THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Reproductive System – Male Reproductive System –

Other Systems Involved in Reproduction – Human
Sexuality

CH1: Female Reproductive Organs

Ovaries

 Almond shaped organs approximately 3cm long,

2cm wide, and 1cm thick located in the lower
abdomen (pelvis) and attached to the margins
Male internal reproductive organs.
of the uterus and to the pelvic wall ligaments.
 Are reproductive glands that produce eggs and
female sex hormones.
 Contains 300, 000 – 500, 000 primary oocytes
within primordial follicles.

Female internal organs with the abdomen.

Ovarian Cycle

 Series of events that occur in the ovaries during

and after the maturation of the oocytes for
fertilization.
 Preparation for possible pregnancy.

Menarch

 Primary oocytes (immature eggs are protected  Onset of menstruation (approx. 9-14 years old)
by the ovaries until maturity and ready for
release. Menopause
 On average, one egg is released during  Cessation of menstruation (approximately 48-52
ovulation. years old)
 Ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone to
regulate reproductive functions. Hypothalamus

 Controls ovarian cycle through gonadotropin-

releasing hormones to the pituitary gland.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

 Stimulates the primary oocyte to resume its

meiotic division and mature
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
 Triggers the release of an egg from the ovary.
Fallopian tubes (oviducts)
 Are a pair of tubes about 10-12cm long that
connects the ovaries to the uterus.
 Lining has fringe0like projections with motile
cilia that help direct egg.
Cilia
 Hair like structures that move back and forth
helping an egg move towards the uterus.
Uterus
 Is a hollow, pear-shaped muscular organ about
7-8cm long but it enlarges during pregnancy.
 Located in the middle of the pelvis between the
urinary bladder in front and rectum at the back.
 Has inner lining that thickens in preparation for
the implantation for fertilized egg.
 Lining sheds if the egg remains unfertilized
resulting to menstruation.
Endometrium
 A tissue lining along the uterus wall that
thickens in reparation for possible pregnancy.
The menstrual cycle
 Also known as the endometrial cycle.
 28-day cycle (generally on average).
 Series of changes that takes place before,
during, and after ovulation.
Menstrual flow
“ During the menstrual cycle, the endometrium
thickens and the number of blood vessels in it increase
to support a fertilized egg. However, if a released egg is
not fertilized, the endometrium breaks down and
sloughs off. This tissue, some blood, and the unfertilized
egg leave the vagina as menstrual flow. Menstrual flow
usually lasts four to seven days. After menstrual flow
stops, the endometrium thickens and its blood vessels
regrow.”
During the menstrual cycle, the endometrium thickens in preparation for
possible fertilization and development of a baby.
Ovulation
 Occurs about 2 weeks after the first day of
menstrual flow.
 Only 1 egg is released from one of the ovaries.
 It takes 24-48 hours for an egg to move down
the fallopian tube and into the uterus.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
 A woman may experience headache, bloated
feelings, mood swings, breast swelling,
tenderness, weight gain, lower back muscle
pain, insomnia, food cravings, pimple, mild
fatigue, irritability, and increased perspiration.
Dysmenorrhea  Is the mound of fat tissues lying over the pubic
bone covered with pubic hair.
 Pain and discomfort at the lower abdomen that
is usually experienced during menstruation. Labia majora

 Are the 2 larger fleshy folds covered by skin and

pubic hair in the outer surface.

Labia minora

 Are the hairless, smaller folds that lie between

the labia majora.

Hymen

 Thin membrane that partially covers the vaginal

Vagina (birth canal) opening.

 Thin0walled chamber 7-12cm long muscular Clitoris

cavity that connects the uterus to the outside
 Highly sensitive tip hooded by the prepuce,
(vestibule).
protrudes at the upper junction of the labia
 Passageway connecting the uterus to the
minora.
external
Breasts

 Made of mammary glands and fat which

connects to the ducts that drain into the nipples
with the surrounding areolas.

End of female reproductive organ.

Female External Reproductive Organs

Perineum

 Is the diamond-shaped area at the lowest end

of the trunk between the vulva and the anus.

External genitalia

 Known collectively as the vulva, includes the

mons pubis, labia majora and minora, hymen,
clitoris, vestibule, and accessory glands.

Mons pubis
CH2: Male Reproductive Organs
Testes (Testicles)
 Oval-shaped gland responsible for the
production of sperm and the sex hormone
testosterone.
 Pair of organs located in the hollow sac of the
scrotum outside the body where they can
maintain the optimum temperature for sperm
production – approximately 3-5 degrees F,
lower than body temperature.
 Each testis is divided into about 250 section,
called lobules, full with tightly-coiled
seminiferous tubules.
disposed, containing40-300 million sperms in an
ajaculation.
Epididymis
 Duct-like organ (tubules) that connects the
testis to the vas deferens where sperms
continue to mature, are store and acquire
motility.
Vas deferens
 Muscular tube that carries sperms from the
epididymis to the ejaculatory duct.
Difference between….

Egg Cells Sperm Cells

Anatomy The egg cells A sperm cell
have a nucleus consists of a
that is head, a mid-
surrounded by piece and a tail.
cytoplasm, The head
which is guarded contains the
by the zona nucleus with
pellucid and the densely coiled
follicular cells. chromatin fibers,
surrounded
anteriorly by an
acrosome, which
contains
enzymes used
for penetrating
Seminiferous tubules the female egg.
The mid-piece
 Approximately 240m tubules found in each has a central
testis where immature sperm cells divide and filamentous core
differentiate to become spermatozoa. with many
mitochondria
Testosterone spiraled around
it, used for ATP
 Is the primary male hormone responsible for production for
regulating sex differentiation, producing male the journey
se characteristics, spermatogenesis, and through the
fertility. female cervix,
uterus and
Spermatogenesis uterine tubes.
The tail or
 Process of producing sperm cell in the "flagellum"
seminiferous tubules and take about 74 days executes the
lashing
and stored in the epididymis 2-5mL of semen is
movements that
propel the
 spermatocyte. ovary, it will for 3-5 days.
Produced in…. Egg cells are Sperm cells are dissolve.
produced in the produced in the Production till Egg cells form Sperm cells start
ovary testicles before birth and being produced
Size Larger compared It is very small in are active only from the body
to sperm cells. size compared to till menopause. from puberty till
Approximately egg cells. It is death
0.15 to 0.2mm in also considered Mobility Egg cells contain Sperm cells are
size. as the smallest cytoplasm, active and
cell in the body. which allows externally
Appearance The egg cell is The sperm has them to be mobile. They use
one of the an oval head on active internally. their tails to
largest human the top and has After the swim against the
cells in the body. a rigid middle nucleus is stream of fluid in
It is round in with a slimly tail released from the oviduct to
shape and has in the back to the follicular cell, the fallopian
the largest allow it to swim. it becomes less tube
volume in It is straight in mobile.
relation to the shape.
surface. The cell
consists of a Male Accessory Glands
large amount of
cytoplasm in
which the
nucleus dissolves
until just before
conception.
Shape Round, oval or a Straight
circle. elongated with
tail
Production Only a single egg Millions of cells
cell is produced are released
during once during a single
menstruation ejaculation.
cycle.
Temperature Requires warm Requires
body approximately 3-
temperature for 5 degrees lesser
sustenance than the body
temperature for Prostate
production and
mortality  Is a gland that surrounds the upper portion of
Time of Egg cells are Sperm cells form the urethra.
formation usually formed during puberty.  It contracts during ejaculation and secretes a
in a female fluid which makes up around 30% of the volume
before birth
of semen.
Life-span Egg cells have a Sperm cells have
short life span. If a longer life Seminal vesicle
an egg cell is not span. Once
fertilized 12 to ejaculated in the  Pair of glands along the back of the bladder
24 hours after its female womb base in men and are part of the male genital
release from the they can survive
system.
  Their main function Is to produce a fluid that
makes up semen, which is released during
ejaculation.
Cowper’s gland (Bulbourethral glands)
 Two small, round, yellowish pea-sized organs (1
c in diameter), located behind and outside the
urethra-produces a pre-ejaculate-fluid that
cleanses and lubricates the urethra prior to the
arrival of the semen.
Ejaculatory ducts
 Small muscular ducts that carry the
spermatozoa and seminal fluid to the urethra.
Urethra
 Tube that connects the urinary bladder to the
outside.
 It’s the passageway of both the urine and the
semen.
Semen
 Whitish fluid made up of the mature sperms
and the secretion from the accessory glands.
External Male Reproductive Organ
Scortum
 Is a thin-walled muscular pouch and skin
located between the upper parts of the thighs
and behind the penis.
Penis
 Is the primary male sex organ.
 Contains a spongy tissue whose vessels become
engorged with blood during sexual arousal.
 The head of the penis is called glands covered
with pink, most tissue.
 In uncircumcised men, the glands is further
covered by the foreskin or prepuce.
 Corpus cavernosum refers to the 2 columns of
tissue found in the dorsal part of the penis.
Spermatogenesis
Sperm developed in the seminiferous tubules of the
testes.
Primordial sperm cells called spermatogonia live
dormant in the outer compartment of tubules from the
fatal period until puberty.
1st phase: Primary spermatocytes
 Preparing to divide into self half their size.
 Undergoes a first meiotic division forming two
small haploid cells known as secondary
spermatocytes.
2nd phase: Secondary spermatocytes. (spermatids)
 Divided once more, giving rise to four haploid
cells called spermatids.
 Containing exactly half of the father’s genetic
material.
 Through process known spermiogenesis, the
spermatids changed shape transforming into
mature sperm cells.
3rd Stage: acrosome
 The spermatids nucleus condenses, the
acrosome appears.
 Tail began to grow.
Endocrine system
The endocrine system works constantly to orchestrate
these changes. Alongside growth and sexual maturity,
this system regulates everything from your sleep, to the
rhythm exerting
 The endocrine system relies on interaction
between three features to do this job.
o Glands
o Hormones
o Cell receptors
Hormone producing glands
 Three in your brain
 Seven in the rest of your body
CH3: Other Systems Involved in Reproduction
No man is an island. No organ system in the body is
totally independent.
Nervous and Endocrine Systems
Brain
 The most sexual organ of the human body.
 Coordinates the nervous and hormonal systems
that regulate what happens chemically and
physically in the body’s sexual response.
 It is a storehouse of ideas, instincts, feelings,
and moral and culturally appropriate behavior.
Hypothalamus
 An endocrine organ as well as part of the brain
that secretes neurohormones that trigger the
pituitary gland to increase or decrease its own
hormones.
 Works as the intelligent control and
coordination hub of your body. Its major job Is
to maintain homeostasis, a constant state of
equilibrium in your body.
Nervous and endocrine systems
Pituitary gland
 Pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base
of your brain below your hypothalamus.
 It secretes several essential hormones and
regulates the activity of numerous other
endocrine system glands.
 Known as the “master gland” because it’s
involved in many body processes.
 Hormones released in females
a. Pituitary gonadotrophic hormones (FSH &
LH)
b. Oxytocin – uterine contraction
c. Prolactin – milk production and emotional
bonding
 Hormones released in males
a. Interstitial cell-stimulating hormone
- Triggers the testes and at time, the
adrenal to secrete testosterone.
Circulatory system
Heart
 Pumps approximately 8 pints of blood
throughout the body 24/7. This delivers oxygen
– and nutrient-rich blood to tissues and organs
and carries away which the baby’s food and
wastes as well during pregnancy..
Blood
 Volume starts to increase early weeks of
pregnancy to support the embryo’s growth.
Respiratory system
Diaphragm
 Large flat muscle used in breathing, moves
u[wards toward the chest giving more space for
the developing baby.
Gastrointestinal system
 Absorbs and stores nutrients and eliminates.
 Saliva production increased.
 Nausea/vomiting, especially in first trimester.
 Constipation – due to increase in progesterone
and relaxin.
 Carbohydrate metabolism altered – increased
insulin resistance can cause gestational
diabetes.
Excretory system
 Aids elementary of waste from both the other
and the child.
 Kidney enlargement.
 Compression of ureters and bladder.
 Contains more sugars, proteins, and hormones.
Musculoskeletal system
 Provides framework, mobility, strength, and
protection.
 Realignment of spinal curvatures to maintain
balance
 Slight relaxation and increased mobility of the
pelvic joints which allows stretching at the time
of delivery.
Immune system
 Provides the body with s ready supply of
immune-competent cells.
 During pregnancy, some parts of the natural
immune system , may become stronger,
improving the body’s first line of infection
defence. For example, cervical mucus (‘mucus
plug) increases, which help protect the uterus
fro infection.
CH4: Human Sexuality
Sex and Gender
Sex
 Refers to the distinct biological differences
between male and female determined by the
genitals and chromosomes.
 Begins at conception, programmed into the
genes, and defines the individual throughout
life.
Gender
 Characterizes how a particular person presents
oneself in a culture (gender role) or how one
identifies himself/herself based on internal
awareness (gender identity).
 Some people may identify as transgender,
gendervariant, or non-binary
 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)
encompasses different classifications of gender
Human Sexuality
Sexuality
 Is the expression of the sex.
 Sphere of interpersonal behavior, especially
between the male and the female, mostly
directly associated with, leading up to genital
union.
 It attracts a man and a woman towards each
other to procreate and fulfill each other.
 Unlike animals which copulate instinctively,
human sexuality is personal and moral.

Libido
 Known as the sex drive
 Ensures the continuation of the species
 Triggers desire, orchestrates the physiological
changes of the human body to reproduce
 Can be a source of pleasure and fulfilment as
well as heartbreak and loss, even violence.
The Sexual Act
Sexual intercourse
 Is the physical union of male and female
through which human beings procreate
 Characterized by the penetration or insertion of
the penis into the vagina culminates in orgasm
in which the penis ejaculates semen with
sperms into the vagina.
Body systems role
 Nervous system triggers the excitement,
hormonal secretions, orgasm and ejaculation.
 Circulatory system causes blood to accumulate
in the genital areas, making them swell
 Muscles of the thighs, buttocks, uterus and
vagina contract.
 During resolution phase, the nervous system
reverses the excitement assuming normal levels
 Norepinephrine hormone is released causing a
calm feeling of well-being and relaxation
Attitude towards Sex and Sexual Activity
 The very nature of human sexuality makes it
imperative to work at its formation, discipline
its power and protect it against abuse by others
as well as by oneself.
 Sexual attraction, even satisfaction, should not
be mistaken for true love
 Sexuality and sexual behavior should be seen
with respect for all men, women, and children
as well as for all forms of life.
 The proper way to engage in sexual activity is
sensibly, responsibly, respectfully, and
consensually.
 Heterosexual marriage is the most common
adult expression of sexuality; but alternatively
exist, including celibacy for religious reasons,
singleness by choice, polygamy, or same-sex
partnership.