Anatomy & Physiology of

the Male and Female

Reproductive System

Prepared by: Nahdelia Mamonto

Male Reproductive Organs
Male Reproductive System
External Organs Internal Organs
1) Penis 1) Testes
2) Scrotum 2) Epididymis
3) Vas Deferens
4) Ejaculatory Duct
5) Seminal Vesicle
6) Prostate Glands
7) Cowper’s Gland
 External Organs
1.) PENIS - male organ of copulation and tio
urina n

Parts:
A) shaft/ body

B) Glans penis – enlarged end; most sensitive

C) Prepuce/foreskin – fold of retractable skin covering the
glans and is removed during circumcision
- if it can not be retracted: phimosis
D) urethral meatus – slit like opening located at the tip of the
penis; passageway for both semen and urine
 Penile Opening
Abnormalities
EPISPADIAS – a rare type of
malformation of the penis in which
the urethra ends in an opening on
the upper aspect (dorsum) of the
penis

HYPOSPADIAS – penile opening

at the anterior aspect of the penis
Epispadias vs
Hypospadias
 External Organs
2.) SCROTUM – saclike structure containing the
testes
darker coloration than the rest of the body
covered with sparse hair and wrinkled

environmental temperature affects the scrotum: too

hot---the dartos muscle relaxes and the testes hangs
or descend away from the body
too cold ----- the testes contracts and pull closer to
the body
spermatogenesis is affected by extremes of
temperature
testosterone production is not affected
 Internal Organs
1.) TESTES – oval shaped
glandular organ lying within the
abdominal cavity in early fetal
life and descend in the
scrotum after 28 weeks
gestation
undescended testes
/cryptorchidism

functions:
1.Hormone production –
testosterone that stimulates
spermatogenesis and
responsible for the secondary
males characteristics
2.Spematogenesis –
production and maturation of
sperm cells; begins in puberty
 1) Testes
parts of the testes:

1)seminiferous tubules – long coiled tubes

where spermatogenesis takes place

2) Leydig/interstitial cells – produce testosterone

3)Sertoli cells – supporting cells which play a

role in sperm transport
 2) Epididymis
long coiled tube approximately 20 feet long;
where sperm travels for 12- 20 days

takes 64 days for the sperm cells to mature;

rationale why therapy for azoospermia and
oligospermia becomes effective only after 2
months

epididymitis – inflammation of the epididymis

 3) Vas Deferens
passageway of the sperm cells from the
epididymis; contractile power of this area propels
the spermatozoa to the urethra during ejaculation

cut during vasectomy

4) Ejaculatory Duct
passageway
for the semen
 5) Seminal Vesicle
a pouch like organ lying behind the
bladder and in front of the rectum
 6) Prostate Gland
walnut shaped body lying below the bladder

Surrounds the urethra and the 2 ejaculatory

ducts
 7) Cowper’s Gland
located behind the prostate gland

secretes an alkaline secretions that helps to

neutralize the acidic nature of the urethra and
provides lubrication during intercourse

Bulbourethral Glands
 SEMEN
seminal fluid

an organic fluid that may contain spermatozoa

it contains fructose and other elements of

seminal fluids that promote survival of the
spermatozoa and provide a medium through
which spermatozoa can move or swim
 Seminal Fluid
a mixture of secretions from:
1. Ejaculatory ducts
2. Seminal Vesicles
3. Prostate glands
4. Cowpers Gland
Semen Color: Translucent with white, grey or
yellowish tint; if reddish: hematospermia
 Seminal Fluid
Semen Quality: measured by its ability to
accomplished fertilization
Normal volume : 2-5ml/ejaculation

100 million sperm cells/ml

a sperm count of below 20 million is associated

with infertility and

sterility
Spermatozoa
 Sperm Motility Grading
4: progressive motility

3: non linear motility; moves forward but in

crooked motion
2: more on tails

1: immotile
 Terms
Emission – is the discharged of semen from the
urethra

Ejaculation – forceful expulsion of the semen

from the urethra caused by contraction of
muscles in the penis (male orgasm)
 FEMALE
REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
 Vulva
structures that form the entire female external
reproductive genitalia

from the latin word meaning for covering

 ANATOMY &
PHYSIOLOGY
Divided into:
1) External
2) Internal
 External Reproductive
Organs
1) Mons Veneris/ Mons 7) Urethral Opening
Pubis
8) Hymen
2) Labia Majora
9) Skene’s Glands
3) Labia Minora
10) Bartholin’s Glands
4) Clitoris
11) Fourchette
5) Vestibule

6) Vaginal Opening
External Reproductive
Organs
 Mons Pubis
pad of adipose tissue located over the
symphysis pubis (pubic bone joint)
-function: protect the junction of pubic bone
from trauma
- richly supplied with sebaceous glands
- Childhood: hairless and smooth
- Puberty: covered by a triangular coarse of
curly hairs (escutheon)
- Pattern of hair growth: Female: Triangular;
Male:Diamond- shaped
- Growth of pubic hair is stimulated by
Testosterone while the pattern of hair growth
is governed by estrogen
 Labia Majora
Two thick folds of adipose tissues originating
from the mons pubis and terminating in the
perineum

- It unites anteriorly to form the anterior

commissure and posteriorly to form the
posterior commissure

-Its outer surface is thick and covered by hair;

inner surface is smooth and moist

-Main function: provide covering and

protection to the external organs located under
it

- Nulliparous women: in close apposition to

each other; but tends to gape wider after birth
 Labia Minora
Two thin folds of connective tissue
that joins anteriorly to form the
prepuce and posteriorly to form the
fourchette

It is most highly vascular, sensitive

and richly supplied with sebaceous
glands

Nulliparous women: covers the

vaginal introitus, vestibule and
urethra

Obliterated during vagina

 Clitoris
highly sensitive and erectile
tissue situated under the prepuce
of the labia minora
Known as the “seat of woman’s
sexual arousal and orgasm”
being the most sensitive part of
the female external genitalia
Covered by a fold of skin called
prepuce; Sensitive to both touch
and temperature
 Vestibule
Triangular space between the
labia minora where the six (6)
openings are located:
1) Urethral Opening
2) Vaginal Opening
3) Opening of Bartholin’s Glan ds
4) Opening of Skene’s Glands
 Vaginal Opening
the external opening of the
vagina located just below the
urethral meatus

Grafenberg or G spot is a very

sensitive area located at the
inner anterior surface of the
vagina
 Urethral Opening
external opening of the
female urethra located in
the midline of the vestibule
just below the clitoris

shortness of the female

urethra makes women more
susceptible to UTI than men
 Hymen
thin but tough and elastic semicircular
membrane that covers the opening of
the vagina; often torn during the first
sexual contact

women may be born without a hymen;

can be torn by active sports and
tampon insertion

Imperforate Hymen – a hymen that

completely covers the vaginal opening
preventing coitus and passage of
menstrual discharge

- Hymenotomy/Hymenectomy – is
the surgical incision of an imperforate
hymen
 Skene’s Glands
paraurethral glands;
minor vestibular glands

A pair of glands situated

on each side of the
urethral meatus

Its secretion help to

lubricate the external
genitalia during coitus
 Bartholin’s Glands
vulvovaginal glands; major
vestibular glands;
paravaginal glands

Situated on each inner side of

the vagina

Lubricates the external vulva

during coitus with an alkaline
secretions that enhances
sperm survival
 Fourchette
the ridge of tissue formed
by the posterior joining of
the two labia minora and
majora; sometimes cut
during episiotmomy

Episiotomy –
perineotomy; surgically
planned incision on the
perineum and the
posterior vaginal wall
during the second stage
of labor
 Internal Reproductive
Organs
1) Vagina

2) Uterus

3)Fallopian
Tubes/Oviducts

4) Ovaries
 Vagina
a tubular
musculomembranous
structure about 8-12 cm
long that extends from the
vulva to the uterus
Functions:
a)excretory canal of
the uterus through
which uterine
secretions and
menstrual flow
escape
b) Female organ of
copulation
c)Forms part of the
birth canal
 Vagina
Rugae – transverse
folds of skin in the
vaginal wall -
absent in childhood
- appear at
puberty
- disappear at
menopause
- function: allow
the vaginal canal to
stretch and enlarge
during deliver
 UTERUS
a hollow muscular
canal resembling an
inverted pear that is
situated in the true
pelvis
 Uterus
Functions:
a)Organ of reproduction (main) –
serves for reception, implantation,
retention and nutrition of the fetus
b) Organ of menstruation
c)Uterine contraction for the
expulsion of the fetus during delivery
and to seal torn blood vessels after
placental deliver
 UTERUS
Intrinsic motility – capable
of contraction even if the
nerves that supply them is
being cut

Parts of the uterus

1) Fundus –
2) Cornua
3) Corpus
4) Isthmus
5) Cervix
 Uterus
1…FUNDUS - uppermost convex
triangular portion between the
points of insertion of the fallopian
tubes

Most muscular part

Ideal site: Zygote implantation
Obstetrical landmark:
A)palpation of fundic
height to assess fetal
growth
B)assess uterine
contractions and progress
of labor
C) assess uterine
 UTERUS
2…CORNUA – area where
the fallopian tubes are
attached
3…CORPUS – body of the
uterus; houses the fetus
4…ISTHMUS - becomes
only prominent near the end
of pregnancy and during
labor to form the LOWER
UTERINE SEGMENT
together with the cervix
 UTERUS
5…CERVIX - neck of the uterus
chiefly composed of
elastic and
collagenous tissues
and only 10 % muscle
tissues
parts: a) Internal
cervical os – opens
into the corpus
b) Cervical Canal
– Continuation of
the uterine cavity
c) external
Cervical os – opens
into the vagina
 Layers of the Uterus
1)Perimetrium – outermost serosal layer
attached to the broad ligament

2) Myometrium – Middle muscular layer

- responsible for uterine contractions
and thickest at the fundal area

3)Endometrium – innermost ciliated mucosal

layer

- contains numerous glands that

secretes thin alkaline fluid that keep the uterine
cavity moist

- undergoes changes in response to

Layers of the Uterus
 Fallopian Tubes
pair of tube like structures
originating from the cornua of the
uterus with distal ends located
near the ovaries
Parts:
1) INTERSTITIAL/INTRAMURAL
2)ISTHMUS – narrowest
portion; site for tubal ligation
3) AMPULLA – middle, widest
part; site for fertilization
4)INFUNDIBULUM – has
fimbrae (funnel shaped opening
at the distal end)
 OVARIES
almond shaped glandular organs located on
each side of the uterus; movable on palpation

Functions:
1) OOGENESIS – growth, development and
maturation of the egg cell
2) OVULATION – release of the mature egg cell
3)HORMONE PRODUCTION – synthesis and
secretion of steroid hormones
OVARIES
Different Stages of Follicles
 Layers of the Ovary
1)Tunica Albuginea - outermost protective
layer
2)Medulla – contains blood vessels, nerves
and lymphatics
3)Cortex - functional layer; site for ovum
formation and maturation
- becomes thinner in advancing age
and the follicles decreases in number
Layers of the Ovary
Summary
Summary