia, which aid in
transport of egg down uterine tube
• Peristaltic contractions help move
secondary oocyte down uterine tube
• Fertilization occurs in uterine tube
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Uterus
Hollow, muscular, pear-shaped organ
Receives the embryo and sustains its development
Attached to pelvic walls by broad ligament and round ligament
Regions of uterus:
• Body: Upper ⅔; contains dome-shaped fundus at top
• Cervix (neck): Lower ⅓; partially extends into upper part of
vagina
Layers of uterine wall:
• Endometrium (mucosa)
• Myometrium (muscle layer)
• Perimetrium (serosa)
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Vagina
Fibromuscular tube that runs between uterus and outside of body
Conveys uterine secretions, receives the penis during intercourse,
and provides a passageway for offspring during birth
Surrounds end of cervix
Fornices: Recesses between upper vaginal wall and cervix
Vaginal orifice: Partially enclosed by hymen, a thin layer of
connective tissue and stratified squamous epithelium
Wall of vagina has 3 layers:
• Inner mucosal layer of stratified squamous epithelium
• Middle muscular layer
• Outer fibrous layer
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Female External Accessory Reproductive Organs
Female external reproductive organs:
• Surround openings of urethra and vagina, and together
are called the vulva
• Organs include:
• Labia majora:
• Rounded folds of adipose tissue and skin
• Enclose and protect the other external
reproductive organs
• Merge to form a rounded elevation over
symphysis pubis, mons pubis
• Labia minora:
• Flattened, longitudinal folds between the labia
majora
• Well supplied with blood vessels
• At anterior end, they form a hood-like covering
around clitoris
• Clitoris:
• Small projection between labia minora, at
anterior end of vulva
• Corresponds to male penis; composed of 2
columns of erectile tissue
• Vestibule:
• Space between labia minora; encloses the
vaginal and urethral openings
• Vestibular glands secrete mucus into
vestibule during sexual stimulation
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Ovulation
Close to end of follicle maturation, primary oocyte
undergoes meiosis I, producing a secondary oocyte and
first polar body
Process of ovulation releases the secondary oocyte and first
polar body from mature antral follicle
Ovulation triggered by surge of LH released from anterior
pituitary gland
• Wall of follicle swells, weakens, and ruptures
• Secondary oocyte and 1 or 2 layers of surrounding follicular
cells are usually propelled to the opening of the nearby
uterine tube by fimbriae
Oocyte must be fertilized within hours, or it degenerates
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Menstrual Cycle 1
Menstrual cycle:
• Characterized by regular, recurring changes in the
endometrium of the uterus, which culminates in menstrual
bleeding (menses)
• This begins around age 13 and continues into early 50s
• Menarche: 1st reproductive cycle
• Each month, regular, recurring changes also occur in
the ovary, as one mature antral follicle is ovulated, and the
remnants of the follicle close up to become the corpus
luteum
• In the absence of fertilization, the oocyte degenerate, and
then the corpus luteum also degenerates, becoming a
corpus albicans
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Menstrual Cycle 2
Phases of the Menstrual cycle:
• Ovarian phases:
• Follicular phase: Dominant follicle matures under direction of FSH
• Ovulation: LH surge causes final development of mature antral follicle and
release of oocyte and surrounding layers from follicle and ovary
• Luteal phase: Corpus luteum forms from remnants of follicle, and secretes
estrogen, progesterone, and inhibin; degenerates in absence of fertilization in
about 12 days, and becomes corpus albicans
• Uterine phases:
• Proliferative phase: Endometrium is thickening under direction of estrogen
• Secretory phase: Endometrium becomes more vascular under direction of
progesterone; uterine glands produce nutrients for possible implantation of
fertilized egg
• Menstrual phase: Endometrial lining sloughs off upon degeneration of
corpus luteum; menstrual bleeding removes sloughed tissue
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Figure 22.33a and b Events of Menstrual Cycle
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Menopause
Menopause (female climacteric):
• The stopping of the menstrual cycles for 1 year
• Usually occurs in the late 40s or the early 50s
• Ovaries no longer produce as much estrogens and
progesterone as they did previously
• Some female secondary sex characteristics may disappear
• Increased loss of bone matrix (osteoporosis) may occur
• 50% of women experience hot flashes
• Migraine headaches, backaches, and fatigue occur in some
women
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22.7 Mammary Glands
Mammary glands:
• Accessory organs of the female reproductive system
• Specialized to secrete milk following pregnancy, to nourish baby
• Location of mammary glands:
• Located in subcutaneous tissue of anterior thorax, within breasts
• Nipple of each breast is surrounded by a circular area of pigmented skin called the
areola
• Structure of mammary glands:
• A mammary gland is composed of 15 to 20 irregularly shaped lobes
• Each lobe contains alveolar glands, drained by alveolar ducts, which drain into a
lactiferous duct that leads to the nipple and opens to the outside.
• Dense strands of connective tissue form suspensory ligaments that support the
breast
• Development of the breasts:
• Mammary glands of males and females are similar
• As puberty is reached, ovarian hormones stimulate development of the mammary
glands in females
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Figure 22.34 Structure of the Breast and Mammary
Glands
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