Reproductive System: Hormones and Structures

Male Reproductive System Hormones and Structures

• Testosterone is responsible for male secondary sexual characteristics development
• The testes produce testosterone
• Leydig cells of the testes secrete testosterone
• The vas deferens transports sperm from the epididymis to the urethra
• Spermatogenesis is the process of sperm production in the testes
• Fructose provides energy for sperm
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates sperm production in males
• The urethra carries both sperm and urine out of the body in males
• The seminiferous tubules produce sperm
• The seminal vesicles produce fluid offering nutrients and protection for sperm
• Seminal vesicles produce seminal fluid
• The bulbourethral (Cowper's) gland produces fluid to lubricate the urethra and neutralize acidity from urine

Female Reproductive System and Hormones

• Fertilization typically occurs in the fallopian tube (or tubule)
• The myometrium is the thick muscular layer of the uterus
• The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulates the release of an egg from the ovary during ovulation
• Estrogen initiates the development of secondary sexual characteristics in females during puberty
• The external female genitalia are collectively known as the vulva
• FSH stimulates the development of ovarian follicles during the menstrual cycle
• Progesterone maintains the uterine lining during pregnancy
• Prolactin stimulates milk production in the mammary glands after childbirth
• The ovaries produce and release eggs
• The corpus luteum, formed from the ruptured follicle after ovulation, secretes progesterone
• Oxytocin triggers contractions of the uterine muscle during childbirth
• Ovulation is the process of releasing an egg from the ovary

Reproductive Disorders and Menstrual Cycle

• Endometriosis involves endometrial tissue growth outside the uterus
• Ovulation occurs during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle