Human Anatomy, First Edition

McKinley & O'Loughlin

Chapter 28 :
The Reproductive
System

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 Reproductive Systems
 Main function: propagation of the
species
 To achieve this goal:
 Must ensure sexual maturation
 Produce gametes (n).
 Male and female structures are
homologues:
 derived from common developmental
tissues
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28-3
Homologous structures

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Comparison of the Female and
Male Reproductive Systems
 Primary sex organs called gonads.
 ovaries in females

 testes in males

 Produce gametes which unite to form a new individual.

 oocytes
 sperm

 Gonads produce large amounts of sex hormones which affect

maturation, development, and changes in the activity of the
reproductive system organs.
 estrogen and progesterone in the female

 androgens (esp. testosterone) in the male

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Comparison of the Female and
Male Reproductive Systems
 Both have accessory reproductive organs
 duct systems
 carry gametes away from the gonads
 toward the site of fertilization in females
 to the outside of the body in males
 Fertilization occurs when male and female
gametes meet:
 copulation, coitus, sexual intercourse
 Restores the diploid number (2n)

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Comparison of the Female and
Male Reproductive Systems
 Primarily nonfunctional and “dormant” until
puberty.
 At puberty, external sex characteristics
become more prominent.
 breast enlargement in females
 fat distribution patterns in both sexes
 pubic hair in both sexes
 reproductive organs become fully functional
 gametes mature
 gonads secrete sex hormones
 Both reproductive systems produce gametes.
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Comparison of the Female and
Male Reproductive Systems
 Puberty:
 Initiated by hypothalamus
 Secretes GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing
hormone
 Stimulates release of FSH and LH
 Prior to puberty, not present
 Stimulate gonads to produce:
 Sex hormones
 gametes

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Comparison of the Female and
Male Reproductive Systems
 Female typically produces and releases
a single oocyte monthly.
 Male produces 100,000,000’s of
(sperm) daily.
 male gametes are stored for a short
time
 if they are not expelled from the body
within that period, they are resorbed

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Perineum
 Diamond-shaped area between the thighs that is circumscribed
anteriorly by the pubic symphysis, laterally by the ischial
tuberosities, and posteriorly by the coccyx.
 2 distinct triangle bases
 formed by an imaginary horizontal line extending between the
ischial tuberosities of the ossa coxae.
 Anterior triangle, or urogenital triangle
 contains the urethral and vaginal orifices in females
 contains the base of the penis and the scrotum in males.
 Posterior triangle, or anal triangle
 location of the anus in both sexes.

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Anatomy of the Female
Reproductive System
 Peritoneum folds around the various pelvic organs and creates
two major dead-end recesses, or pouches.
 anterior vesicouterine pouch forms the space between the
uterus and the urinary bladder
 posterior rectouterine pouch forms the space between the
uterus anteriorly and the rectum posteriorly
 Primary sex organs of the female are the ovaries.
 Accessory sex organs include
 uterine tubes
 uterus,
 vagina,
 clitoris
 mammary glands.

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 Mesovarium:
 Double folds of peritoneum
 Attaches ovaries to broad ligament
 Broad ligament
 Peritonium
 Drapes over the uterus
 Ovarian ligament
 Ovary to uterus
 Suspensory ligament
 Ovary to pelvic wall
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Uterine Tubes
 The uterine tubes, also called the fallopian tubes or oviducts,
extend laterally from both sides of the uterus toward the
ovaries.
 In these tubes, the secondary oocyte is fertilized, and the pre-
embryo begins to develop as it travels toward the uterus.
 Usually it takes the pre-embryo about 5 to 6 days to reach the
lumen of the uterus.
 Parts: lined with mucosa (simple ciliated columnar ep),
muscularis, serosa
 Infundibulum
 Ampulla
 Isthmus
 Interstitial segment
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The Uterus Serves Four
Functions
 Site for implantation.
 pre-embryo implants into the inner uterine wall and
becomes connected to the uterine lining
 Supports, protects, and nourishes the developing embryo/fetus
 forms a vascular connection with the mother’s uterine wall

that later develops into the placenta

 Ejects the fetus at birth after maternal oxytocin levels increase
to initiate the uterine contractions of labor.
 Site for menstruation.
 if an oocyte is not fertilized or after a baby is expelled, the

muscular wall of the uterus contracts and sheds its inner

lining as menstruation

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Regions of the Uterus
 Fundus
 Body
 Isthmus
 Cervix
 Cervical canal
 Internal os
 External os

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Support of the Uterus
 Pelvic floor muscles
 Pelvic diaphragm
 Urogenital diaphragm
 Round ligaments
 Lateral uterus, through inguinal canal, to labia
majora
 Maintain anteverted position
 Transverse cervical ligaments
 Lateral cervix and vagina to pelvic wall
 Uterosacral ligaments
 Inferior uterus to sacrum
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Wall of the Uterus
 Composed of three concentric tunics:
 Perimetrium

 Myometrium

 Endometrium

 The outer tunic of most of the uterus is a serosa called the

perimetrium.
 continuous with the broad ligament

 The myometrium is the thick, middle tunic of the uterine wall

formed from three intertwining layers of smooth muscle.
 in the nonpregnant uterus, the muscle cells are less than
0.25 millimeters in length
 during the course of a pregnancy, smooth muscle cells
increase both in size and in number

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Vagina
 The vagina is
 thick-walled, fibromuscular tube
 forms the inferior-most region of the female reproductive tract
 measures about 10 centimeters in length in an adult female.
 The vagina connects the uterus with the outside of the body
anteroventrally
 functions as the birth canal.
 Also the copulatory organ of the female
 Serves as the passageway for menstruation.
 The vaginal wall is heavily invested with both blood vessels and
lymphatic vessels.
 The vagina’s relatively thin, distensible wall consists of three
tunics:
 an inner mucosa, a middle muscularis, and an outer adventitia

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External Genitalia
 The external sex organs of the female, are collectively called the
vulva.
 The mons pubis is an expanse of skin and subcutaneous
connective tissue immediately anterior to the pubic symphysis.
 covered with pubic hair in postpubescent females

 labia majora

 labia minora
 Contain the vestibule
 Urethral orifice
 Vaginal oriface
 Clitoris located at the anterior regions of the
labia minora
 glans
 prepuce−an external fold of the labia minora that
forms a hoodlike covering over the clitoris.
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Mammary Glands
 Each mammary gland, or breast, is located within the anterior thoracic
wall and is composed of a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland.
 Breast milk contains proteins, fats, and a sugar to provide nutrition to
infants.
 The nipple is a cylindrical projection on the center of the breast. It
contains multiple tiny openings of the excretory ducts that produce
breast milk.
 The areola is the pigmented rosy or brownish ring of skin around the
nipple. Its surface often appears uneven and grainy due to the
numerous sebaceous glands immediately internal to the surface.
 The color of the areola may vary, depending upon whether or not a
woman has given birth. In a nulliparous woman (a woman who has
never given birth), the areola is rosy or light brown in color.
 In a parous woman (a woman who has given birth), the areola may
change to a darker rose or brown color.

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Anatomy of the Male
Reproductive System
 Primary organs: gonads are the testes
 Accessory sex organs include:
 a complex set of ducts and tubules leading from the testes

to the penis
 a group of male accessory glands

 the penis, which is the organ of copulation

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Scrotum
 Skin covered sac
 Raphe: external midline seam
 Continues on inferior surface of the penis, and to anus.
 Components of scrotal wall.
 Skin
 Fascia
 Dartos muscle
 External spermatic fascia
 Cremaster muscle
 Internal spermatic fascia
 Tunica vaginalis.


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Scrotum
 Male gametes are sensitive to elevated temperatures
 often exhibit abnormal or completely curtailed development
 Gamete development occurs outside the body
 Scrotum: a skin-covered sac that houses:
 male gonads
 first portion of the duct system
 site of early sperm maturation and development, reside outside the body
proper.
 Testes exposed to elevated temperatures
 Skin of the scrotal sac becomes thin
 result of dartos muscle relaxation.
 The cremaster muscle relaxes
 allows the testes to move inferiorly away from the body
 The testes temperature becomes less than normal body
temperature.
 The opposite occurs if the testes are exposed to cold.

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Testes
 Small, oval organ
 Housed in the scrotum
 Produces:
 Sperm
 androgens.
 Coverings
 Serous membrane called tunica vaginalis
 Parietal layer
 Visceral layer.
 Tunica albuginea
 Forms internal septa
 250 lobules per testis
 Each lobule has up to 4 seminiferous tubules
 Two types of cell
 Sustentacular cells
 Germ cells
 Interior is called mediastinum testis.
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Testes
 Blood-testis barrier
 Tight junctions between sustentacular cells
 Spern develop in the semineferous tubules
 Interstitial spaces: surround the seminiferous tubules.
 Contain interstitial (Leydig) cells
 produce hormones called androgens.
 Several types of androgens
 most common one is testosterone.
 the adrenal cortex secretes a small amount of androgens
 the vast majority of androgen release is via interstitial cells in the
testis
 beginning at puberty.
 These hormones cause males to develop the classic characteristics:
 axillary and pubic hair
 deeper voice
 sperm production.

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 Testes
 Series of tubes:
 Seminiferous
tubules
 Straight ducts
 Rete testis
 Efferent ductule
 Epididymis
 Ductus deferens
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Spermatic Cord
 The blood vessels and nerves to the testis
travel from within the abdomen to the
scrotum in a multilayered structure called the
spermatic cord.
 Layers
 Contain
 Testicular artery
 Pampiniform plexus
 Autonomic nerves

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Epididymis
 The epididymis is a comma-shaped structure composed of an
internal duct and an external covering of connective tissue.
 Its head lies on the superior surface of the testis, while the
body and tail are posterior to the testis.
 Internally, the epididymis contains a long, convoluted duct of
the epididymis, which is approximately 4 to 5 meters in length.
 Sperm must reside in the epididymis for a period of time to
become mature and fully motile.
 If they are expelled too soon, they lack the motility necessary to
travel through the female reproductive tract and fertilize an
oocyte.
 If sperm are not ejected from the male reproductive system in a
timely manner, the old sperm degenerate in the epididymis.

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Ductus Deferens
 When sperm leave the epididymis, they enter the ductus
deferens, also called the vas deferens.
 The ductus deferens is a thick-walled tube that travels within
the spermatic cord, through the inguinal canal, and within the
pelvic cavity before it reaches the prostate gland.
 The ampulla of the ductus deferens unites with the proximal
region of the seminal vesicle to form the terminal portion of the
reproductive duct system, called the ejaculatory duct.

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Urethra
 Transports semen from the ejaculatory duct to the outside of
the body.
 Subdivided into:
 prostatic urethra that extends through the prostate gland

 membranous urethra that travels through the urogenital

diaphragm
 penile urethra that ends through the penis

 Sperm leave the body through the urethra.

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Accessory Glands
 The vagina has a highly acidic environment to prevent bacterial
growth.
 Sperm cannot survive in this type of environment, so an alkaline
secretion called seminal fluid is needed to lessen the acidity of
the vagina and bring pH values closer to neutral.
 As the sperm travel through the reproductive tract (a process
that can take several days), they are nourished by nutrients
within the seminal fluid.
 The components of seminal fluid are produced by accessory
glands:
 seminal vesicles

 prostate gland

 bulbourethral glands

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Seminal Vesicles
 The paired seminal vesicles are located on the posterior surface
of the urinary bladder adjacent to the ampulla of the ductus
deferens.
 Each seminal vesicle is an elongated, pouchlike hollow organ
approximately 5–8 centimeters long.
 It is the proximal portion of each seminal vesicle that merges
with a ductus deferens to form the ejaculatory duct.
 The seminal vesicles secrete a viscous, whitish-yellow alkaline
fluid containing both fructose and prostaglandins.
 The fructose is a sugar that nourishes the sperm as they travel
through the female reproductive tract, while the prostaglandins
promote the widening and slight dilation of the external os of
the cervix.

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Prostate Gland
 A compact encapsulated organ that weighs about 20 grams and
is shaped like a walnut, measuring approximately 2 cm by 3 cm
by 4 cm.
 Located immediately inferior to the bladder.
 Secretes a slightly milky fluid that is weakly acidic and rich in
citric acid, seminalplasmin, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
 citric acid is a nutrient for sperm health

 seminalplasmin is an antibiotic that combats urinary tract

infections
 PSA acts as an enzyme to help liquefy semen following

ejaculation

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Bulbourethral Glands
 Paired, pea-shaped
 Also called Cowper’s glands
 Location:
 within the urogenital diaphragm
 on each side of the membranous urethra.
 Each gland has a short duct
 projects into the base of the penis
 enters the spongy urethra.
 secretory product
 clear, viscous mucin (forms mucus when mixed with water).
 mucin protects the urethra
 serves as a lubricant during sexual intercourse.

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Semen
 Combination of seminal fluid from the
accessory glands and sperm.
 Called the ejaculate (when released during
ejaculation)
 normally about 3 to 5 milliliters
 contains approximately 200 to 500 million
spermatozoa.
 Average transit time: about 2 weeks
 from release of sperm into the lumen of the
seminiferous tubules, passage through the duct
system, and appearance in the ejaculate.
 Sperm count can vary, spemen amount
usually remains the same.
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