34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
KEY CONCEPT
Female and male reproductive organs fully develop
during puberty.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The female reproductive system produces ova.
• The reproductive system is a collection of specialized
organs, glands, and hormones that help produce a new
human being.
• Females and males reach sexuality maturity, or the ability
to produce offspring, only after puberty.
• Puberty marks the time in your life when your
hypothalamus and your pituitary gland release hormones.
– Follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinizing
hormones(LH)
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The female reproductive system produces ova.
• There are two main functions of the female reproductive
system.
– produce ova, or egg cells
– provide a place where a zygote develops
fallopian
tube
uterus
ovary
cervix
pubic bone
urinary bladder
urethra
rectum
vagina
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The female reproductive system produces ova.
• Females have all of their reproductive organs inside their
bodies.
• It helps to protect a fertilized egg while it develops.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The female reproductive system produces ova.
• The egg cells are produced in the ovaries.
• The ovaries are paired organs located on either side of
the uterus, or womb.
• When a female baby is born, she has all of her eggs.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The female reproductive system produces ova.
• The egg cells are produced in the ovaries
• The ovaries are paired organs located on either side of
the uterus or womb.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
• FSH and LH stimulate the release of Estrogen
Estrogen has three main functions:
– develop female sexual characteristics
Ex: widening the pelvis, increasing fat deposits and bone
mass, and enlarging the breasts.
– develop eggs
– prepare uterus for pregnancy and maintain a pregnancy
when it occurs
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
• When the egg cell matures each month, it is released
from an ovary and enters the fallopian tube.
• An egg takes several days to travel through the fallopian
tube, during that time it can be fertilized by sperm that
enters the tube.
• When the egg is fertilized it will attach to the wall of the
uterus, if it is unfertilized it will eventually be broken down
and discarded.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
• The uterus is made up of 3 layers
– A thin inner layer of epithelial cells
– A thick middle layer of muscle
– An outer layer of connective tissue
The lower end is called the cervix, which opens to the
vagina.
During a normal birth, a baby is pushed down the canal
of the vagina to exit the mothers body.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The male reproductive system produces sperm.
• There are two main functions of the male reproductive
system.
– produce sperm cells
– deliver sperm to the female reproductive system
urinary bladder
seminal vesicle
vas deferens
pubic bone
prostate gland
rectum
penis
urethra
epididymis
scrotum
testis
bulbourethral
gland
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
The male reproductive system produces sperm.
• Males do not produce sperm until after they reach
puberty
• Sperm production takes place in the testicles, or testes
• Each testis contains hundreds of tiny tubules where
millions of sperm cells are produced.
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
• LH stimulates the release of testosterone
• Testosterone has two main functions.
– Controls developing male sexual characteristics
Ex: deeper voice, more body hair, greater bone density,
increased muscle mass
– producing sperm
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
• The testes are enclosed in a pouch called the scrotum
which hangs below the pelvis outside the body.
– It is 2-3 degrees cooler then the core body
temperature
– Sperm cannot develop if the temperature is too high
• When the sperm leaves the testes, they travel through a
duct to a long coiled tube known as the epididymus.
– Sperm matures there and remains until expelled
• During sexual stimulation, the sperm travel into another
long duct called the vas deferens
34.1 Reproductive Anatomy
• Secondary sex glands secrete fluids into the vas
deferens to nourish and protect the sperm.
• The prostate gland produces a fluid that helps sperm
move more easily.
• The bulbourethral gland and the seminal vesicle secrete
basic fluids that help neutralize the acidity in the urethra
and in the females vagina.
• The fluids from all 3 glands plus sperm form semen.
• Semen moves from the vas deferens into the urethra and
ejects it from the penis.