Sistema Reproductivo: Masculino y Femenino

Study Notes

Reproductive System: Masculino y Femenino

The reproductive system is essential for the continuation of life, and it differs between males and females. The female reproductive system is primarily responsible for creating an environment that can support the development of a fetus, while the male reproductive system is focused on producing and transporting sperm.

Female Reproductive System

The female reproductive system includes the vagina, womb (uterus), fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The vagina is a muscular canal that extends from the neck of the womb to the genitals or vulva. The uterus, shaped like an upside-down pear, has a lining called the endometrium. The cervix is the neck or entrance to the womb, and it has a small hole in its center called the os. The fallopian tubes extend from the womb, one on each side, and they both open near an ovary. These tubes carry the egg to the womb. The ovaries are two small almond-shaped glands that contain ova and make sex hormones.

During menstruation, hormones secreted by the ovaries and the pituitary gland control the menstrual cycle. The average menstrual cycle is around 28 days. After a period, rising levels of the hormone oestrogen help to thicken the lining of the womb. At mid-cycle, an egg is released from one of the ovaries (ovulation). If the egg is fertilised on its journey down the fallopian tube, it lodges in the womb lining. If the egg is unfertilised, the lining of the womb comes away.

Male Reproductive System

The male reproductive system consists of the testes, a series of ducts and glands. The testes produce sperm, which are transported through the reproductive ducts. These ducts include the epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory duct, and urethra. The reproductive glands produce secretions that become part of semen, the fluid that is ejaculated from the urethra. These glands include the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands.

Sperm production requires a temperature around 2°C lower than that of the body, which is why the testicles are housed in the scrotum. The development of women's "eggs" is arrested during fetal development. This means she is born with a predetermined number of oocytes and cannot produce new ones. At about 5 months gestation, the ovaries contain approximately six to seven million oogonia, which initiate meiosis. The oogonia produce primary oocytes that are arrested in prophase I of meiosis from the time of birth until puberty. After puberty, during each menstrual cycle, one or several oocytes resume meiosis and undergo their first meiotic division during ovulation, resulting in the production of a secondary oocyte and one polar body.

In summary, the reproductive system in humans is complex and plays a crucial role in the continuation of life. The differences between the male and female reproductive systems are based on the functions of each individual's role in the process.

Description

Este quiz cubre los sistemas reproductivos masculino y femenino, explicando las diferencias anatómicas y fisiológicas entre ambos. Desde la producción de espermatozoides hasta la formación de óvulos, se exploran los órganos y procesos clave de cada sistema reproductivo.