Chapter 28 – Reproductive System

Notes

Sexual reproduction produces new individuals. The reproductive system is the only major system that is not essential to the
life of an individual, but does affect other systems. Is activated at puberty.

Reproductive Systems – General

The male & female ___________________(reproductive organs).

Produce & store ________________ which are the reproductive cell (spermatozoa & ova).

Secrete ____________________ for normal sexual function.

Anatomy of the Reproductive System

Know all of the female and male reproductive anatomy as reviewed in lab.

Male Reproductive System:

A. Reproductive Functions

Testes: _______________________________________

Accessory Glands: ______________________________________________________________________________

Seminal Vesicles (glands) - 60% of semen volume

Secretion & Function

Fructose –

Prostaglandins –

Alkaline/Buffers –

Fibrinogen-

Inactive but functional spermatozoa mix with seminal gland secretions. Initiates the first step in
________________________________.

Secretions of seminal vesicles discharge into ____________________________ at ________________. Contractions

are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.

Prostate gland - 20% - 30% of semen volume; slightly acidic

Secretion & Function

Seminal plasmin –

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 Bulbo-urethral glands (Cowper’s gland) - 10% - 20% of semen volume; base of penis

Secretion & Function

Alkaline mucus –

Pathway of Sperm Flow

• S-

• E-

• V-

• E-

• N

• U-

• P–

a. ___________________ = mixture of fluids secreted by the three accessory glands mix with spermatozoa
(sperm cells) and enzymes

b. A typical ejaculate is 2.5 to 5 ml in volume and a normal sperm count is 15 to 200 million/ml semen.

i. Low? ≤ 15 million sperm per milliliter or ≤ 39 million sperm per ejaculate

c. Several important enzymes include a protease to digest vaginal mucus secretions to aid sperm __________,
and a prostatic enzyme that converts fibrinogen to _________. This creates a mucus plug that prevents other
sperm from entering into the uterus if a female were to copulate again after a few hours.

B. Male Hormones - Know the hormonal reflexes for FSH and LH (Figure 28-12).

a. The hormone _______________ secreted by the ______________________ targets the _______________

pituitary.

b. The _________________ pituitary then secretes ________ and _______(refer to Ch. 18).

i. FSH =

ii. LH =

c. Testosterone – produced by ___________________________________________________.

i. Stimulates _________________________.

ii. Affects ______________________.

iii. Stimulates metabolism

iv. Male secondary sex characteristics

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 Endogenous vs Exogenous:

Endogenous =

Exogenous =

C. Female Hormones, Ovarian and Uterine Cycles Know the hormonal reflexes for FSH and LH (Figure 28-25).

a. _______________________ is the primary reproductive hormone in the female.

b. Three naturally occurring estrogens:

i. ___________________ = principle estrogen in premenopausal women.

ii. ____________________ = primary circulating estrogen after menopause.

iii. ____________________ = principle estrogen produced by the placenta.

c. Estrogen

i. Stimulates _________________________________________.

ii. Female secondary sex characteristics.

iii. ___________ activity

iv. Initiates repair & growth of ___________________________.

D. Summary of Ovarian and Uterine Cycles (also watch Chapter 28 -Lecture Pt 3)

The female reproductive cycle involves the ________________ and _________________ cycles. Average cycle for a
female is ______ days. Can be as short as 24 and as long as 36 for some women. We will use the base of 28-day
cycle.

Uterine (menstrual) cycle –

Menses =

Menarche =

Menopause=

Divided into the _______________________ phase and _______________________phase.

Ovarian cycle –

Divided into the __________________phase (preovulatory) and _______________________phase

(postovulatory).
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 Uterine and Ovarian Cycles:

a. _______________(menstrual phase) occurs during days 1-5. The loss of the ___________________ of the
___________________ which breaks off in small pieces. The functional layer contains numerous glands and
is very engorged with oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to support a developing embryo.

b. After menses the endometrium is in the ______________________ phase and the ovary is in the
______________ phase. These two phases are coordinated and occur during days 6 – 14. Low estrogen
levels cause a low pulse frequency of GnRH so ______________________________________ (FSH) is
released from the ___________________________ and stimulates _________________ follicles to mature
from primary to secondary and finally into mature tertiary (Graafian) follicles. As the follicle matures it
secretes ________________________. Estrogen targets the functional layer to develop and engorge with
blood again.

c. As _______________ levels rise they actually feed back negatively and shut off release of ________. FSH and
estrogen levels in the blood decline.

d. The _________________________ begins secreting ______________________________ which targets the

follicle and causes it to rupture and release an ______ on day 14. This process is _____________________ .

e. Immediately after ovulation, LH causes the remains of the follicle, called the ____________________, to
enter the _______________________ (days 15 – 28). The corpus luteum secretes _____________________,
which targets the functional layer and causes endometrial glands to secret oxygen and nutrient-rich blood.
The functional layer is now in the _____________________________.

f. As ________________________ levels in the blood rise they __________ LH secretion, which causes the
deterioration of _________________________. This stops its secretion of __________________ (negative
feedback). When progesterone levels _______________ to a certain point the functional layer cannot be
maintained and the endometrial lining breaks off during menstruation. The whole cycle starts over.

g. If fertilization of the ovum occurs (pregnancy) the developing embryo will produce
_________________________________ (hCG). This hormone _______________ the corpus luteum, which
will keep _______________ levels high and menstruation will ______ occur.

h. This takes place until the placenta develops and the baby attaches to maternal blood supply. The placenta
will release the hormone _______________ (which increases flexibility of the pubic symphysis) and
________________________________ (prepares the mammary glands for milk production).

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Review the events of the ovarian and uterine cycles and what roles female hormones play in these cycles.

E. Female Hormones - Know the hormonal reflexes for FSH and LH (Figure 28-24).

a. The hormone _______________ secreted by the ______________________ targets the _____________

pituitary.

b. The __________________ pituitary then secretes ________ and _______(refer to Ch. 18).

i. FSH =

ii. LH =

c. In adult females _____________ and _______________ are the primary hormones secreted by the ovaries.

F. Meiosis and Gametogenesis – General

a. Gametes are the sex cells (spermatozoa & ova). The general term for the production and development of
these cells is called _____________________.

i. Specifically called ______________________ in the male.

ii. Specifically called _______________________ in the female.

b. Gametes are different from somatic cells.

i. Somatic (body) cells have ______ chromosomes (2 complete sets of 23 chromosomes/ 2 copies of
each gene) and are said to be ___________(2N).

ii. The gametes have ½ the normal amount of chromosomes. Gametes have _____ chromosomes and
are ___________ (N).

c. Fusion/fertilization of the male and female gametes results in a ____________ which has ____ chromosomes
and is ______________ (2N).

d. ______________ is the form of cell division needed to produce the _________________.

e. Process to reduce the number of chromosomes from ______ to ______.

f. Gametes:

i. ________________________ - male

ii. _________________________- female

1. Get 1 complete set from maternal ovum & 1 complete set from paternal sperm.

2. Ensures embryo viability (survivability).

g. To understand meiosis you must know mitosis. See Chapter 3 for a review of mitosis.

i. Meiosis vs mitosis

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 G. Spermatogenesis and Spermiogenesis

a. ___________________________ = process of sperm production. Sperm are produced in

_____________________________________ and the process takes ~ 64 – 72 days. Throughout adult life.

b. _____________________________= final stage of spermatogenesis when the sperm physically mature.

Maturation of spermatids into mature _________. Maturation of sperm in the ____________________.

Spermatogenesis sequence (Figure 28-7): Spermiogenesis

→ → → →
1 Spermatogonium 1 primary 2 secondary 4 spermatids 4 spermatozoa
(2N) – stem cells spermatocyte (2N) spermatocyte (N)

c. Acrosomal cap –

d. Abnormal spermatogenesis

i. Cryptorchidism -

Female Reproductive System:

H. Oogenesis

a. ________________________________ = formation of ova. Ova are produced in the _____________.

b. Oogenesis begins before ____________, accelerates at puberty, and ends at _______________.

c. Before birth all female eggs (2 million) develop into primary oocytes. By puberty only 400,000 eggs remain.

i. atresia - the periodic process in which immature ovarian follicles degenerate and are subsequently
re-absorbed.

d. Oogenesis occurs on a monthly basis and is a part of the ovarian cycle.

Oogenesis sequence (Figure 28-15):

Before birth After puberty

→ → → →
Oogonium (2N) 1 primary 1 secondary oocyte 1 secondary oocyte
-stem cell oocyte (2N) (N) + first polar body (N) + second polar 1 ovum
(disintegrates) body (disintegrates)

Sex Chromosomes

23rd chromosome pair are sex chromosomes and determine the sex of an individual. Females are XX and males are XY. Since
the mother can only contribute an X chromosome it is the father that determines sex of zygote. If a sperm with an X
chromosome fertilizes the egg then offspring is female, sperm with Y chromosome produces a male offspring.

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Male and Female Sexual Function (Chapter 28-Lecture Pt 2)

I. Male Sexual Function

a. Under _____________________ and ______________________ control.

b. Flaccid penis – the penis contains three bodies of erectile tissue (refer to lab notes), each of which has
numerous blood vessels (arterioles). A flaccid penis is non-erect because _______________ within the
erectile tissue are constricted, preventing blood flow into the empty spaces of the erectile tissue.

c. Erection – sexual stimulation dilates the arteries supplying the penis. ______________________ response.

• Arterioles to dilate, blood flow increases into erectile tissues

• ________________________ and ____________________________ fill with blood

• Erection of penis occurs – most of pressure is in ______________________________.

d. Emission - under _________________________ stimulation, accessory glands secret fluids, peristaltic

contractions of __________________________move sperm and fluid along urethra, mixing the secretions to
form semen.

e. Ejaculation - Just prior to ejaculation the male nervous system immediately switches to
________________________ stimulation. Muscle contractions close the sphincter at base of bladder and
move fluids through ductus deferens, seminal vesicles, & ejaculatory ducts. This results in the release of
semen (containing approximately 300 million sperm cells) and muscular contractions (orgasm). The male
switches to _______________________ stimulation immediately _________ ejaculation.

f. Detumescence - Occurs because ____________________ stimulation at ejaculation constricts the arterioles

of the penis. Thus ____________________ blood flow into the penis and the excess blood eventually drains
making the penis flaccid, again.

g. Erectile Dysfunction (pg 1092) – know the various reasons for erectile dysfunction/impotence.

Clinical Notes (pg 1072) : Prostatic Hypertrophy and Prostate Cancer

J. Female Sexual Function

a. Under _____________________ control.

b. Sexual arousal / stimulation

i. Increased heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate

ii. During arousal, ___________ of blood vessels. Increased blood flow to the _________ (erectile
tissue) and vaginal mucosa. _______________ vaginal secretions and sensitivity. Blood vessels in the
skin of the breast, neck, face and lips also dilate and increase blood flow and sensitivity to these
regions.

iii. Rhythmic stimulation of the _______ and ___________________ (and other anatomical structures)
increase the___________________ stimulation until the muscles in the perineal region begin
contractions (orgasm).

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