Chapter 5 Par.1: Reproduction and hormones All kinds of processes in the human body are controlled by substances called hormones. Hormones Are produced by the endocrine system. They control for example growth, development, glucose levels in your blood and they can even affect you heart rate. Therefore, hormones are regulatory substances. Hormones also regulate the reproductive system Most of the hormones are also the same in females and males. This is not the case for the reproductive system and the sex hormones. Sex hormones characteristics. Responsible for the development of specific male and female In the brain a special gland called the pituitary gland produces hormones that start the production of reproductive cells: female egg cells and male sperm cells. Egg cells and sperm cells transfer hereditary information to the next generation. Chapter 5 Par.2: The male reproductive system The male his external organs are the penis and the scrotum. Scrotum A skin pouch which contains two organs called testes. As a boy enters puberty, the testes start producing sperm cells. Sperm cell = The cell has a head and a tail. The head contains hereditary information. The tail moves the sperm cell along. Life of a sperm cell: 1. It all begins In the testes in the seminiferous tubules, where the Sperm cells develop. 2. Than the sperm cell travels to the epididymis which is a cap-like structure located on top of each testis. 3. Before they can leave the body, they first have to travel through the sperm ducts ( also called the vas deferentia). There are two of these sperm ducts, one for each testis. They lead away from the testes and towards the male reproductive organs. Sperm cells need nutrients for energy and fluids to swim. The seminal vesicles produce some of this fluid. The rest of the fluid is produced by the prostate gland.Sperm cells and fluid together are called semen. 4. The two vas join together and end in the urethra. This is a body tube inside the penis that transports both semen and urine out of the body When semen passes out of the body this is known as ejaculation. The penis must be erect for the semen to pass out the body. This happens when blood is pumped into spongy erectile tissue inside the penis.
