1. Human Reproduction
MALE
FEMALE
Regents Biology

2. OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this unit students will be able to:
1. Explain the major functions of the following structures in the human female
reproductive system: ovaries, oviduct (fallopian tube), uterus, cervix and vagina
2. Correctly identify the location of the organs in objective #1.
3. Define hormone and describe how hormone structure determines its function.
4. Explain the remarkable specificity displayed by hormones (Lock and Key Model).
5. State the functions of the following key reproductive hormones in females:
progesterone, estrogen, FSH, and LH.
6. Define feedback mechanism.
7. List, in order, the stages of the menstrual cycle and discuss the major events of
each stage.
8. Explain the major functions of the following structures in the human male
reproductive system: penis, vas deferens, epididymis, testes, prostate,
scrotum
9. Correctly identify the location of the organs in objective #8.
KEY WORDS
1.    cervix
2.    epididymis
3.    estrogen
4.    follicle
5.    hormone
6.    menstruation
7.    ovaries
8.    oviduct (fallopian tube)
9.    ovulation
10.  penis
11.                       testes
12.                       testosterone
13.                       uterus
14.                       vagina
15.                       vas deferens

3. I. Female Reproductive System
The female gonads are the OVARIES
Ovaries produce ESTROGEN and PROGESTERONE
Estrogen is the hormone responsible for secondary sex characteristics (breasts, pelvis, fat, menstruation)
The path of eggs from the inside of the female to the outside of the female:
OVARY 
OVIDUCT
UTERUS
CERVIX
VAGINA
OUTSIDE
When an egg matures, the FOLLICLE (egg sac) around it ruptures and the egg is released from the OVARY (ovulation)

4. OVIDUCT OVARY UTERUS VAGINA CERVIX URETHRA URINARY BLADDER RECTUM
(Fallopian tube)
OVARY
URINARY BLADDER
UTERUS
URETHRA
RECTUM
VAGINA
CERVIX

5. OVIDUCT
UTERUS
EGG
OVARY
CERVIX
FOLLICLE
SPERM
VAGINA

6. FEMALE STRUCTURE FUNCTION OVARIES OVIDUCT (FALLOPIAN TUBES) UTERUS
OVARIES
·      MAKE EGGS
·      SECRETE ESTROGEN
OVIDUCT
(FALLOPIAN TUBES)
·      TUBE LINED WITH CILIA FOR EGG
PASSAGE
·      FERTILIZATION OCCURS HERE
UTERUS
·      THICK, MUSCULAR AND PEAR-SHAPED
·      FERTILIZED EGG DEVELOPS HERE
CERVIX
·      NARROW OPENING TO THE UTERUS
·      EXPANDS DURING CHILDBIRTH
BIRTH CANAL (VAGINA)
·      LEADS TO OUTSIDE OF THE BODY
·      BABY AND MENSTRUAL TISSUE EXIT
HERE

7. II. The Menstrual Cycle
Ovulation (egg-releasing) occurs approximately every 28 days
If an egg is not fertilized, the UTERINE LINING breaks down; this, along with the EGG are discharged…this is menstruation
The menstrual cycle begins at PUBERTY and stops during PREGNANCY (temporarily) and MENOPAUSE (permanently)
HORMONES
HORMONES are protein chemicals that are produced by GLANDS and are carried by the BLOODSTREAM to SPECIFIC areas of the body where they perform certain functions.

8. FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE
1. Pituitary (Brain) Hormones 1
FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE
(FSH)
·      SENDS MESSAGE TO THE OVARY
·      CAUSES FOLLICLES TO BEGIN DEVELOPING 2
LUTENIZING HORMONE
(LH)
·      CAUSES EGG TO BE RELEASED FROM OVARY
·      CAUSES FOLLICLE TO FILL WITH CELLS FORMING A “YELLOW BODY”

9. 2. Ovarian Hormones 3
Progesterone
·      CAUSES GROWTH OF UTERINE LINING
·      PREVENTS FORMATION OF MORE THAN ONE EGG FOLLICLE AT A TIME
·      CONSTANTLY SECRETED DURING PREGNANCY 4
Estrogen
·      REGULATES CYCLE
·      STIMULATES UTERINE LINING TO THICKEN W/MUCUS & BLOOD VESSELS

10. HORMONAL FEEDBACK MECHANISMS
A feedback mechanism involves a CHANGE in which the STIMULUS of a process “feeds back” to either REINFORCE or OPPOSE the resulting action taken by that process.
Feedback mechanisms help to maintain HOMEOSTASIS
1.  POSITIVE FEEDBACK – REINFORCES ORIGINAL CHANGE
2. NEGATIVE FEEDBACK - OPPOSES ORIGINAL CHANGE

11. STAGES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
1. Follicle Stage (lasts about 10 days)
FSH produced by the PITUITARY GLAND stimulates the growth of the egg sac or FOLLICLE in the ovary.
The growing follicle inside the OVARY produces ESTROGEN which causes the wall of the muscular UTERUS to grow and thicken.
2. Ovulation (lasts 1 day)
ESTROGEN produced by the ovary is carried by the BLOODSTREAM and is detected by the brain. The PITUITARY GLAND inside the brain DECREASES its production of FSH and INCREASES its production of LH.
This sudden INCREASE of LH causes the OVARY to release an EGG in the process of OVULATION.

12.  3. Corpus Luteum (lasts about 14 days)
LH causes the now empty FOLLICLE to turn into the CORPUS LUTEUM or “yellow body”.
The corpus luteum amazingly changes into an OVARIAN CYST and is now capable of producing and secreting the hormone PROGESTERONE
PROGESTERONE maintains the thick wall of theUTERUS.
Progesterone is of ten called the “HORMONE of PREGNANCY”
4. Menstruation (lasts about 4 days)
If FERTILIZATION does NOT occur, secretion of LH decreases and the UTERINE LINING breaks down.
NO corpus luteum means NO PROGESTERONE. NO progesterone means NO more maintenance of the newly formed thickened wall of the UTERUS
The thick muscular wall of the uterus starts to break down and, along with the UNFERTILIZED EGG and small amounts of BLOOD is discharged through the birth canal or VAGINA.
The discharge is called the woman’s PERIOD or MENSTRUATION

14. III. Male Reproductive System
The male gonad is the TESTES
Testes produce SPERM and TESTOSTERONE
Testosterone is the HORMONE responsible for secondary sex characteristics (hair, muscles, voice change)
The testes are located in the SCROTUM (proper temperature!)
The path of the sperm from the inside to the outside of the male:
     
TESTES 
EPIDIDYMIS
VAS DEFERENS
URETHRA
PENIS
OUTSIDE THE BODY
 Before ejaculation, the URETHRA blocks the opening from the urinary bladder
SPERM

15. URINARY BLADDER
COWPER’S GLAND
PROSTATE GLAND
URETHRA
PENIS
RECTUM
SEMINAL VESICLES
EPIDIDYMIS
TESTES
VAS DEFERENS
SCROTUM

16. COWPER’S GLAND, PROSTATE GLAND,
MALE
STRUCTURE
FUNCTION
PENIS
·       TRANSFERS SPERM TO THE FEMALE
TESTES
·       MAKE SPERM AND TESTOSTERONE
SCROTUM
·   KEEPS LOWER TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE THE BODY
URETHRA
·   CARRIES SEMEN AND URINE THROUGH THE PENIS TO THE OUTSIDE
 COWPER’S GLAND, PROSTATE GLAND,
SEMINAL VESICLES
·   SECRETE FLUIDS INTO THE URETHRA TO NOURISH AND PROTECT SPERM
EPIDIDYMIS
·       STORES IMMATURE SPERM FOR 18 HOURS UNTIL THEY MATURE
VAS DEFERENS
·       TUBE THAT LEADS SPERM FROM EPIDIDYMIS TO THE URETHRA