Unit: The Human Body

Module: Human Reproductive

System and Growth
Lesson:1: Reproductive Systems

Textbook Pg No:208
Focus Question: What are the structures and functions of the male
and female reproductive systems?

Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to;
 Explain the structure and function of the male and female human
reproductive systems.

 Explain how reproductive hormones act in human feedback

mechanisms to maintain homeostasis

 Describe how the egg and sperm cells contain only one chromosome of
each parent’s chromosome pair, and that they unite to form a new
individual offspring.
Vocabulary
 Key Performance Indicators
Identify the main functions of the human reproductive system as: to reproduce and continue the existence of
humans, to produce the next generations, and to produce egg and sperm cells
Identify the structures and their functions of the male reproductive systems to include testes, epididymis, scrotum,
seminal vesicle, vas deferens, and prostate gland
Explain that the origin of semen includes the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland and the bulbourethral gland
Explain the importance of substances found in semen
Sequence the structures which sperm cells travel through as they exit the body
Identify the structures and their functions of the female reproductive systems to include ovaries, uterus, vagina,
and oviduct
Describe the structure of the sperm cell and the egg cell
Describe the effects of male and female hormones on the development of secondary characteristics in males and
females
Explain how hormones regulate the male reproductive system to include testosterone, GnRH, FSH and LH
Explain how hormones regulate the female reproductive system to include: estrogen, progesteron, LH and FSH
Explain the major phases that take place during the menstrual cycle
Describe the negative feedback mechanism of menstruation and the positive feedback mechanism of ovulation
Describe the negative feedback mechanism used to regulate the male reproductive system
Define the terms gamete and gonad
Define meiosis as the process during which gametes are produced with half the chromosome number
 An Introduction to Reproduction
Listen to the video…

https://www.tigtagworld.com/clil/film/reproduction-PRM00159/
 Reproduction is necessary to ensure the continuation
of a species.
 Main things involved in reproduction are the organs,
glands, and hormones of the male and female
reproductive systems

 The processes that happen in reproduction are

 union of an egg cell and a sperm cell

 development of the fetus
 the birth of an infant.
 Human Male Reproductive
System
o Male reproductive glands are called the testes.
o They are located outside the body cavity in a pouch called the
scrotum.
o A temperature lower than 37°C is required for the development
of sperm.
 Sperm
 Male reproductive cells are called sperm.

 Sperms develop in seminiferous tubules of the testes. These tubules

produce 100–200 million sperm each day.
 Reproductive Structures

VAS DEFERENS- a duct leading

away from the testis through
which sperm travel

EPIDIDYMIS- a structure
located on top of each testis.
Maturation and storage of
URETHRA- the tube that carries
sperm.
both semen and urine outside of
the body through the penis.
The two-vas deferens join
together and enter the urethra.
 Reproductive glands

SEMINAL VESICLES contribute over

half of the semen
SEMEN is a nourishing fluid It secrete sugar (provides energy),
for the survival of sperm. other nutrients, proteins, and
It contains sperm, the enzymes for the sperm.
nourishment, and other
fluids from the male
reproductive glands
PROSTATE GLAND and
BULBOURETHRAL GLANDS
contribute an alkaline solution
It neutralize acidic conditions that
sperm might encounter in the
urethra and the female
reproductive tract
 Quiz

1. What would happen if the testes were located inside the

body cavity?

A Sperm would not be produced because it is

too warm inside the body. CORRECT
B Testosterone levels would increase because
of the warm temperature.
C The seminal vesicles would no longer be
needed.
D Hormones from the testes would have
difficulty entering the bloodstream.
 Quiz

2. What occurs in the

structure labeled C?

A sperm cell storage and C secretion of sugar

maturation

B sperm cell production D production of FSH

CORRECT
 Quiz

5. What is the function of

the structure labeled A
in the illustration?

A sperm cell storage and C secretion of sugar

maturation CORRECT

B sperm cell production D production of FSH

 Male hormones
TESTOSTERONE is a steroid hormone which helps for the
production of sperm.

 It also influences the development of male secondary

sex characteristics that begin to appear at puberty (the
period of growth when sexual maturity is reached.)

 These characteristics include hair on the face and chest,

broader shoulders, increased muscle development, and
a deeper voice ( because the vocal cords are longer in
males than in females).

 Later in life, testosterone might lead to a receding

hairline or baldness
 Production of testosterone

Hypothalamus produces gonadotropin-releasing

hormone (GnRH), which acts on the anterior pituitary
gland.

GnRH increases the production of follicle-stimulating

hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).

Both FSH and LH travel from the anterior pituitary

gland through the bloodstream and to the testes.

In the testes, FSH promotes the production of sperm

and LH stimulates the production and secretion of
testosterone..
 Negative feedback mechanism of
testosterone

Negative feedback system starts with

the hypothalamus.

Increased levels of testosterone in the

blood are detected by cells in the
hypothalamus and anterior pituitary,
and the production of LH and FSH is
decreased.

When testosterone levels in the blood

drop, the body responds by making
more LH and FSH.
Human Female Reproductive System
Structure of female reproductive system
OVARY - Site of production of
egg cell/ovum

OVIDUCT - tube which connect

ovary to uterus through which
the egg travel

UTERUS/WOMB – area of fetus

development

CERVIX - lower end of uterus

VAGINA - last part which leads

to outside of female body
 Ovary
 Each ovary is about the size of an
almond.

 each ovary contains immature eggs

called OOCYTES. Approximately once
every 28 days, oocyte development
is stimulated to form EGG CELL/
OVUM.

 The ovum is surrounded by FOLLICLE

CELLS that provide protection and
nourishment.
Functions of female reproductive system

 Production of female
reproductive cells called egg
cells/ova (ovary)

 Receive sperm

 Provide an environment for

fertilization of an egg (oviduct)

 Provide suitable environment

for the development of an
embryo. (uterus)
 Female hormones

 Ovaries produce 2 steroid hormones- ESTROGEN

and PROGESTERONE
 Anterior pituitary produce FSH and LH which
influence the level of estrogen and progesterone
in a negative feedback loop.

Puberty
 Estrogen levels increases which causes a
female’s breasts to develop, her hips to widen,
and her amount of fat tissue to increase.

 A female will experience her first menstrual

cycle (the events that take place each month in
the human female to help prepare the female
body for pregnancy)
 Quiz

3. Which two steroid hormones are produced

by the ovaries?

A testosterone and FSH C estrogen and LH

B estrogen and D progesterone and FSH

progesterone
CORRECT
 Sex Cell Production

• Through meiosis, cells in the

testes or ovaries gives rise to
sex cells called gametes.

• Male gametes are sperm,

produced by
spermatocytes.
• Sperm produced daily when
puberty starts and continue
throughout his life.
 Sex Cell Production
• Egg production differs from sperm production.
Female born with eggs, genetic material (DNA)
starts replication in oocytes, and there is a stop
in meiotic division.
Menstrual Cycle – meiosis continues for a
single oocyte
1st Division – 2 structures, 1 big and 1 small –
Polar body
(it disintegrates)
2nd Division – egg started second meiotic
division, but stop at a moment and Ovulation
happens during menstrual cycle.
Second division completes only if there is
fertilization and as a result Zygote and second
polar body form (disintegrates)
Two meiotic divisions give only one egg.
Sex Cell Production
 The Menstrual Cycle

• The length of the menstrual cycle can vary,

but it typically lasts about 28 days.
• The cycle can be divided into three phases:
• Flow phase
• Follicular phase
• Luteal phase
The Menstrual Cycle
 Endometrium

 Lining of uterus is called

endometrium.

 It is the site of implantation

(attachment of embryo)

 It has good supply of blood

vessels which give the embryo
nutrients and oxygen.
 1. Flow phase
 Day 1 – beginning of menstrual flow-
Shedding of blood, tissue fluid, mucus,
epithelial cells tear from endometrium

 Bleeding occurs due to tearing of

endometrium and rupturing of blood
vessels.

 Day 5 – Repair of endometrial lining,

cycle continues
 2. Follicular phase
 Changes in ovaries occur

 Low estrogen level at beginning of cycle

and increased level of FSH and LH which
stimulates maturation of few follicle cells

 Developing follicle cells produce estrogen

and less progesterone which keep FSH and
LH levels low (negative feedback). Only one
follicle containing egg matured fully.

 Day- 14- high amount of LH release by

anterior pituitary – LH surge- cause the
rupture of follicle and OVULATION occurs.
Standardized Test
Practice

Which hormone
causes ovulation to
occur at the end of
the follicular phase?
A. FSH 1. A
2. B
B. LH 3. C
C. estrogen 4. D

D. progesterone

STP 1
 Luteal phase
 After ovulation, the cells of the follicle
changed into a structure called the
CORPUS LUTEUM

 Corpus luteum produces high amounts of

progesterone and some estrogen, which
reduce the levels of LH and FSH (negative
feedback)

 Toward the end of the cycle, the corpus

luteum breaks down, and no production
of progesterone and estrogen.

 This results in a rapid decrease in

progesterone and estrogen levels which
triggers detachment of the endometrium,
and the flow phase of a new menstrual
cycle will begin.
 If the egg is fertilized, a different
chain of events occurs, and a new
menstrual cycle does not begin.

 The progesterone levels remain

high and increase the blood supply
to the endometrium.

 The corpus luteum does not

degenerate and hormone levels do
not drop.

 The endometrium accumulates

lipids and begins secreting a fluid
rich in nutrients for the developing
embryo
Standardized Test
Practice

What triggers a new

menstrual cycle and the
beginning of menstrual
flow?
A. a decline in progesterone 1. A
B. a decrease in LH production 2. B
C. formation of the 3. C
4. D
corpus luteum
D. thickening of the
endometrium

STP 2
36.1 Formative
Questions

What prevents the menstrual cycle from

continuing once an egg has been fertilized?
A. Progesterone levels
remain high.
B. Estrogen levels
decrease. 1. A
2. B
C. The corpus luteum 3. C
degenerates. 4. D
D. Blood supply to the
endometrium decreases.

FQ 4
 Quiz

4. In which phase of the menstrual cycle are progesterone

levels the highest?

A luteal phase
CORRECT
B follicular phase

C flow phase

D fertilization