An in-depth summary covering everything in human reproduction. This includes: the male and female reproductive system (including the names and functions of the reproductive organs), puberty, gametogenesis, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, contraception, sexually transmitted infections and infertilit...
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
What to know:
The structure and function of human male and female reproductive systems
Puberty
The sperm and egg cells are produced by germinal epithelium by meiosis
The structure and functions of a sperm
The menstrual cycle and negative feedback mechanisms
- FSH
- LH
- Oestrogen
- Progesterone
The development of primary follicle into Graafian follicle and ovulation
Fertilization
- Where
- Zygote becomes an embryo and then a foetus by mitosis (no further details)
The structure and function of the placenta, umbilical cord, amnion and amniotic fluid
The initiation of labour and birth by changing hormones and other factors. The role
of the mammary gland
Contraceptive methods:
- Condom
- Diaphragm
- Contraceptive pill
- Hormone injections
- IUD
- Rhythm methods
Sexually transmitted diseases
Foetal alcohol syndrome and HIV
Infertility treatment
Surrogacy
Circumcision
,Male reproductive system
What makes up the male reproductive organs?
Primary sex organs - the testis
Ducts - epididymis, sperm duct (vas deferens) and urethra
Accessory glands - e.g. prostate gland
External genitalia - the penis
Scrotum
The scrotum contains the testis
Functions of the scrotum
Acts as a temperature regulator, keeping the testis 2 to 3 degrees lower than body
temperature. The lower temporary aid necessary for the formation of sperm
The scrotum houses and protects the testis
Testis
The testis, two oval structures, are suspended outside the body in the scrotum
In the embryonic stage the Testa are in the abdominal cavity just below the kidneys.
Before birth they descend into the scrotum.
The testis consists of lobules which contain the highly convoluted seminiferous tubules.
These total about 250m in each testis
, Germinal Epithelium lines the tubules
Between the tubules are groups of endocrine cells, the interstitial cells, or cells of Leydig
Functions of the testis:
o To produce sperm, by the germinal layer
o To produce testosterone, by the interstitial cells
Epididymis
The seminiferous tubules join to form the epididymis, a highly convoluted tubule about 5m
long
Functions of the epididymis
Immature sperm enter the epididymis where they:
mature, to become motile and fertile
Are stored for several months
Sperm duct (vas deferens)
The muscular sperm duct is a continuation of the epididymis. It leaves the scrotum,
passed through the prostate gland and then enters the urethra.
The function of the sperm duct is to push mature sperm forward by strong peristaltic
waves (Strong contraction of smooth muscle in the walls of the ducts) from the
epididymis into the urethra. This is known as ejaculation
Urethra
The urethra is the duct at the end of the urogenital system leading to the exterior.
Its function is to form a common duct for the transportation of semen and urine,
although these two processes never occur together.
Prostate gland
A plum-sized gland, which surrounds the urethra at the base of the bladder.
Function of the prostate gland:
o Secretes a fluid that aids the transport of the sperm and contain enzymes that make
the sperm more active.
o This fluid makes up about a third of the seminal fluid.
Cowper’s gland function
The two Cowper’s glands are found at the base of the penis
, Cowper’s glands produce an alkaline mucous like fluid when sexually aroused.
This fluid:
Neutralizes acidic urine that may still be present in the urethra
Lubricates the urethra and external urethral opening to protect sperm from mechanical
damage during ejaculation
Penis
The urethra passes down the male external organ, the penis
The penis consists of spongy tissue (erectile tissue)
Running down the length of the penis there are 3 sections of erectile tissue
2 are situated in the dorsal side, the corpus cavernous, and one on the ventral side, the
corpus spongiosum
The primary mechanism that brings about an erection is the dilation of dorsal and
central arteries supplying blood to the penis. This allows more blood to fill the 3 spongy
erectile tissue chambers, causing the penis to lengthen and stiffen.
Without an erection sperm cannot be transferred to the female's vagina during sexual
intercourse.
Function of the penis
The penis deposits semen with sperm into the female's vagina during copulation.
What is distinctive about the human penis?
The human male is the only mammal that has no erectile bone (baculum) in the penis; it
relies entirely on enforcement with blood to reach its erect state
The human penis is not attached to the abdominal wall but hangs free. This is in contrast
to most other mammals where the penis is stored internally until erect.
Semen (seminal fluid)
Semen consists of:
Sperm from the testis
Seminal fluid from the sperm duct and accessory glands
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