TERMS
Gonad - is a body organ that produces the cells necessary for
Reproduction
week 5 - of intrauterine life, primitive gonadal tissue
is already formed
Mesonephric (wolffian) - develops into testes in week 7 or 8
Paramesonephric (müllerian) - develops into ovary in week
10
oocytes - cells that will develop into eggs throughout the
woman’s mature years
Puberty - the stage of life at which secondary sex changes
begin.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing
hormone (LH) - initiate the production of androgen and
estrogen, which in turn initiate secondary sex
characteristics, the visible signs of maturity.
Androgen - muscular development, physical growth, and the
increase in sebaceous gland secretions that causes typical
acne in both boys and girls.
- Males - produced by the adrenal cortex and the testes
- Females - adrenalcortex and the ovaries.
Adrenarche - development of pubic and axillary hair because
of androgen stimulation
Estrogen - development of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and
vagina; typical female fat distribution and hair patterns;
breast development; and an end to growth because it closes
the epiphyses of long bones
Thelarche - beginning of breast development
Gynecology - study of the female reproductive organs
Andrology - study of the male reproductive organs.
Male Reproductive System
A. External Structures
1. Scrotum - support the testes and to help regulate the
temperature of sperm
2. Testes
- Seminiferous tubules - produce spermatozoa.
- Leydig’s cells - production of testosterone.
- LH - responsible for the release of testosterone
- Androgen-binding protein - binding of testosterone
promotes sperm formation
3. Penis
- two termed the corpus cavernosa,
- third termed the corpus spongiosum
- Engorgement - dilation of blood vessels and an
increase in blood flow to the arteries of the penis
B. Male Internal Structures
1. Epididymis - conducting sperm from the tubule to the vas
deferens
- 20ft long
- Aspermia - absence of sperm
- Oligospermia - 20 million sperm/mL
2. Vas Deferens - carries sperm from the epididymis through
the inguinal canal into the abdominal cavity, where it ends at
the seminal vesicles and the ejaculatory ducts.
 - Vasectomy - severing of the vas deferens to prevent
passage of sperm
3. Seminal Vesicles
- secrete a viscous alkaline liquid that has a high sugar,
protein, and prostaglandin content.
- Sperm become increasingly motile with this added
Fluid
4. Ejaculatory Ducts - pass through the prostate gland and
join the seminal vesicles to the urethra.
5. Prostate Gland - protects sperm from being immobilized
by the naturally low pH level of the urethra
6. Bulbourethral Glands or Cowper’s Gland
- helps counteract the acid secretion of the urethra
and ensure the safe passage of spermatozoa.
7. Urethra - hollow tube, passage
Female Reproductive System
A. Female External Structures
Vulva - structures that form the female external genitalia
1. Mons Veneris - a pad of adipose tissue located over the
symphysis pubis, protect the junction of the pubic bone from
trauma
2. Labia Minora - two hairless folds of connective tissue
- Used in vulvar examinations
- localized sebaceous cysts may occur h
- Before menarche - fairly small
- childbearing age - firm and full
- after menopause - atrophy and again become smaller
3. Labia Majora - protection
- can lead to extensive edema formation because of the
looseness of the connective tissue base.
4. Vestibule - flattened, smooth surface inside the labia
- openings to the bladder (the urethra) and the uterus
(the vagina) both arise
5. Clitoris - rounded organ of erectile tissue
6. Prepuce - skin fold that covers clit
7. Skene’s glands (paraurethral glands) - ducts open into
the urethra
8. Bartholin’s glands (vulvovaginal glands) - help to
lubricate the external genitalia during coitus
9. Fourchette/perineum - sometimes cut (episiotomy) during
childbirth to enlarge the vaginal opening
10 . Perineal muscle/ Perineal body - stretched during
childbirth to allow for enlargement of the vagina and passage
of the fetal head
- Kegel’s exercise - allow easier expansion during birth
without tearing of this tissue.
11. Hymen - covers the opening to the vagina in childhood.
Vulvar Blood Supply
pudendal artery - main blood supply of the external genitalia
inferior rectus artery - others
pudendal vein - venous return
 - Pressure on this vein by the fetal head can cause
extensive back-pressure and development of
varicosities
Vulvar Nerve Supply
ilioinguinal and genitofemoral nerves (L1 level)
- Nerve supply of anterior portion of the vulva
pudendal nerve (S3 level)
- posterior portions of the vulva and vagina
Female Internal Structures
1. Ovaries - produce, mature, and discharge ova
- Ova - egg cells
- produce estrogen and progesterone and initiate
and regulate menstrual cycles
- Estrogen - regulates the menstrual cycle
- Progesterone - supports pregnancy
Three principal divisions:
a. Protective layer of surface epithelium
b. Cortex - the immature (primordial) oocytes mature
into ova
- estrogen and progesterone production
c. Central medulla - contains the nerves, blood vessels,
lymphatic tissue, and some smooth muscle tissue
Gametes - sex cells
Mitotic division - Oocytes divide in intrauterine life by one
Meiosis - cell reduction division
Primordial follicle - a protective sac, or thin layer of cells
surrounding oocyte that lies in the ovary
2. Fallopian tube - convey the ovum from the ovaries to the
uterus and to provide a place for fertilization of the ovum by
sperm.
Four separate parts
a. Interstitial portion - most proximal, tube that lies within
the uterine wall
b. Isthmus - cut or sealed in a tubal ligation
c. Ampulla - longest, fertilization of an ovum occurs
d. Infundibular - most distal,
- Fimbria - small hairs that cover the rim of the funnel
- help to guide the ovum into the fallopian tube
3. Uterus
- 60 g - nonpregnant state
- 80 g - after pregnancy
- to receive the ovum from the fallopian tube
- provide a place for implantation and nourishment
- furnish protection to a growing fetus
- at maturity of the fetus, expel it from a woman’s body.
Three divisions
a. Body or Corpus - uppermost, forms the bulk of the organ
- expands to contain the growing fetus
Fundus - portion of the uterus between the points of
attachment of the fallopian tubes
- can be palpated abdominally
- measure the force of uterine contractions
- assess that the uterus is returning to its nonpregnant
state
b. Isthmus
- 1 to 2 mm - nonpregnant
- Aid in accomodating the growing fetus
- most commonly cut when a fetus is born by a
cesarean birth.
c. Cervix - lowest
- 2 to 5 cm long
- approximately one third of the total uterus size
internal cervical os - opening of the canal
at the junction of the cervix and isthmus
cervical canal - central cavity
external cervical os - distal opening to the vagina
Uterine and Cervical Coats
Three separate coats:
a. Endometrium - menstrual function, shed as the menstrual
flow
- Endocervix - mucous membrane lining the cervix
- Papanicolaou smear - a test for cervical cancer
b. Myometrium - constricting the tubal junctions and
preventing regurgitation of menstrual blood into the tubes
- holds the internal cervical os closed during pregnancy
to prevent a preterm birth.
- Myomas/benign fibroid (leiomyoma) tumors arise
c. perimetrium - adding strength and support to the structure
Uterine Blood Supply - large descending abdominal aorta
divides to form two iliac arteries; main divisions of the iliac
arteries are the hypogastric arteries
Uterine Nerve Supply
Efferent nerves - T5 through T10 spinal ganglia.
Afferent nerves - hypogastric plexus and enter the spinal
column at T11 and T12.
Cystocele - bladder can then herniate into the anterior vagina
Rectocele - rectum pouches into the vaginal wall
Culdoscopy - endoscopic examination through a puncture in
the posterior vaginal fornix.
Laparoscopy - a laparoscope through the abdominal wall
Uterine Deviations
Bicornuate uterus - oddly shaped “horns” at the
junction of the fallopian tubes
Anteversion - uterus is tipped far forward
Retroversion - uterus is tipped backward
Anteflexion - body of the uterus is bent sharply forward at
the junction with the cervix
Retroflexion - body is bent sharply back just above the
cervix
4. Vagina - birth canal
- act as the organ of intercourse and to convey sperm
to the cervix
Fornices – recesses on all sides of the cervix
posterior fornix - place for the pooling of semen after coitus
Coitus - sexual intercourse
Rugae - folds make the vagina very elastic and able to expand
at the end of pregnancy
Döderlein’s bacillus - lactose-fermenting bacteria that
frequent the vagina

Breasts
Areola - 4cm, dark pigmented skin
Gynecomastia - increase in breast size at puberty of males
acinar cells - glands in each lobe produce milk
lactiferous duct - deliver milk to the nipple
Nipple - 20 openings, capable of erection on manual or
sucking stimulation
Oxytocin - acts to constrict milk gland cells and push milk
forward into the ducts that lead to the nipple.
Montgomery’s tubercles - appears rough on the surface
because it contains many sebaceous glands

MENSTRUATION