Reproductive Systems

Chapter 16
16.1 The Male Reproductive System

Focus: A male’s testes produce sperm

and hormones that govern male
reproductive functions and traits.
Gonads Produces Gametes — Cells That
May Unite for Sexual Reproduction

 Germ cells
• Produce sperm or eggs (gamete)
The Male Reproductive System Is
Located in the Lower Pelvic Region
Sperm Form in Testes

 Two testes
• Form in the abdominal wall and descend into the
scrotum before birth

• Enclosed by smooth muscle

• Proper development of sperm requires a

temperature of ~95°F
The Male Reproductive System Includes
Testes and Many Accessory Structures
Male Reproductive System
Animation: Male reproductive system
Sperm Mature and Are Stored in the
Coiled Epididymis

 Epididymis
• Coiled ducts
• Secrete substances for the
maturation of the sperm
• Storage of sperm until they
leave the body
• During arousal, contraction of
muscles send sperm into the
vas deferentia and urethra in
the penis
Animation: Route sperm travel
Substances from Seminal Vesicles and
the Prostate Gland Help Form Semen

 Semen
• Thick fluid expelled through penis during sexual
activity
• Formed from the secretions of several glands:
• Seminal vesicles: secrete fructose and
prostaglandins
• Prostate gland: secrete buffering chemicals
• Bulbourethral glands: thick mucus-fluid that
neutralizes urine in the urethra

 Cancer of the prostate and testes 

16.2 How Sperm Form

Focus: In his reproductive years, a

male continually produces new germ
cells, or sperm, which develop in a
series of steps controlled by hormones.
Sperm Form in Seminiferous Tubules

 Seminiferous tubules
• 125 meters of tubes in each testis

 Spermatogonia
• Inside the walls of the seminiferous tubules
• Undergo mitosis and meiosis

• Form primary spermatocytes → secondary

spermatocytes → spermatids → spermatozoa
Sperm Form in Seminiferous Tubules
 Sperm (spermatozoa): male gametes

 Mature sperm: 9–10 weeks of processing

• Nourished with secretions from Sertoli
cells
• Tail (flagellum)
• Midpiece; contains mitochondria
• Head
• Nucleus with DNA organized into
chromosomes
• Acrosome: cap with enzymes to penetrate
egg
Seminiferous Tubules Are Coiled Inside
the Lobes of the Testes
Animation: Spermatogenesis
Hormones Control Sperm Formation

 Leydig cells: in tissue between

the seminiferous tubules

• Produce testosterone:
• Governs growth, form, and
functions of the male reproductive
tract
• Stimulates sexual behavior
• Promotes secondary sexual traits:
facial hair and deepening of the
voice
Hormones Control Sperm Formation
 LH: luteinizing hormone
• Released from the anterior pituitary
• Stimulates Leydig cells to produce testosterone

 FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone

• Released from the anterior pituitary
• Attach to Sertoli cells and are responsible for
spermatogenesis

 Negative feedback loops regulate the release of

male reproductive hormones
Negative Feedback Loops Regulate the
Release of Male Reproductive Hormones
Animation: Hormonal control of sperm
production
16.3 The Female Reproductive System
Focus: The biological function of the
female reproductive system is to
nurture developing offspring from the
time of conception until birth.
Ovaries Are a Female’s Primary
Reproductive Organs

 Ovaries
• Release sex hormones
• Secondary sexual traits: fat deposits in breasts,
hips, and buttocks
• Produce eggs during reproductive years

 Oocytes (immature eggs)

• Released into oviduct (site of fertilization)
• Travel to uterus
Ovaries Are a Female’s Primary
Reproductive Organs
 Uterus
• Organ where baby grows and develops
• Myometrium (thick layer of smooth muscle) and
endometrium (lining)
• Cervix: lower portion of the uterus

 Vagina
• Leads from the cervix to the outside

 Vulva: outer genitals

• Labia majora, labia minora, and clitoris
The Female Reproductive System Is
Located in the Pelvic Cavity
Female Reproductive Organs
Animation: Female reproductive system
During the Menstrual Cycle, an Oocyte Is
Released from an Ovary

 Menstrual cycle: ~28 days

• Menstrual phase
• Menstruation
• Endometrium disintegrates
• Blood-rich fluid flow begins day one of the cycle
• Proliferative phase
• Endometrium thickens
• Ovulation occurs
• Progestational phase
• Corpus luteum secretes progesterone and
estrogen
Phases of the Menstrual Cycle
During the Menstrual Cycle, an Oocyte Is
Released from an Ovary
 Menarche
• First menstruation: between ages of 10 and 16

 Menopause
• Cessation of menstruation; fertility ceases;
generally between late 40s and early 50s
• Temporary symptoms of decline of estrogens

 Endometrosis
• Tissue spreads and grows outside of the uterus;
leads to scarring; symptoms and treatment
16.4 The Ovarian Cycle: Oocytes
Develop

Focus: As the menstrual cycle

advances, a cycle in the ovaries forms
an oocyte that may develop into an
egg.
Hormones Guide Ovulation
 Ovarian cycle
• Born with ~300 oocytes arrested in meiosis I
• One primary oocyte matures/month during the
female’s menstrual cycle

 Primary oocyte
• Surrounded by a layer of nourishing cells
• Forms the follicle; grows due to FSH and LH
• Levels of estrogen increase
• Oocyte completes meiosis I before ovulation
Hormones Guide Ovulation

 Secondary oocyte
• Gets most of the cytoplasm; begins undergoing
meiosis II
• Surge of LH
• Ovulation: release of secondary oocyte from the
ovary

• Enters the oviduct

• Fimbriae help sweep it in
• If fertilization occurs, meiosis II is completed
The Entrance to an Oviduct, the Tubelike
Channel to the Uterus
Oocytes Develop by Way of Cyclic
Changes in the Ovary
Animation: Ovarian function
The Ovarian and Menstrual Cycles

 Estrogens cause cervix to produce large

amounts of thin, clear mucus

 Midcycle surge of LH
• Triggers formation of corpus luteum
• Secretes some estrogen and progesterone
• Progesterone; thickens mucus and maintains
endometrium
• Lasts for ~12 days
• If no embryo implants, corpus luteum disintegrates
Hormones Govern the Menstrual and
Ovarian Cycles
Animation: Menstrual cycle summary
Animation: Hormones and the menstrual
cycle
16.5 Sexual Intercourse

Focus: The penis and vagina are

mechanically compatible for sexual
intercourse, which may lead to
pregnancy.
In Sexual Intercourse, Both Partners
Experience Physiological Changes

 Sexual arousal in males

• Erection of the penis due to engorgement
• Ejaculation of the semen

 Sexual arousal in females

• Vasodilation of blood vessels in genital area
• Mucus-rich secretions

 Coitus and orgasm

Intercourse Can Produce a Fertilized Egg

 After intercourse, uterine contractions move

sperm deeper into the reproductive tract

 Fertilization in the oviduct may occur a few days

before or after ovulation or any time in between
16.6 Fertilization
Focus: Fertilization combines chromosomes
in the father’s sperm with those in the
mother’s egg. Thus the new cell of a new
individual has a full set of chromosomes and
DNA.
Fertilization
 Sperm enters a secondary oocyte → zygote

 Changes necessary in the sperm to enter the

egg
• Capacitation: acrosome membrane is weakened
• Many sperm bind to the oocyte
• Oocyte’s membrane changes; only one sperm
enters; meiosis II of the oocyte is completed

 Ovum: nuclei of mature egg and sperm fuse

Fertilization Unites a Sperm and Oocyte
Animation: Fertilization
16.7 Controlling Fertility

Focus: People who choose to control

whether their sexual activity produces
a child have a variety of options.
Controlling Fertility

  Complete abstinence: most effective method

  Rhythm method; sympto-thermal method

• No intercourse during fertile period

  Withdrawal: removal of penis before

ejaculation

  Douching: rinsing out the vagina after

intercourse
Some Contraceptive Methods Are More
Effective Than Others
Surgery and Barrier Methods Are the
Most Effective Options

 Vasectomy and tubal ligation

• Surgeries
• Usually irreversible

 Spermicides

 Diaphragm and cervical cap

 Contraceptive sponge
Both Men and Women May Opt for
Surgical Methods of Birth Control

Video

Video
Surgery and Barrier Methods Are the
Most Effective Options

 Intrauterine device (IUD)

 Condoms

 Birth control pill or patch

 Progestin injections or implants

 “Morning-after pills”
Common Methods of Contraception
16.8 Options for Coping with Infertility
Focus: In the United States about one in every six couples is
infertile—unable to conceive a child after a year of trying.
Causes run the gamut from hormonal imbalances that
prevent ovulation, oviducts blocked by effects of disease, a
low sperm count, or sperm that are defective in a way that
impairs fertilization.
Fertility Drugs Stimulate Ovulation

 Poor-quality oocytes or irregular or absent

ovulation
• Most common in women over 37
• Use of fertility drugs
• Clomiphene
• Human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)
• Side effects of these drugs?
Assisted Reproductive Technologies
Include Artificial Insemination and IVF

 Assisted reproductive technology (ART)

 Artificial insemination by donor (AID)

 In vitro fertilization (IVF)

 Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

ART May Allow a Couple to Overcome
Infertility
Some Options for Assisted Reproductive
Technologies
16.9 A Trio of Common Sexually
Transmitted Diseases
Focus: Sexual activity can transmit disease.
Three of the most common STDs are
chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, all
caused by bacteria.
Chlamydia Infections and PID Are Most
Common in Young Sexually Active People
 Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis):
• common sexually transmitted disease
• Bacteria infect cells in the urogenital tract and
migrate to lymph nodes
• CDC website
 Complications in women:
• Can be transferred to newborns
• Develop into pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• infertility, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the
fallopian tube or elsewhere outside of the womb),
abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain
Gonorrhea May Have No Symptoms at
First

 Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae

(gonococcus)
• See CDC website

 Many unreported cases

 Can spread to PID in women

 Antibiotic resistance
Syphilis Eventually Affects Many Organs
 Caused by Treponema pallidum

 Develops in stages
• Tertiary stage may appear 5–20 years after initial
infection; prognosis is not good in this stage

 CDC website
Skin Ulcers Are Signs of Syphilis
16.10 STDs Caused by Viruses and
Parasites

Focus: Viruses, parasites, and other

pathogens also cause disorders that
can be transmitted by sexual contact.
Genital Herpes Is a Lifelong Infection
 Caused by Herpes simplex virus

 Type I (infects the lips, tongue, mouth, and

eyes)
 Type 2 (genital infections)

 No cure: latent and then recurrences

• Triggers for flare-ups
Viruses Cause Genital Warts and Herpes
Human Papillomavirus Can Lead to
Cancer

 Genital warts
• Painless growths in the genital region
• Extremely contagious
• CDC website
• Caused by human papillomavirus (HPV)
• May cause cervical cancer
• Pap smear recommended
• Anti-HPV vaccine
Animation: HIV replication cycle
Parasites Cause Some STDs
 Pubic lice: arachnid
• Crabs

 Candidiasis: caused by Candida albicans

• Yeast infection

 Trichomoniasis: caused by Trichomonas

vaginalis
• protozoan
Animal Parasites Also Cause STDs
16.11 Focus on Health: Eight Steps to
Safer Sex
Focus: Only risk-free people:
Celibate
Monogamous relationship with a
disease-free partner
16.11 Focus on Health: Eight Steps to
Safer Sex

 Practice safe sex to avoid STDs

1. Use a condom
2. One partner
3. Know partner and sexual history
4. Do not have sex if visible sores are apparent
5. Avoid alcohol or drugs (correlation to unsafe
sexual practices)
6. Learn the symptoms of STDs
7. Take medication
8. Avoid sex if you do have an STD until you are
no longer infective
New STD Cases Annually
16.12 Cancers of the Breast and
Reproductive System
Focus: In the United States, breast cancer is a major
killer of women.
In both females and males, reproductive system
cancers also are major health concerns.
Breast Cancer Is a Major Cause of
Death

 Risk factors
• Obesity
• Early puberty, late childbearing, late menopause,
and excessive estrogen levels
• Fatty diet
• Genetics; BRCA 1 and BRCA2

 Prevention
• Monthly self-exams
• Mammograms
Women Should Perform Monthly Breast
Self-Examination
Breast Cancer Is a Major Cause of
Death
 #2 cancer killer of women

 Treatments; depend on stage of the cancer

• Lumpectomy
• Modified radical mastectomy
• Radical mastectomy
• Lymph nodes always checked for cancer
• Radiation and chemotherapy
Uterine and Ovarian Cancer Affect
Women

 Cancers of the uterus

• Usually affect the endometrium and cervix

 Ovarian cancer
• Often lethal
Testicular and Prostate Cancer Affect
Men

 Testicular cancer
• Perform monthly self-exams

 Prostate cancer
• #2 cause of cancer deaths in men
• Annual digital rectal exam or PSA blood test
• No risk factors other than genetic
• Most cured
Men Should Perform Testicular
Self-Examination Monthly