HUMAN

REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM

James L,
General Biology I (MF009)
Foundation in Science
Introduction
• Male and female reproductive systems
• Function together to produce offspring
• Female reproductive system nurtures developing
offspring
• Produce important hormones
Male Reproductive System
• Testes
• Primary organs
• Develop in the abdominal
pelvic cavity of fetus
• Descend into scrotal sac
shortly before or after birth
• Produce the male sex cells
(sperm)
• Produce the male hormone
testosterone
Male Reproductive System
• Scrotum – sac that holds
the testes
• Seminiferous tubules
• Spermatogenesis – produce
male gametes

• Interstitial cells/Leydig
cells (lie btw seminiferous
tubules) produce
testosterone
Spermatozoon(sg)
Spermatozoa
Describe the process of
spematogenesis.
Male Reproductive System (cont.)
• Sperm cells
• Head • Tail
• Nucleus with 23 • Flagellum that propels
chromosomes sperm forward
• Acrosome – enzyme-filled
sac
• Helps sperm penetrate
ovum
• Midpiece
• Mitochrondria that generate
cell’s energy in the ATP
form
 Male Reproductive System:
Internal Accessory Organs
• Vas efferens (Efferent tubules)
• Transfer sperm from the testis to
epididymis
• Vas deferens (Ductus deferens)
• Tube connected to epididymis
• Carries sperm cells to urethra
• Site for vasectomy

• Epididymis
• Sits on top of each testis
• Receives spermatids from
seminiferous tubules
• Site for sperm maturation
• Concentrate & temporarily store
sperm
• Transfer sperms from vas
efferens to vas deferens

What types of cells do not have 46 chromosomes?

Explain the location of meiosis in males and females.
Male Reproductive System:
Internal Accessory Organs (cont.)
• Seminal vesicle
• Secrete an alkaline viscous
fluid (60% of semen)
• Fluid rich in sugar used to
make ATP
• Mucus as lubricant
• Chemicals –final
capacitation ( activation) of
sperm
• Prostate gland
• Secretes an alkaline viscous
fluid (20% volume of semen)
• Alkaline – neutralise the acidic
• Mucus – lubricant
• Prostate cancer is the most
common for male reproduction
system.
• Bulbourethral (Cowper’s)
glands
• Secretes an alkaline viscous
fluid (<20% volume of semen)
which contains mucus
• Also neutralise acidity from
urine in the urethra.
• Semen
• Fluid ejaculated from the
urethra during sexual
excitation.
• 2-5cm3 of semen with 250K of
sperms ejaculated per time.
 Male Reproductive System:
Internal Accessory Organs (cont.)
• Scrotum
• Holds testes away from body
• Temperature 2-3°C below
body temperature
• Lined with serous membrane
that secrets fluid
Briefs or boxers?
• Penis
• Shaft
• Erectile tissues surround
urethra
• Glans penis
• High [sensory cells] which
initiates the erection reflex
• Prepuce (foreskin)
• Skin covering glans penis in
uncircumcised males
• Functions
• Male copulatory organ
• Deliver sperm
• Urination
Male Reproductive System:
Erection, Orgasm, and Ejaculation
• Erection
• Parasympathetic nervous system stimulates erectile tissue
• Become engorged with blood

• Orgasm
• Sperm cells propelled out of testes into urethra
• Secretions from accessory organs also released into urethra

• Ejaculation
• Semen is forced out of urethra
• Erection subsides when parasympathetic activity then stimulate
erectile tissue to release blood
• Penis returns to flaccid state
Describe the pathway of movement
of sperm through the system.
 Male Reproductive System: Hormones
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
secreted by hypothalamus
• Stimulates anterior pituitary gland to
release 2 gonadotrophins
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) –
stimulates interstitial cells in the
testes to produce testosterone
• Follicle-stimulating hormone
(FSH) – induce spermiogenesis
(spermatid to grow into sperms).
• Testosterone
• Induce spermatogenesis
• Induce development of secondary sex
characteristics
• Maturation of male reproductive
organs
• Regulated by negative feedback of
GnRH and LH production by
hypothalamus & anterior pituitary
gland respectively
Female Reproductive System:
Ovaries and Ovum Formation
• Ovaries (2)
• Primary sex organs produce
• Oogenesis – produce female gametes
(ova)
• Sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone)
• Located in the pelvic cavity
• Attached to uterus by ligament

Identify the structures of the female

reproduction system and provide a
function for each.
Female Reproductive System:
Ovaries and Ovum Formation (cont.)
• Primordial follicles develop
before birth and contain
• A primary oocyte or immature
ovum which remains at
Prophase I (approx 2 millions
at birth)
• Meiosis resumes at puberty
(11-12yrs old) to release 1 egg
per month until menopause
(51yrs old)
• Total approx 450 ova released
during menstrual cycle during
female lifetime.
• Oogenesis is the process of ovum
formation
• At puberty, primary oocytes are
stimulated to continue meiosis and
produce:
• A secondary oocyte
• 1 polar bodies (a nonfunctional
cell).
• Secondary oocyte released during
ovulation
• If fertilised, the secondary oocyte
divides to form a mature, fertilized
ovum + 1 polar body
• Zygote->morula->blastocyst-
>embryo->fetus
Oogenesis
Mitosis
Female Reproductive System:
Internal Accessory Organs
• Fallopian tube (oviducts)
• Tubes that convey eggs from the
ovaries to the uterus
• Finger-like projections which
sweeps the secondary oocyte into
the funnel of oviduct.
• Site of fertilisation
• Ciliary action and peristalsis of
smooth muscle helps to move the
ovum or the zygote towards the
uterus.
• The most common site for ectopic
(abnormal) pregnancy
Female Reproductive System:
Internal Accessory Organs (cont.)
• Uterus (womb) • Wall of uterus
• Shape and size of an • Endometrium
inverted pear. • Inner lining with many glands
• Lies behind urinary and blood vessels.
bladder • Thickness varies with menstrual
cycle in preparation for the
• Site of implantation of possible implantation of an
fertilised ovum. embryo
• Contains and nourishes • Shed during menstruation if
developing fetus during there is no implantation
• Myometrium
pregnancy
• Muscular wall – consist of
smooth muscles which contract
during childbirth
• Perimetrium
• Outer most layer.
Female Reproductive System:
Internal Accessory Organs (cont.)
• Vagina
• Tubular, muscular organ
• Extends from cervix to exterior
• Muscular folds – rugae – enable
expansion during sexual
intercourse and childbirth.
• Passage way for menstrual
flow, receptacle for penis,
semen deposition & birth canal
during childbirth
• Acid in mucus retards microbial
growth (but reduces sperm
motility)
• The appearance of the cells forms
the basis of the “PAP” test for
cervical cancer.
 Female Reproductive System:
External Genitalia
• Collectively known as the vulva

• Labia majora & labia minora

• Outer larger and inner smaller pair of
longitudinal folds of skin containing fat,
smooth muscle & many sensory receptors.
• Functions
• Protect the vagina & urethra opening.
• Produce mucus as lubricant during sexual
intercourse & protect the clitoris from
abrasion.
 Female Reproductive System:
External Genitalia (cont.)
• Clitoris
• Female equivalent of the penis
• Located at the top of vulva.
• Contains nerves & erectile tissue & swell
with blood, becoming erect when
sexually stimulated.
• Major source of sexual arousal during
sexual intercourse.
• Perineum
• Between vagina and anus
• Area for episiotomy, if needed, during
birth process
Female Reproductive System:
Erection, Lubrication, and Orgasm
• Nervous stimulation
• Clitoris becomes erect
• Bartholin’s glands activates –
lubrication
• Vagina elongates
• Orgasm
• Sufficient stimulation of clitoris
• Walls of uterus and fallopian tubes
contract to propel sperm up tubes
Female Reproductive System: Hormones

Hypothalamus Anterior pituitary

GnRH
secretes GnRH releases FSH & LH

Estrogen and progesterone

Ovaries to produce
estrogen and  Responsible for development
progesterone
of secondary sex characteristics