Reproductive System Overview

Study Notes

Components: Testes (produce sperm and testosterone), penis, ducts, glands
Functions: Production of sperm (gametes) and their delivery to the female. Production of hormones mainly testosterone which promotes male secondary sexual characteristics.

Location: Housed in the scrotum.
Purpose of scrotum location: Keeps testes at a lower temperature than the body, essential for sperm viability.
Structure: Seminiferous tubules (sperm production). Epididymis (stores sperm). Ductus deferens/vas deferens (transport sperm).

Seminal vesicles: Secrete 60% of seminal fluid, crucial for nourishing sperm and promoting fertilization.
Prostate: Encircles the urethra; its secretion plays a key role in sperm activation.
Bulbourethral glands: Secrete an alkaline mucus ahead of sperm to wash out residual urine and buffer sperm against acidity.

Structure and function: Consists of three parts: prostatic urethra (passes through the prostate), membranous urethra (passes through the pelvic floor), and spongy/penile urethra (within the penis).
Pathway to exit body: Seminiferous tubules → epididymis → ductus deferens/vas deferens → ejaculatory duct → prostatic urethra → membranous urethra → penile/spongy urethra.

Structure: Contains three spongy erectile tissues: Corpora cavernosa and Corpus spongiosum.
Erection: Parasympathetic system causes the erectile tissues to fill with blood.
Emission: Sympathetic system causes glandular secretion and peristalsis of semen into the prostatic urethra.
Ejaculation: Sympathetic system closes the urethral sphincter; parasympathetic and somatic systems produce muscular contractions to expel semen through the urethra.
Remission: Sympathetic system produces vasoconstriction, reduces blood flow, and ends the erection.

Components: Ovaries (produce ova and hormones), uterine/fallopian tubes, uterus (supporting growing fetus), vagina, external genitalia.

Production: Approximately 500,000 immature ova at birth, approximately only 400 mature during a lifetime, one released per month.
Transport: Via the uterine/fallopian tubes to the uterus.

Structure and function: Muscular tubes that transport the ovum from the ovaries to the uterus. Three sections: Infundibulum - widest part with fimbriae for ovum capture, Ampulla – where fertilization usually occurs, Isthmus – narrowest part, attached to the uterus.

Structure and function: Muscular, hollow pear-shaped organ housing the developing fetus. The uterus is composed of three layers; endometrium (inner lining, proliferates with hormonal cycles), myometrium (middle muscular layer), and perimetrium (outer layer, visceral peritoneum).
Pregnancy role: Can enlarge up to 20 times its size during pregnancy.

Structure and function: Mucus membrane-lined tube that serves as a channel from the uterus to the outside of the body. Sperm pathway into the uterus. Positioned at approximately 90 degrees to the uterus. Approximately 7–8 cm in length.

Suspensory ligament: Surrounds ovarian vessels and nerves.
Broad ligament: Surrounds the uterine tubes, uterus, ovaries, and ovarian ligaments.
Ovarian ligament: Anchors the ovaries to the uterus.
Round ligament of the uterus: Anchors the uterus anteriorly to the labia majora.