10.

1 EMBRYOLOGY OF THE SEXUAL ORGANS Internal Organs Prior to the 6th week of gestation the embryo is sexually indeterminate. Basic foetal model is female SRY gene - present on Y- hromosome ! testes ! "eydig cells #testosterone - male genitalia de$elopment% and Sertoli cells #remo$al of upper $agina and uterus &f not ! o$ary 'irili(ation at 6-)* weeks gestation +fter the 6th week the gonads arise from the genital ridges and differentiate into ,-. /he internal sexual organs form from the paramesonephric and mesonephric ducts. /he Paramesonephric duct #01llerian duct% . 2 fallopian tubes3 uterus3 cer$ix and upper $agina , 2 degenerates to form the appendix testis Sertoli cells within the gonad secrete a testosterone analogue that acts as a 01llerian-inhibiting factor. /he mesonephric duct #4olffian duct% 0ale forms epididymis3 ductus deferens3 seminal $esicles3 e5aculatory ducts /he "eydig cells of the male gonad secrete testosterone which stimulates the de$elopment of the mesonephric duct and the genital tubercle. External Organs Prior to the ))th week of gestation the external genitalia are sexually indistinct. 6rd week ! primiti$e streak mesenchymal cells migrate around the cloacal membrane to form the cloacal folds which fuse cranial to the membrane to form the genital tubercle. 6th week ! cloacal membrane di$ides into urogenital and anal membranes. loacal folds also di$ide into urethral folds anteriorly and anal folds posteriorly and genital swellings arise lateral to them. +t the ))th week they consist of7 o entral urethral groo$e o 8rethral folds on either side of the urethral groo$e. o "abioscrotal swellings on either side of the urethral folds. o /he genital tubercle anteriorly. &n the 0ale o /he genital tubercle elongates under influence of androgens to form the penis o /he urethral groo$e grows #pulled forward by the growing phallus% distally down the genital tubercle3 forming the endoderm of the penile urethra3 but does not 9uite extend to the tip of the penis. o /he distal part of the urethra is initially formed by endoderm cord called the urethral plate which is later replaced by ectodermal ingrowth from the surface of the glans penis canalising the glandular urethra and forming the external urethral meatus. o ):th week !/he urethral folds fuse o$er the urethral groo$e3 forming the tubed urethra. /hey fuse in a proximal-to distal direction.

"ast printed <$ar<www<apps<con$ersion<tmp<scratch=6<)**>?)@A:.doc

-);

/he labioscrotal swellings form the scrotum3 separated by the scrotal septum. /he testes usually descend into the scrotum at approx > months of gestation.

&n the o o o

Bemale /he genital tubercle forms the clitoris. /he urethral groo$e does not extend into the genital tubercle. /he urethral folds do not fuse o$er the urethral groo$e. &nstead they form a hood o$er the clitoris and the labia minora. o /he labioscrotal swellings form the labia ma5ora.

"ast printed <$ar<www<apps<con$ersion<tmp<scratch=6<)**>?)@A:.doc

-:;

"ast printed <$ar<www<apps<con$ersion<tmp<scratch=6<)**>?)@A:.doc

-6;