Understanding the Self: Gonads and Reproductive System

Reproductive System

• The gonads produce sex cells (gametes) and sex hormones.

Sex Determination

• The hormone testosterone determines the formation of male or female structures.

Intersex Conditions

• Individuals with accessory reproductive structures that do not match their gonads have a condition characterized as intersex.

Scrotum Development

• When the normal event of the scrotum's development fails, the testes do not descend into the scrotum, a condition known as cryptorchidism.

Testicular Atrophy

• In males with atrophy of the testes, the testes shrink and lose their function.

Phimosis

• Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin of the penis is too tight and cannot be pulled back over the head of the penis.

Puberty

• The period of life between 10 and 15 years old, when the reproductive organs grow to their adult size and become functional, is called puberty.

Menstruation

• The first menstrual period of females is called menarche.
• When females no longer experience menstruation, they have reached menopause.

Testicular Inflammation

• Inflammation of the testes is called orchitis.

Reproductive Cancers

• The most common reproductive cancers in adult females are breast and cervical cancer.

Hormones and Maturation

• In males, the hormone responsible for sexual maturation, marked by the presence of mature semen in the testes, is testosterone.

Erogenous Zones

• Erogenous zones refer to parts of the body that are primarily receptive and increase sexual arousal when touched in a sexual manner.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

• The most common inflammatory conditions in males that may follow sexual contacts with STD microorganisms are epididymitis and urethritis.

Aging and Testosterone

• As males age, they show a steady decline in testosterone secretion.