Human reproductive system | Definition, Diagram & Facts

male and female reproductive systems

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human reproductive system, organ system by which humans reproduce and bear live offspring. Provided all organs are present, normally constructed, and functioning properly, the essential features of human reproduction are (1) liberation of an ovum, or egg, at a specific time in the reproductive cycle, (2) internal fertilization of the ovum by spermatozoa, or sperm cells, (3) transport of the fertilized ovum to the uterus, or womb, (4) implantation of the blastocyst, the early embryo developed from the fertilized ovum, in the wall of the uterus, (5) formation of a placenta and maintenance of the unborn child during the entire period of gestation, (6) birth of the child and expulsion of the placenta, and (7) suckling and care of the child, with an eventual return of the maternal organs to virtually their original state.

For this biological process to be carried out, certain organs and structures are required in both the male and the female. The source of the ova (the female germ cells) is the female ovary; that of spermatozoa (the male germ cells) is the testis. In females, the two ovaries are situated in the pelvic cavity; in males, the two testes are enveloped in a sac of skin, the scrotum, lying below and outside the abdomen. Besides producing the germ cells, or gametes, the ovaries and testes are the source of hormones that cause full development of secondary sexual characteristics and also the proper functioning of the reproductive tracts. These tracts comprise the fallopian tubes, the uterus, the vagina, and associated structures in females and the penis, the sperm channels (epididymis, ductus deferens, and ejaculatory ducts), and other related structures and glands in males. The function of the fallopian tube is to convey an ovum, which is fertilized in the tube, to the uterus, where gestation (development before birth) takes place. The function of the male ducts is to convey spermatozoa from the testis, to store them, and, when ejaculation occurs, to eject them with secretions from the male glands through the penis.

At copulation, or sexual intercourse, the erect penis is inserted into the vagina, and spermatozoa contained in the seminal fluid (semen) are ejaculated into the female genital tract. Spermatozoa then pass from the vagina through the uterus to the fallopian tube to fertilize the ovum in the outer part of the tube. Females exhibit a periodicity in the activity of their ovaries and uterus, which starts at puberty and ends at the menopause. The periodicity is manifested by menstruation at intervals of about 28 days; important changes occur in the ovaries and uterus during each reproductive, or menstrual, cycle. Periodicity, and subsequently menstruation, is suppressed during pregnancy and lactation.

This articles describes the organs, both male and female, that are involved in human reproduction. The reproductive process itself is covered in other articles. For a detailed discussion of the series of changes that occur in a woman’s body as her fetus develops, see pregnancy. For a description of the stages of labour and delivery, see parturition. For the development of the unborn child during gestation, see human embryology. For coverage of the many diseases and disorders that can affect the reproductive organs, see reproductive system disease.

Britannica Quiz

The Human Body

The sex of a child is determined at the time of fertilization of the ovum by the spermatozoon. The differences between a male and a female are genetically determined by the chromosomes that each possesses in the nuclei of the cells. Once the genetic sex has been determined, there normally follows a succession of changes that will result, finally, in the development of an adult male or female. There is, however, no external indication of the sex of an embryo during the first eight weeks of its life within the uterus. This is a neutral or indifferent stage during which the sex of an embryo can be ascertained only by examination of the chromosomes in its cells.

The next phase, one of differentiation, begins first in gonads that are to become testes and a week or so later in those destined to be ovaries. Embryos of the two sexes are initially alike in possessing similar duct systems linking the undifferentiated gonads with the exterior and in having similar external genitalia, represented by three simple protuberances. The embryos each have four ducts, the subsequent fate of which is of great significance in the eventual anatomical differences between men and women. Two ducts closely related to the developing urinary system are called mesonephric, or wolffian, ducts. In males each mesonephric duct becomes differentiated into four related structures: a duct of the epididymis, a ductus deferens, an ejaculatory duct, and a seminal vesicle. In females the mesonephric ducts are largely suppressed. The other two ducts, called the paramesonephric or müllerian ducts, persist, in females, to develop into the fallopian tubes, the uterus, and part of the vagina; in males they are largely suppressed. Differentiation also occurs in the primitive external genitalia, which in males become the penis and scrotum and in females the vulva (the clitoris, labia, and vestibule of the vagina).

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At birth the organs appropriate to each sex have developed and are in their adult positions but are not functioning. Various abnormalities can occur during development of sex organs in embryos, leading to hermaphroditism, pseudohermaphroditism, and other chromosomally induced conditions. During childhood until puberty there is steady growth in all reproductive organs and a gradual development of activity. Puberty marks the onset of increased activity in the sex glands and the steady development of secondary sexual characteristics.

In males at puberty the testes enlarge and become active, the external genitalia enlarge, and the capacity to ejaculate develops. Marked changes in height and weight occur as hormonal secretion from the testes increases. The larynx, or voice box, enlarges, with resultant deepening of the voice. Certain features in the skeleton, as seen in the pelvic bones and skull, become accentuated. The hair in the armpits and the pubic hair becomes abundant and thicker. Facial hair develops, as well as hair on the chest, abdomen, and limbs. Hair at the temples recedes. Skin glands become more active, especially apocrine glands (a type of sweat gland that is found in the armpits and groin and around the anus).

In females at puberty, the external genitalia enlarge and the uterus commences its periodic activity with menstruation. The breasts develop, and there is a deposition of body fat in accordance with the usual contours of the mature female. Growth of axillary (armpit) and pubic hair is more abundant, and the hair becomes thicker.

26.1A: Overview of the Male and Female Reproductive Systems

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The human reproductive system functions to produce human offspring, with the male providing sperm and the female providing the ovum.

Learning Objectives

• Summarize the reproductive systems of men and women

Key Points

• The male reproductive system consists of external organs. The testes in the scrotum produce the male gamete, sperm, which is ejaculated in seminal fluid by the penis.
• The female reproductive system primarily consists of internal organs. The female gamete, ovum, is produced in the ovaries and is released monthly to travel to the uterus via the Fallopian tubes.
• Fertilization can occur if the penis is inserted through the vulva into the vagina and sperm is ejaculated towards the cervix. If an ovum is currently in the uterus, it can then be fertilized by sperm that manage to enter the cervix.
• Once fertilized, an ovum becomes a zygote and if all goes well, develops into a fetus in the uterus.
• Natural birth occurs when the fetus is pushed from the vagina after nine months in the uterus.

Key Terms

• fallopian tubes: The Fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges (singular salpinx) are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated epithelia leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus, via the utero-tubal junction.
• penis: The male sexual organ for copulation and urination; the tubular portion of the male genitalia (excluding the scrotum).
• vagina: A fibromuscular tubular tract which is the female sex organ and has two main functions: sexual intercourse and childbirth.

EXAMPLES

While the ultimate purpose of the human reproductive system is to produce offspring, the proximate purpose is to produce pleasure and induce bonding. This can be seen in our closest relatives, the bonobo chimpanzees, who have sex for a wide variety of reasons including pleasure, bonding, and alleviating tension in addition to producing offspring.

The reproductive system or genital system is a set of organs within an organism that work together to produce offspring. Many non-living substances, such as fluids, hormones, and pheromones, are important accessories to the reproductive system. Unlike most organ systems, the sexes of differentiated species often have significant differences. These differences allow for a combination of genetic material between two individuals and thus the possibility of greater genetic fitness of the offspring.

The Reproductive Process

Human reproduction takes place as internal fertilization by sexual intercourse. During this process, the erect penis of the male is inserted into the female’s vagina until the male ejaculates semen, which contains sperm, into the vagina. The sperm travels through the vagina and cervix into the uterus for potential fertilization of an ovum. Upon successful fertilization and implantation, gestation of the fetus occurs within the female’s uterus for approximately nine months (pregnancy). Gestation ends with labor resulting in birth. In labor, the uterine muscles contract, the cervix dilates, and the baby passes out through the vagina. Human babies and children are nearly helpless and require high levels of parental care for many years. One important type of parental care is the use of the mammary glands in the female breasts to nurse the baby.

The Male Reproductive System

The human male reproductive system is a series of organs located outside of the body and around the pelvic region. The primary direct function of the male reproductive system is to provide the male gamete or spermatozoa for fertilization of the ovum. The major reproductive organs of the male can be grouped into three categories. The first category is sperm production and storage. Production takes place in the testes, housed in the temperature-regulating scrotum. Immature sperm then travel to the epididymis for development and storage. The second category, the ejaculatory fluid-producing glands, includes the seminal vesicles, prostate, and vas deferens. The final category, used for copulation and deposition of the spermatozoa (sperm) within the female, includes the penis, urethra, vas deferens, and Cowper’s gland.

The Human Male Reproductive System: Cross-sectional diagram of the male reproductive organs.

Only our species has a distinctive mushroom-capped glans, which is connected to the shaft of the penis by a thin tissue of frenulum (the delicate tab of skin just beneath the urethra). One of the most significant features of the human penis is the coronal ridge underneath the gland around the circumference of the shaft. Magnetic imaging studies of heterosexual couples having sex reveal that during coitus, the typical penis expands to fill the vaginal tract, and with full penetration can even reach the woman’s cervix and lift her uterus. This combined with the fact that human ejaculate is expelled with great force and considerable distance (up to two feet if not contained), suggests that men are designed to release sperm into the uppermost portion of the vagina. This may be an evolutionary adaptation to expel the semen left by other males while at the same time increasing the possibility of fertilization with the current male’s semen.

The Female Reproductive System

The human female reproductive system is a series of organs primarily located inside the body and around the pelvic region. It contains three main parts: the vagina, which leads from the vulva, the vaginal opening, to the uterus; the uterus, which holds the developing fetus; and the ovaries, which produce the female’s ova. The breasts are also a reproductive organ during parenting, but are usually not classified as part of the female reproductive system. The vagina meets the outside at the vulva, which also includes the labia, clitoris, and urethra. During intercourse, this area is lubricated by mucus secreted by the Bartholin’s glands. The vagina is attached to the uterus through the cervix, while the uterus is attached to the ovaries via the Fallopian tubes. At certain intervals, approximately every 28 days, the ovaries release an ovum that passes through the Fallopian tube into the uterus.
If the ova is fertilized by sperm, it attaches to the endometrium and the fetus develops. In months when fertilization does not occur, the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, and unfertilized ova are shed each cycle through a process known as menstruation.

The Human Female Reproductive System: The female reproductive system is largely internal.

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Exciting parts of the body

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Readers told us what parts of the male body they find sexually attractive, and our experts explained why.

Parts of the male body that arouse desire are called “sexual zones”. Each person’s idea of ​​them is formed under certain circumstances. “The first concept of a man’s attractiveness is formed on the basis of communication with his father,” explains Lyudmila Gorodnicheva , candidate of psychological sciences. “Since imaginative thinking is formed already in early childhood, it is not surprising that the most attractive objects are those that we see.” As we grow older, the image of the ideal man acquires details: depending on what films we watched and, of course, with whom we talked.

When the idea of ​​a man’s sexuality is formed, there is, in the language of neurolinguistic programming, “anchoring”. “The image is fixed in the mind, therefore, when we see an object that matches the parameters, we immediately feel a desire,” the psychologist sums up.

Interestingly, attention to certain parts of the male body indicates the sexual satisfaction of a woman at a particular moment. If she is not satisfied, there is a sexual starvation, after which an interest invariably flares up in an object that has suitable sexual zones. We tried to figure out what needs, in addition to the basic ones, are indicated by attention to different parts of the male body.

Irina, 29 : “Brown eyes drive me crazy. Especially if their owner is staring at me like a boa constrictor at a rabbit. From such a look, I immediately lose my will.”

ADVERTISING – CONTINUED BELOW

Girls who consider eyes attractive are most likely interested in the inner world of a man. They are ready to more fully and deeply perceive the other person. Tatyana Kochetova does not see an evolutionary reason for preferring one or another eye color – too much in this matter depends on cultural characteristics – but adds: “A long, gaze can characterize an attentive, self-confident person, and these personality traits are an indicator of masculinity and inner strength. ” Yevgeny Kulgavchuk agrees with his colleague: “It is highly likely that the demonstrated ambitions will be backed up by actions and appropriate behavior.” However, he warns: now there are many men who are specially trained to look this way – not to be, but to be able to impress. That is why it is worth assessing a person comprehensively, because with the “losing my will” approach, you can become a victim of swindlers and pick-up artists. According to Yuri Prokopenko, each woman’s preference for a certain eye color is formed individually and depends on experience and personal associations with a person who made a strong impression in the past. “Girls with the so-called artistic type of character attach great importance to the look of a man,” the sexologist explains. – They tend to imagine ideal princes and unconsciously form in themselves a stereotypical expectation of a fairy tale, romance. Most likely, that is why they cannot, do not want to resist the magnetic male gaze.

Alina, 25 : “I really like strong, moderately muscular arms. Immediately there is a feeling of confidence in a person – he will hug tightly, will not let go. Even better if the man has hairy wrists and hair peeking out from under his shirt sleeve!”

Tatyana Kochetova believes that increased attention to hands can also be explained from the point of view of evolutionary psychology. “The functions of this part of the body – to grab, hold, bring food to the mouth, push back, close – are vital, helping a person survive in difficult conditions,” the psychologist explains. Not surprisingly, when evaluating a man’s sexuality, we pay considerable attention to the hands. Yevgeny Kulgavchuk agrees with this opinion: “From a biological point of view, a woman needs to find a strong partner with sufficient resources to protect and feed. Despite emancipation, these rules continue to work to this day.”

With regard to increased hairiness, expert opinions differ here. Yevgeny Kulgavchuk believes that this is a sign of a large amount of testosterone, an indicator of physical strength and activity. And these factors are the most seductive lure for women. Yuri Prokopenko agrees: the density of body hair depends on the level of male sex hormones, but with a caveat: European men tend to be moderately hairy in the armpits, groin and face. “The adrenal cortex produces additional hormones that provoke hair growth on other parts of the body – on the back, legs, chest. Excessive vegetation in this case is a sign of hormonal disorders, and not increased sexuality, ”explains the sexologist. And he voices another psychological need: to be voluntarily enslaved – for someone to control life, the desire to shift responsibility for oneself to someone else.

Marina, 32 : “The stomach is what men like the most. Flat, taut, not a beer belly. If with “cubes” on the press – even better!”

According to Yevgeny Kulgavchuk, overweight is often associated not with intellect, but with rudeness, uncouthness. “Fat reduces the activity of a man both in physical competition with other members of the same sex, and in matters of sexual relations,” the psychotherapist sums up. He is supported by Tatyana Kochetova: “Decrepit, saggy has always been associated with illness and old age. Moreover, it is the state of the abdomen that most objectively reflects a person’s attitude to life.” “An athlete who takes care of his appearance, nevertheless, devotes too much time and attention to himself in order to maintain these notorious “cubes,” says Yuri Prokopenko. – Passion for athletes can be a compensation for dissatisfaction with your own figure. Or the woman herself is in good shape and is looking for a worthy partner. In my opinion, the stomach is the most “human” part of the body, by which it is possible to formulate an impression about a man and his lifestyle. After all, maintaining a figure in good shape is worth a lot of work.

In conclusion, Yuriy Prokopenko recalls an important point: “I recommend paying attention to the person himself. After all, relationships will have to be built with him, and not with his nose, eyes or stomach. Tatyana Kochetova joins her colleague’s opinion and assures that there are simply no clearly defined standards of sexual attractiveness – even evolutionary psychology does not exclude an individual approach. According to Lyudmila Gorodnicheva, the main thing is to understand the difference between sexual hunger and love: “Often we can be turned on by the sexual zones of a partner, but later, when the first need is satisfied, it will probably turn out that there is neither love nor affection in your relationship. This is worth keeping in mind so as not to succumb to self-deception.

Sexiest male body parts – Sex – Sex and relationships

All or almost all men would like to know which parts of the male body are the sexiest according to women. Everyone is interested in what exactly (which part of your body), first of all, the representatives of the opposite sex pay attention to. Or in other words, what exactly is expressed in male sexuality?

10th place – Pronounced shoulders

Women like the deltoid muscles, in their opinion it is a sign of strength. Some are very turned on when a man moves his shoulders, and they see how every muscle on his body stands out. Women like to touch them, and therefore they often massage their boyfriend in this area.

9th place – Athletic chest

Just like us, they look at us and they like our breasts. After all, we don’t care if it’s silicone or mother nature, it doesn’t matter to them either – it’s anabol, hard training or inherited, if only there was a form! Most girls say they don’t want to see a unisex half-ped with saggy nipples in front of them. Perfect breasts are an integral part of women’s sexual fantasies.

8th place – Pumped up biceps

Biceps will not grow on their own. When a woman sees your strong arms, a clearly defined shape of the muscles, when you demonstrate the power of your hands in a T-shirt, it is clear that you take care of yourself and you are not indifferent to how you look. Your hands are ready to help a defenseless woman! A woman is crazy when during sex she is raked into an armful and “smeared on the wall. ”

7th place – Sensual lips

It turns out that not only do we want to touch the plump female lips, but many women are also reluctant to touch the sensual male mouth. One girl said: “During a kiss, I bite into him with my lips until they swell, and then ice comes to the rescue.”

6th place – Language

This statement may be shocking, but in a nutshell, the reality is this: women value the tongue like a saliva-producing penis. And if some women like it when they pick out fillings with their tongues, then the bulk like it when … (well, you understand).

5th place – Well-groomed hands

“In the beginning, I always pay attention to the hands of a man and if they are clean and well-groomed, I am ready to go to bed with him. Well, if they look different, then it is probably only suitable for plumbers or auto mechanics. Women are very worried about their tights and delicate organs, which a man can damage with his claws.

4th place – Narrow hips

“Narrow hips, broad shoulders” is a real man. It has always been believed that women’s hips should be wider than men’s. They have always been jealous of our narrow pelvis, and during sex they like to hold us by our narrow hips.

3rd place – Iron press

Oh, how they rod from a relief press that looks like a washboard! But to achieve this is quite difficult. After all, you, too, are not happy to jump into bed with a fat woman, just as they are not very happy about the fact that you have to twist your stomach to get to your nooks and crannies. In addition, the relief press is subconsciously associated by a woman with a healthy, beautiful and well-groomed penis.

2nd place – Well-groomed cock

It was thought that HE would be in the first place, but it turns out, only the second. Here’s what we learned from our conversations with the girls: cut the hairy forest, so HE will appear younger, thicker and longer (but be careful – it’s worse when only the forest remains).