Learn Human Anatomy: Reproductive System

Nothing astounds and astonishes me more than the human body. The anatomy of the human body is a complete and utter masterpiece. There are so many levels and systems within the human body that all work together to aid us in sustaining life - fighting disease, supplying nutrients, procreating, and more!

In this article, we will learn about human anatomy: reproductive system. We will look at the basics of the reproductive system, how the reproductive system works to procreate, and the intricacies of both the male and female reproductive organs. I hope to aid human anatomy students in their reproductive system chapter with this article, and I also hope to teach interested readers a little something about the thing we call "life".

(As a side note, I acquired the information to write this article through my notes and a powerpoint presentation that I had put together during my human anatomy & physiology class. I have underlined particularly important points of each section and the main terms are in bold.)

Obviously the human reproductive system's main purpose is to procreate. Procreation is made by possible by the gonads (in men - testes, in women - ovaries), and also by accessory reproductive organs.

As a vital part of the procreative process, the gonads produce what are called gametes. The name for gametes produced by the ovaries (in women) are oocytes, and the gametes produced by the male's testes are called sperm. The gametes, both oocytes and sperm, are made possible by the process known as gametogenesis.

The penis is the male copulatory organ that has a main purpose of procreation by means of intercourse, but also serves as a part of the urinary system in males by excreting urine.

The scrotum holds the testes, ducts, and lowest part of the spermatic cord. Because the testes cannot function in high temperatures, the "dartos" muscle in the spermatic cord helps to regulate the temperature.

The testis are made up of lobules that contain tubes called the seminiferous tubules. The seminiferous tubules' purpose is to make immature spermatazoa. The cells present in the testis include: spermatogonia, sertoli cells, and the interstitial cells of the Leydig. The epididymus is the storage site for sperm and connects to the seminiferous tubules by way of efferent arterioles passing into it. Keep in mind that the sperm are considered immature until passing through the duct of the epididymus. The vas deferens is a muscular tube that transports and stores the sperm.

The accessory organs of the male reproductive system include: the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, bulbourethral glands, and the ejaculatory duct. Believe it or not, the prostate gland and the seminal vesicles produce nearly 95% of the male ejaculate, so these accessory organs are indeed useful.

The bulbourethral glands secrete an alkaline lubricant. That is their function. And the ejaculatory duct transports sperm and semen, as one could guess.

The female reproductive system is made up of different parts: the external genitalia, the ovaries, the uterus, the Fallopian tubes, the vagina, and also the accessory mammary glands.

The ovaries are oval shaped organs which lie in the peritoneal cavity and produce oocytes (gametes) that are picked up by the fimbria (hair-like structures) of the Fallopian tubes. In addition to the production of oocytes, the ovaries also produce two particular hormones - estrogen and progesterone. The ovaries are divided into a cortex and a medulla. The cortex of the ovaries contain follicles, and one follicle each month will reach maturity to produce a second oocyte or ovum. The ovum is then released into the peritoneal cavity and then grabbed by the fimbria of the Fallopian tubes. Then the fimbria carry it to the uterus by means of cilia that push the zygote. (Keep in mind that fertilization usually occurs in the ampulla of the Fallopian tube).

The uterus is a thick, muscular organ that houses the placenta and embryo/fetus. The uterus consists of three layers: the perimetrium (outer layer), myometrium (middle layer), and the endometrium (inner most layer). The uterus continues as the cervix and then the vagina.

The vagina is the female copulatory organ and is closely related to the urethra (anteriorly) and the rectum (posteriorly).

The accessory organs of the female reproductive system are the mammary glands (breasts). This is a modified sweat gland that sits anteriorly to the pectoralis major muscle of the thorax. Its main function is lactation (production of milk to nourish newborns/infants).