Chapter 12
1 + 1 = 3 (or More)
The Reproductive System
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The Reproductive System
• The reproductive system is responsible
for the act of producing offspring
– needs both male and female organs
• Theriogenology means animal
reproduction
• The reproductive organs are called
genitals
– genit/o refers to the organs of reproduction
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The Male Reproductive System
• The male reproductive system is
responsible for the production and
delivery of sperm to the egg to
create life
• The structures of the male
reproductive system include the
scrotum, testes, epididymis, vas
deferens, accessory sex glands,
urethra, and penis
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The Scrotum
• The scrotum or
scrotal sac is the
external pouch
that encloses and
supports the testes
– The combining
form for the
scrotum is
scrot/o
• The area between
the scrotum and
the anus in males
is called the
perineum
– The combining form for the
perineum is perine/o
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The Testes
• The testes or
testicles are the
male sex glands
that produce
spermatozoa
– The combining forms
for the testes are
orch/o, orchi/o,
orchid/o, test/o, and
testicul/o
– Testis is the singular
form of testes
• The testes make
spermatozoa
– The combining forms
for spermatozoa are
sperm/o and
spermat/o
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The Epididymis
• The epididymis is
the tube at the
upper part of each
testis that secretes
part of the semen,
stores semen
before ejaculation,
and provides a
passageway for
sperm
– The combining
form for the
epididymis is
epididym/o
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The Ductus Deferens
• The ductus
deferens is the
tube connected
to the epididymis
that carries
sperm into the
pelvic region
toward the
urethra
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The Accessory Sex Glands
•
The accessory sex glands
include the seminal
vesicles, prostate gland,
and bulbourethral gland
– Seminal vesicles secrete
thick substance that
nourishes sperm
– The prostate gland
secretes a thick fluid that
aids in the motility of
sperm
– The bulbourethral glands
secrete a thick mucus
that acts as a lubricant for
sperm
•
Not all glands are present
in all species
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The Urethra
• The urethra is a
singular tube
passing through
the penis to the
outside of the
body that serves
both reproductive
and urinary
systems
– The combining
form for the
urethra is urethr/o
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The Penis
• The penis is the
male sex organ
that carries
reproductive and
urinary products
out of the body
– The combining
forms for the
penis are pen/i
and priap/o
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The Female Reproductive
System
• The female reproductive system is
responsible for the creation and
support of new life
• The structures of the female
reproductive system include the
ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, cervix,
vagina, vulva, and mammary glands
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The Ovaries
• The ovaries are a
small pair of organs
located in the caudal
abdomen
• The ovaries produce
estrogen,
progesterone, and
ova (eggs)
• The combining forms
for ovary are ovari/o
and oophor/o
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The Uterine Tubes
• The uterine tubes are
paired tubes that
extend from the
cranial portion of the
uterus to the ovary
(although they are not
attached to the ovary)
• The uterine tubes
carry ova from the
ovary to the uterus
and transport sperm
• The combining form
for the uterine tubes is
salping/o
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The Uterus
• The uterus is a
thick-walled,
hollow organ with
muscular walls
and a mucous
membrane lining
• The combining
forms for the
uterus are
hyster/o, metr/o,
metri/o, and uter/o
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The Cervix
• The cervix is the
caudal continuation
of the uterus and the
cranial continuation
of the vagina
• The cervix prevents
foreign substances
from entering the
uterus
• The combining form
for the cervix is
cervic/o
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The Vagina
• The vagina is the
muscular tube lined
with mucosa that
extends from the
cervix to outside the
body
• The vagina accepts
the penis during
copulation
• The combining forms
for the vagina are
colop/o and vagin/o
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The Vulva
• The vulva is the external
opening to the urogenital
tract that leads into the
vagina
– The perineum is the
region between the
vaginal orifice and anus
in females
• The vulva consists of the
vaginal orifice, vestibular
glands, clitoris, hymen,
and urethral orifice
• The combining forms for
the vulva are vulv/o and
episi/o
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The Mammary Glands
•
•
The mammary glands are
milk-producing glands in
females
The number of mammary
glands varies with the
species
– Litter-bearing species
have mammae
– Large animals have
udders with teats
•
•
Mammary glands are
composed of connective
tissue organized into
lobes, lobules, and alveoli
The combining forms for
the mammary glands are
mamm/o and mast/o
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The Placenta
• The placenta is the
female organ of
mammals that
develops during
pregnancy and joins
mother and offspring
for exchange of
nutrients, oxygen,
and waste products
– The placenta is often
referred to as the
afterbirth
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The Placenta
• The umbilical cord
is the structure
that forms where
the fetus
communicates
with the placenta
• The umbilicus is
the structure that
forms on the
abdominal wall
where the
umbilical cord
was connected
to the fetus
– The combining
form for
umbilicus is
umbilic/o
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The Placenta and
Associated Structures
• The innermost
membrane that
envelopes the
fetus is the
amnion
• The innermost
layer of the
placenta that
forms a sac
between itself
and the amnion
is the allantois
• The outermost
layer of the
placenta is the
chorion
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Pregnancy and Birth
• Pregnancy is the condition of having a
developing fetus in the uterus and is the
time period between conception and
parturition
– The combining form for pregnancy is pregn/o
• Gestation is the period of development of
the fetus in the uterus from conception to
parturition and is the term more commonly
used in animals
– The combining forms for gestation are gest/o
and gestat/o
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Pregnancy and Birth
• Parturition is the act of giving birth
– The combining form for giving birth is
part/o
• Parturition is divided into stages:
– first stage = dilation of the cervix
– second stage = uterine contractions
and delivery of the fetus
– third stage = separation of the placenta
from the uterus
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Medical Terms for the
Reproductive System
• Additional terms for reproductive
system tests, pathology, and
procedures can be found in the text
• Review the Flash! CD program to
make sure you understand these
terms
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