Function of male and female

reproductive system

Formation of sexual fitches of the

organism at fetal period

In fetus testosterone is secreted by genital ridges under influence

of male chromosome Y at 7th week of fetation. Later fetal testes
secrete testosterone under influence of human chorionic
gonadotropin from placenta.
Action of testosterone in fetus causes development of penis,
scrotum, prostate, seminal vesicles and male genital duct;
suppresses formation of female genital organs; causes descent of
testes through inguinal canal into scrotum during last two months
of gestation. Regulation of testosterone in fetus occurs due to
human chorionic gonadotropin from placenta that causes Laydig
cell formation in testes and so testosterone secretion. Absence of
Y chromosome and testosterone in blood results in development
of female fetus.

Peculiarities of pubertal and prepubertal periods

Puberty period in male is period, during which

secondary sexual characters begin to develop and
capability of sexual reproduction is attained. It
begins normally at age of 12-13.
Processes probably in amigdala causes
hypothalamus to begin secretion luteinising
human releasing hormone that stimulates anterior
pituitary glandto secrete luteinising hormone and
follicle stimulating hormone and then testosteron
secretion by Leydig cells.

Peculiarities of pubertal and prepubertal

periods

Laydig cells that secret testosterone are non-existent in

childhood, but abundant in newborn male infant and in
adult male after puberty. Testosterone in target cells is
converted into dihydrotestosterone and 5-alfaandrostanediol. Some actions of testosterone depend upon
this convertion, while others do not.
Testosterone that is not uptaken by target cells is degraded
by liver into androsterone, dehydroepiandrosterone and
conjugated as glucuronides or sulfates. Conjugated
products of degraded testosterone are excreted in bile or
in urine. Mechanism of testosterone action is proteinformation mechanism.

Peculiarities of pubertal and prepubertal periods

Characters of body, which make their appearance

under influence of sex hormones at puberty are called
secondary sexual characters. In male they include: 1)
body hears testosterone causes increase hair growth
over pubis, male pattern is convex, upward along
linea alba, on chest, on face and on back; 2) baldness
testosterone causes decrease hair growth on top of
head, producing baldness; 3) voice testosterone
causes hypertrophy of pharyngeal mucosa and
enlargement of larynx, which first causes cracking
voice, and then causes typical masculine bass voice;
4) skin testosterone increases skin thickness,
secretion of sebaceous gland and acne; 5)
subcutaneous fat testosterone decreases
subcutaneous fat.

Peculiarities of pubertal and prepubertal

periods

Testosterone increases spermatogenesis in

seminiferous tubules. Anabolic effect of testosterone
increases protein synthesis, causes positive nitrogen
balance, decreases blood urea level, increases muscle
development and creatin content in muscles, increases
bone thickness, narrows pelvic outlet and lengthens
it, increases strength of pelvis for load bearing.
Testosterone due to metabolic effect increases also
red blood cells count, Na and water reabsorbtion in
distal tubuls in kidney, increases libido (sexual
appetite) by directly acting on central nervous system.

Peculiarities of pubertal and prepubertal

periods

Period during which monthly sexual cycles begin in

female is called as puberty period begins at 11-15
years of life. At this age anterior pituitary gland
begins to secrete luteinising hormone and follicle
stimulating hormone that causes changes in ovaries
and uterus that result in monthly sexual cycles in
female.
During childhood granulosa cells secrete oocyte
maturation-inhibiting factor that keeps ovum in its
primordial state. There are two types of ovarian
hormones: estrogenes (most important is estradiol)
and progestins (most important is progerterone).

Action of estrogenes

Action of estrogenes is based on protein formation

mechanism, so slight positive nitrogen balance develops, fat
desposition in subcutaneous tissue, breast, buttocks and thighs
occur, in blood cholesterole level decreases and fibrinogen
level rises. Estrogenes cause increase in size and wall
masculature in vagina; simple cuboidal epithelium is
converted to stratified epithelium, which is more resistant to
trauma and infections.
Estrogenes increase glycogene disposition, so pH in vagina
becomes more acidic due to conversion of glycogen into lactic
acid by bacteria. External genitalia increase in size and
increases fat deposition in mons pubis and labia majora under
the influence of estrogenes. Increase of uterus in size, its
vascularity, proliferation of epithelium and proliferation of
glandular tissue in fallopian tubes are also occurs.

Female reproductive system Video

Action of estrogenes

Estrogenes inhibit luteinizing hormone and follicle

stimulating hormone secretion by negative feedback
mechanism, so ovarian function decreases. This effect
is used as oral contraception. Secondary sexual
characters are also get developed due to estrogenes.
They initiate growth of breast, cause development of
stroma and duct system, cause fat deposition in
breast, causes skin to become smooth and soft due to
increase skin vascularity, broadens pelvis, larynx
retains its prepubertal size and voice remains highpitched.

Progesterone

Progesterone promotes secretory changes in uterine

endometrium and fallopian tubes during secretory
faze of menstrual cycle, promotes development of
lobule and alveoli in breast; causes alveolar cells to
proliferate, enlarge and become secretory. Onset of
menstruation is called menarche.
Progesterone inhibits ovulation by inhibiting release
of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating
hormone. Progesterone causes also slight retention of
Na+, Cl- and water from renal tubules and completes
aldosterone in this action.

Formation and mechanism

of sexual motivation

In male pathway of afferent sexual sensations

includes the next: psychic or physical stimulation of
sensory end organs, spreading impulses by pudendal
nerve, sacral plexus, sacral portion of spinal cord and
then undefined areas of cerebrum and limbic system.
Afferent pathway in female includes psychic or
sexual stimulation, spreading excitation through
pudendal nerve to sacral segment of spinal cord and
through analyzing systems to limbic system.

Anatomy of the Male

Reproductive System

The male reproductive system consists of the testes

(sing., testis), a series of ducts, accessory glands, and
supporting structures.
The ducts include the epididymides (sing.,
epididymis), ductus deferentia (sing., deferens; also
vas deferens), and urethra.
Accessory glands include the seminal vesicles,
prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands.
Supporting structures include the scrotum and penis

Sagittal section of the male pelvis showing the

male reproductive structures

Sperm cells are very temperature-sensitive and dont

develop normally at usual body temperatures.
The testes and epididymides, in which the sperm cells
develop, are located outside the bodycavity in the
scrotum, where the temperature is lower.
The ductus deferentia lead from the testes into the
pelvis, where they join the ducts of the seminal
vesicles to form the ampullae. Extensions of the
ampullae, called the ejaculatory ducts, pass through
the prostate and empty into the urethra within the
prostate.
The urethra, in turn, exits from the pelvis and passes
through the penis to the outside of the body.

Scrotum

The scrotum contains the

testes and is divided into two
internal compartments by an
incomplete connective tissue
septum.
Externally, the scrotum is
marked in the midline by an
irregular ridge, the raphe,
which continues posteriorly to
the anus and anteriorly onto
the inferior surface of the
penis.
The outer layer of the scrotum
includes the skin, a layer of
superficial fascia consisting of
loose connective tissue, and a
layer of smooth muscle called
the dartos (dartos; to skin)
muscle.

Perineum

The area between the thighs, which is bounded by the

symphysis pubis anteriorly, the coccyx posteriorly,
and the ischial tuberosities laterally, is called the
perineum.
The perineum is divided into two triangles by a set of
muscles, the superficial transverse and deep
transverse perineal muscles, that runs transversely
between the two ischial tuberosities.
The anterior, or urogenital triangle, contains the
base of the penis and the scrotum. The smaller
posterior, or anal, triangle, contains the anal
opening.

The testes are

small ovoid organs,
each about 45 cm
long, within the
scrotum.
They are both
exocrine and
endocrine glands.
Sperm cells form a
major part of the
exocrine secretions
of the testes, and
testosterone is the
major endocrine
secretion of the
testes.

Testicular Histology

The outer part of each testis is a thick,

white capsule consisting of mostly
fibrous connective tissue called the
tunica albuginea.
Connective tissue of the tunica
albuginea enters the testis and forms
incomplete septa. The septa divide
each testis into about 300400 coneshaped lobules.
The substance of the testis between
the septa includes two types of tissue:
seminiferous (semi-nifer-us; seed
carriers) tubules in which sperm cells
develop and a loose connective tissue
stroma that surrounds the tubules and
contains clusters of endocrine cells
called interstitial cells, or Leydig
cells, which secrete testosterone.

Descent of the Testes

(Approximately
2 months)

The testes develop

as retroperitoneal
organs in the
abdominopelvic
cavity, and each
testis is connected
to the scrotum by a
gubernaculum a
fibromuscular
cord.

Descent of the Testes

(Approximately 3
months)

The testes move

from the
abdominal cavity
through the
inguinal canals to
the scrotum.
Cryptorchidism
is failure of one or
both of the testes
to descend into
the scrotum.

Descent of the Testes

(Approximately
birth)

As they move into the

scrotum, each testis is
preceded by an
outpocketing of the
peritoneum called the
process vaginalis.
The superior part of
each process vaginalis
usually becomes
obliterated, and the
inferior part remains
as a small, closed sac,
the tunica vaginalis.

Descent of the Testes

(Adult)

The tunica vaginalis

surrounds most of the testis
in much the same way that
the pericardium surrounds
the heart.
The visceral layer of the
tunica vaginalis covers the
anterior surface of the
testis, and the parietal layer
lines the scrotum.
The tunica vaginalis is a
serous membrane
consisting of a layer of
simple squamous
epithelium that rests on a
basement membrane.

Inguinal Hernia

Normally, the inguinal canals are closed, but they do

represent weak spots in the abdominal wall. Inguinal
hernias are abnormal openings in the abdominal wall
in the inguinal region through which structures such as
a portion of the small intestine can protrude.
These hernias can be quite painful and even very
dangerous, especially if a portion of the small intestine
is compressed so its blood supply is cut off.
Fortunately, inguinal hernias can be repaired surgically.
Males are much more prone to inguinal hernias than
are females because a males inguinal canals are larger
and weakened because the testes pass through them on
their way into the scrotum.

Sperm Cell Development

A cross section of a mature seminiferous

tubule reveals the various stages of sperm cell
development, a process called
spermatogenesis.
In addition, tight junctions between the
sustentacular cells form a blood-testes
barrier, which isolates the sperm cells from
the immune system

The seminiferous
tubules contain
two types of cells,
germ cells and
sustentacular, or
Sertoli cells.
The sustentacular
cells are also
sometimes referred
to as nurse cells.

Testosterone

Testosterone, produced by the interstitial cells, passes into the

sustentacular cells and binds to receptors. The combination of
testosterone with the receptors is required for the sustentacular
cells to function normally. In addition, testosterone is
converted to two other steroids in the sustentacular cells:
dihydrotestosterone and estrogen.
The sustentacular cells also secrete a protein called androgenbinding protein into the seminiferous tubules.
Testosteroneand dihydrotestosterone bind to androgen-binding
protein and are carried along with other secretions of the
seminiferous tubules to the epididymis. Estradiol and
dihydrotestosterone may be the active hormones that promote
sperm cell formation.

Scattered between the

sustentacular cells are
smaller germ cells from
which sperm cells are
derived. The germ cells
are arranged so that the
most immature cells are at
the periphery and the most
mature cells are near the
lumen of the seminiferous
tubules.
The most peripheral cells,
those adjacent to the
basement membrane of
the seminiferous tubules,
are spermatogonia, which
divide by mitosis.

Spermatogenesis

Some of the daughter

cells produced from
these mitotic
divisions remain
spermatogonia and
continue to produce
additional
spermatogonia.
The others divide
through mitosis and
differentiate to form
primary
spermatocytes.

Meiosis

Meiosis begins when the primary spermatocytes

divide. Each primary spermatocyte passes through the
first meiotic division to become twosecondary
spermatocytes.
Each secondary spermatocyte undergoes a second
meiotic division to produce two even smaller cells
called spermatids.
Each spermatid undergoes the last phase of
spermatogenesis called spermiogenesis to form a
mature sperm cell, or spermatozoon.
Each spermatid develops a head, midpiece, and a tail,
or flagellum.

After their release into

the seminiferous
tubules, the sperm
cells pass through the
tubuli recti to the rete
testis.
From the rete testis,
they pass through the
efferent ductules,
which leave the testis
and enter the
epididymis to join the
duct of the epididymis.
The sperm cells then
leave the epididymis,
passing through the
ductus epididymis,
ductus deferens,
ejaculatory duct, and
urethra to reach the
exterior of the body.

Urethra

The male urethra is about 20 cm long and extends from the

urinary bladder to the distal end of the penis. The urethra is a
passageway for bothurine and male reproductive fluids. The
urethra is divided into three parts: the prostatic part, the
membranous part, and the spongy part.
The prostatic (pros-tatik) urethra is connected to the bladder
and passes through the prostate gland. Fifteen to 30 small
ducts from the prostate gland and the two ejaculatory ducts
empty into the prostatic urethra.
The membranous urethra is the shortest part of the urethra
and extends from the prostate gland through the perineum,
which is part of the muscular floor of the pelvis.
The spongy urethra, also called the penile urethra, is by far
the longest part of the urethra and extends from the
membranous urethra through the length of the penis.

Penis

The penis contains three

columns of erectile tissue, and
engorgement of this erectile
tissue with blood causes the
penis to enlarge and become
firm, a process called erection.
The penis is the male organ of
copulation through which sperm
cells are transferred from the
male to the female. Two of the
erectile columns form the
dorsum and sides of the penis
and are called the corpora
cavernosa. The third column,
the corpus spongiosum

Seminal Vesicles

The seminal vesicles are sac-shaped glands

located next to the ampullae of the ductus
deferentia.
Each gland is about 5 cm long and tapers into
a short duct that joins the ductus deferens to
form the ejaculatory duct.
The seminal vesicles have a capsule containing
fibrous connective tissue and smooth muscle
cells.

Prostate Gland

The prostate gland consists of both glandular and muscular

tissue and is about the size and shape of a walnut; that is,
about 4 cm long and 2 cm wide. It is dorsal to the symphysis
pubis at the base of the urinary bladder, where it surrounds the
prostatic urethra and the two ejaculatory ducts.
The gland is composed of a fibrous connective tissue capsule
containing distinct smooth muscle cells and numerous fibrous
partitions, also containing smooth muscle, that radiate inward
toward the urethra. Covering these muscular partitions is a
layer of columnar epithelial cells that form saccular dilations
into which the columnar cells secrete prostatic fluid. Fifteen to
30 small prostatic ducts carry these secretions into the
prostatic urethra.

Male reproductive irgans Video

Sexual reaction in male

Male sexual act includes such processes: 1) erection;

2) lubrication; 3) emission; 4) ejaculation.
Psychical stimuli lead to excitation of corresponding
centers in limbic system. Physical sexual stimulation
cause afferent impulse through pudendal nerve
integrated in sacral segment. Then afferent impulses
through nervi erigentes from pelvic parasympathetic
nerve spread to penis and cause delation of arteries.
Arterial blood builds up under high pressure in
erectile tissue and venous outflow occluded.

So, erectile tissue balloon up, penis become hard and

elongated that called as erection. Same parasympathetic
impulses that cause erection also stimulate urethral and bulbourethral glands to secrete mucous that lubricate during
intercourse.
When sexual stimulation becomes extremely intense, reflex
centers of spinal cord (L1-2) send sympathetic
impulsesthrough hypogastric plexus that cause contraction of
vas deference, ampulla, prostate and lastly seminal vesicle. So,
semen emitted into internal urethra. After this afferent
signalsthrough pudendal nerve cause sympathetic stimulation
and efferent signals from sacral sigment of spinal cord through
hypogastric plexus lead to contraction of internal genital
organs that cause rhythmic increase in pressure of internal
urethra from outside. This provides ejaculation of semen from
internal urethra into deep vagina. Extremely pleasurable
sensations felt during emission and ejaculation, are called male
orgasm or male climax.

Sexual reaction in female

Female sexual act includes such processes: 1) stimulation; 2)

erection; 3) lubrication; 4) climax. Psychical stimuli lead to
excitation of corresponding centers in limbic system.
Physical sexual stimulation cause afferent impulse through
pudendal nerve integrated in sacral segment. Parasympathetic
signals that pass through nervi erigenes dilate arteries of
erectile tissue in introitus and clitoris. So, blood accumulates
in erectile tissue. Same parasympathetic signals also pass to
Bartholins glands beneath labia minora and vaginal
epithelium that cause them to secrete mucus, which is essential
for massaging action. Than during climax perineal muscles
contract rhythmically.