Warning: Some graphic
images…viewer
discretion advised
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By: Raveena Patel
Daniel Kim
Mariko Kobayashi
Period 2
Female Reproductive Systems and Organs
• Asexual: “ without sex” creation of new individuals whose
genes all come from one parent without the fusion of egg and
sperm
• Sexual: fusion of egg and sperm
• Female gamete: egg ( ovum)
• Male gamete: sperm
• Fission: Separation of a parent into two or more individuals of
approximately equal size
• Budding: New individuals arise from outgrowths of existing
ones. ( ex. Cnidarians )
• Fragmentation: The breaking of the body into several pieces of
• Regeneration: The regrowth of lost body parts ( Note:
fragmentation must be accompanied by regeneration)
• Parthenogenesis: process in which an egg develops without
being fertilized
• Hermaphroditism: each organism has both male and female
reproductive systems
• Sequential hermaphroditism: a species reverses its sex during its lifetime. (
ex. Sex reversal is commonly associated with age and size)
• Fertilization: the union of sperm and egg….a very important part
of sexual reproduction
• External Fertilization: eggs are released by a female into a wet
environment, where they can be fertilized by a male.
• Internal Fertilization: sperm is deposited in or near the female reproductive
tract and fertilization occurs within the tract.
• Pheromones: a chemical signal released by one organism that
influence the physiology and/or behavior of other individuals of
the same species
• Ovaries: Female gonads
• Ovulation: the release of egg from ovaries. In humans, an
ovarian follicle releases an egg during each uterine( menstrual)
cycle
• Follicle: a microscopic structure in the ovary that contains the
developing ovum and secretes estrogen
• Oviduct: A tube passing from the ovary to the vagina in
invertebrates or to the uterus in vertebrates.
• Uterus: thick muscular organ “aka the WOMB” expands during
pregnancy
• Endometrium: inner lining of the uterus
• Cervix: the neck of the uterus, which opens to the vagina
• Vagina: a thin-walled chamber that is repository for sperm
during copulation and that serves s the birth canal through
which baby is born.
• Vulva: External female genitalia
• Hymen: a thin membrane that partly overs the vaginal opening
in the human female
• Vestibule: Vaginal opening and the separate urethral opening,
bordered by a pair of slender skin folds.
• Labia Minora: thick fatty ridges
• Labia Majora: encloses and protects the labia minora and vestibule
• Clitoris: an organ in the female that engorges with blood and
becomes erect during sexual arousal
• Mammary glands: exocrine glands that secrete milk to nourish
the young. ( present in both sexes…but normally in women)
• Males external reproductive organs are the scrotum and penis
• Testes: male gonads, consist of many tubes surrounded by several
layers of connective tissue
• Seminferous tubules: tubes where sperm form
• Scrotum: a pouch of skin outside the abdomen that houses a testis; functions in
cooling sperm, therefore keeping them viable
• Ducts:
• Epididymis: a coiled tubule located adjacent to the testes where
sperm are stored ( Cool fact: takes about 20 days for sperm to pass
through 6 m long epididymis of a human male)
• Ejaculation: the sperm is propelled from the epididymis, then leaves
the urethra ( the tube that drains both the excretory system and the
reproductive system. )
• Glands:
• 3 sets of accessory glands that add secretion to the semen ( the fluid that
is ejaculated)
• Seminal Vesicles: a gland in males that secretes a fluid component of
semen that lubricates and nourishes sperm.
• Prostate gland: a gland in human males that secretes an acidneutralizing component of semen.
• Bulbourethral gland: glands near the base of the penis in the human
male that lubricates and neutralizes acids in the urethra during sexual
arousal
• Fast Fact: A man usually ejaculates 2-5 mL of semen, and each
milliliter may contain 50-130 million sperm!!! WOW!!!
• Penis: human penis is composed of three cylinders of spongy
erectile tissue derived form modified
• Baculum: A bone that is contained in, and helps stiffen the penis.
• Erection: essential to insertion of the penis into the vagina
• How exactly are gametes produced in the mammalian body?
• Gametogenesis: based on meiosis, the finer details differ in females and
males.
• Oogenesis: the development of mature ova ( egg cells)
• Spermatogenesis: the production of mature sperm cells
• Males produce sperm continuously, while females release only one
egg or a few eggs at a specific time during each cycle.
• Menstrual cycles: the nonpregnant endometrium is shed as a
bloody discharge through the cervix into the vagina
• Estrous cycles: the nonpregnant endometrium is reabsorbed rather
than shed, and sexual response occurs only during mid-cycle at
estrus( period of sexual activity)
• Ovarian cycle: the cyclic recurrence of the follicular phase,
ovulation, and the luteal phase in the mammalian ovary,
regulated by hormones
• Menopause: when middle aged women go crazy. After
about 450 cycles human females go through “the change”,
the cessation of ovulation and menstruation. ( age 46-54)
• Androgens are steroid hormones produced mainly by the Leydig
cells of the testes
• Testosterone and other androgens are directly responsible for
the primary and secondary sex characteristics of the male
• Primary: Associated with the reproductive system; development of
external reproductive structures, and sperm production.
• Secondary: Features not directly related to the reproductive system,
instead it has to deal with deepening of the voice, distribution of facial
and pubic hair, and muscle growth.
• Why doesn’t the mom reject the embryo as a foreign body?
• the trophoblast prevents the mother’s immune system from
doing this by releasing signal molecules with immunosuppressive
effects
• The trophoblast and placenta secrete an enzyme suppliers of
tryptophan
• Absence of antigens+hormone secretion=synthesis of death
activator memb. Protein(FasL)
• Activated T cells contain a complementary FasL and will bind
with the other one
• T cells self destruct by apoptosis
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Conception- EGG+ SPERM being fertilized, cleavage starts to occur with the zygote until a
blastocyst forms which implants into the endometrium which secretes human chorionic
gonadotropin ( HCG) – one of the hormones that controls the moms reproductive system
3 trimesters –each one is 3 months
First- most radical change for the mom and the embryo- which is in then endometrium
receives nutrients from it trophoblast mingles with then endometrium an grows outwards and
helps form the placenta, organogenesis occurs which is the formation of organs ,
Second- the fetus is really active, HCG declines so hormonal levels stabilize, placenta
produces progesterone, also when the pregnancy becomes noticeable
Third- this is when the FETUS IS HUMONGOUS, weighs the most, less activity because it’s
too dang big, organs become displaced in the mom which causes back pains and frequent
urination
We don’t know exactly causes birth, but one way is estrogen levels increase which causes more
production of oxycotin which stimulates the placenta to secrete prostaglandins which causes
contractions
3 stages of labors:
1. dilation of cervix
2. expulsion of the infant – continues strong contractions force the fetus down and out
of the uterus and vagina umbical cord is clamped and cut at this time
3. delivery of the placenta
• After birth, decreased levels of progesterone allows anterior
pituitary to secrete prolactin to stimulate milk production
• Release of milk controlled by oxytocin
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Rhythm/ natural family planning- perform sexual intercourse when the egg is not in the oviduct, 20%
of the time it doesn’t work
Coitus interrupts- removal of the penis from the vagina before ejaculation, HIGHLY UNRELIABLE
Barrier method- chance of getting pregnant is less than 10 %
- male condoms is a thin latex rubber that fits over the penis to collect the semen
- female condoms- diaphragm which is dome shaped rubber cap fitted into the
upper portion of the vagina before intercourse
- used with spermicidal
Most effective- birth control, abstinence, willpower
-synthetic estrogen and progestin for the birth control, negative feedback loop which prevents
the release of GnRH by the hypothalamus
- prevention of Fsh being released by the pituitary gland = prevention of follicles developing
-prevention of LH being released by the pituitary gland= prevention of ovulation
-minipill which only contains progestin, builds up the mucus around the uterus to prevent
sperm from entering and makes changes in the endometrium which interferes implantationif fertilization occurs- MANY RISKS WITH THESE PILLS IF TAKEN TOO MANY TIMES
Tubal ligation= GETTING YOUR TUBES TIED, ligating a section of the oviducts to prevent eggs from
traveling into the uterus
Vasectomy which in men is cutting if each vas deferens to prevent sperm from entering the urethra
SHOULD BE CONSIDERERD PERMANENT – DIFFUCULT TO REVERSE SO MAKE SURE THAT’S WHAT
YOU WANT
Abortion- termination of a pregnancy in progress
1. Which structure is incorrectly paired with its function?
a. gonads-produce gametes
b. spermatheca- stores sperm in male honeybees
c. cloaca- serves as the common opening for the reproductive, excretory, and digestive systems
d. baculum-stiffens the penis in some mammals
e. endometrium- forms the maternal part of the placenta
2. A difference between estrous and menstrual cycles is that
a. Nonmammalian vertebrates have estrous cycles, whereas mammals have menstrual cycles.
b. The endometrial lining is shed in menstrual cycles but reabsorbed in estrous cycles.
c. Estrous cycles occur more often than menstrual cycles
d. Estrous cycles are not controlled by hormones
e. Ovulation occurs before the endometrium thickens in estrous cycles.
3. In sequential hermaphroditism,
a. Some individuals may change from male to female
b. Individuals fertilize themselves
c. Males rather than females release pheromones
d. Diploid ova are produced
e. The adult gonads are undifferentiated.
4. Fertilization of human eggs most often takes place in the
a. Vagina
b. Ovary
c. Uterus
d. Oviduct
e. Vas deferens
5. In male mammals, excretory and reproductive systems share
a. The testes
b. The urethra
c. The ureter
d. The vas deferens
e. The prostrate
This song is our theme song, it will be played in the background
while we show our interactive ways to remember some things
about sexual reproduction.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT0E72qnjro