SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN HUMAN BEINGS.

Human beings are unisexual i.e. there sexes are separate.

There is a distinct sexual dimorphism i.e. males and females are visibly different from each other.
The male and female reproductive system consists of different organs that are distinguished into primary
and secondary sexual organs.
Puberty- The age at which reproductive organs become functional i e. Gonads start producing gametes
and sexual hormones. The boys and girls become sexually mature is called puberty. Boys attain
puberty at the age of 13 to 14 years.
Girls reach puberty as the age of 10 to 12 years.
Changes occurring at puberty or secondary sexual characteristics.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Primary Reproductive organ- A pair of testis are the main reproductive organ in the males.
A pair of testis lie in the lose folds of skin called as scrotum (scrotal sacs)
located outside the body.

The testes lie outside the body because the process of formation of sperms (spermatogenesis) require a
temperature lower than the body temperature. The temperature of the scrotum remains 1 to 3 degrees less
than the body temperature which facilities the formation of sperms. Each testis is composed of tightly coiled
seminiferous tubules embedded in the connective tissue.

1. Seminiferous tubules.- they help in the formation of the sperms.

2. Leydig cells – they are responsible for the secretion of the male hormone testosterone
3. Sertoli cells – they are responsible for the nourishment of the developing sperms.

Associated ducts –

1. Epididymis- It is a pair of long convoluted tubule located in the scrotum. Each epididymis is closely
attached to the testis and lies within the scrotal sacs. Epididymis nourishes and stores
sperms and serves as a passage for the sperms from testes to vas deferens.
2. Vas deferns- It is also called as sperm duct. The sperm travels from the scrotum to the pelvic cavity
inside the body. Behind the urinary bladder it is joined to the seminal vesicle.
The Vas deferns along with seminal vesicle opens into ejaculatory duct into the urethra.
Associated glands

Seminal vesicle- The function of seminal vesicle is to store the sperms ( act as an organ) and to produce
viscous liquid which stimulates the uterine contractions to help the sperms move forward
into the fallopian tube of the female.

Prostate gland- It is a donut shaped gland present at the junction of urinary bladder and urethra.
Prostate gland pours its secretion into the urethra. It also secretes some milky fluid which
helps in the mobility of sperms.
Cowpers glands or Bulbo urethral glands- These gland secret mucus which lubricates the female
passage during sexual reproduction.

Urethra- It is about 20 cm in length.

It is a common passage for both urine and sperms.
The distal part of the urethra passes through the penis to open outside.

SEMEN – It is a mixture of mature sperms and the secretion of various accessory glands.
It is a milky viscous and alkaline fluid.

DIAGRAM OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM.( From your reference book)

STRUCTURE OF MALE GAMETE – SPERM

 A typical human sperm or spermatozoa is a filamentous cell constituting of different parts - head
neck middle piece and tail.
 Head contains nucleus with haploid chromosome, neck bears centriole middle bears a sheath
of mitochondria and tail is a filamentous structure .
 The characteristic beating of tail provides the movement to the sperm.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

PRIMARY REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN - A PAIR OF OVARIES

Ovaries are the primary sexual organs of the female a pair of ovaries are located close to the lateral cavity
one on either side of the uterus. Ovaries have two main functions-

1. They produce the female reproductive cells called ovum.

2. They also produce the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone

Function of estrogen- It is produced by the granulosa cells of ovarian follicle.

It controls changes in follicular phase which includes growth of new ovarian follicles.
It helps in the growth and formation of uterine wall.
Function of progesterone - It is secreted by the Corpus luteum and helps in maintaining the pregnancy.
It also helps in the development of secondary sexual characteristics.

Fallopian tube - Fallopian tubes are a pair of tubes originating from the uterus one on either side of it.
 They extend up to the ovary on their respective side.
 The terminal part of fallopian tube is final shaped with finger like projections called
fimbriae lying near the ovary.
 Fimbriae pick up the ovum released from the ovary and move them to the fallopian
tubes.

Uterus - It is a single pear shaped highly muscular organ present in the pelvic cavity between the urinary
bladder and the rectum. Development of foetus occurs inside uterus.

Cervix- The narowal lower part of the uterus is called cervix which leads in to vagina.

Vagina- Vagina is a short and wide muscular tube.

It receives sperms during intercourse.
It acts as a birth canal during the child birth.
It also serves as a passage for the menstrual flow.

Hymen - The opening of vagina in young girls is partially closed by a thin membrane called hymen or
virgin knot.
It is ruptured during strenuous physical exercise during childhood or at the time of the intercourse.

DIAGRAM OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM FROM REFERENCE BOOK

Structure of an ovum – A matured ovum is surrounded by nutritive and protective cells and together they
are called graphian follicles.
The process of release of ovum from the ovary is called as ovulation.
In a woman one matured oven is released from either of the ovary at the interval of every 28 days.

FERTILIZATION - The process involving the fusion of the male gamete sperms and the female gamete is
ovum to form the first complete cell called zygote is called as the fertilization.

 Human beings perform internal fertilization.

 The sperms produced in the testes of male are introduced into the vagina of the female through
penis.
 Fertilization takes place inside the upper part of the fallopian tube.
 As the sperms fuse with the ovum, the single cell formed called zygote divides rapidly by mitosis
and moves slowly towards the uterus cavity.
 As fertilization takes place in the fallopian tube the zygote thus formed undergoes repeated mitotic
divisions to increase the number of cells in zygote. The ball of cells thus formed is called embryo.
 After 4 to 5 days the embryo destinations into the uterus to be implanted into the inner wall of the
uterus.

DRAW (FIG 69) FROM YOUR REFERENCE BOOK SHOWING THE PROCESS OF
FERTILIZATION.

IMPLANTATION – By the 7th day of fertilization embryo is formed, this embryo transform into blastocyst
and sinks into the soft and thick lining of the uterus and gets embedded in it.
This embedding of embryo( blastocyst) in the thick lining of the uterus is called implantation.
DRAW FIGURE 70 FROM YOUR REFERENCE BOOK SHOWING IMPLANTATION OF EMBRYO.
PLACENTA FORMATION- Once the embryo is implanted in the endometrium of uterine wall, it is
physiologically connected with the uterine wall of the mother by a disc shaped
structure called as placenta.
The foetus part of placenta is formed of villi which lie embarrassed in the maternal blood spaces.
Functions of placenta –
 It provides nutrition and oxygen to the foetus from mother’s blood.
 It removes carbon dioxide and nitrogenous waste from the blood of foetus
 It produces the hormone progesterone for maintaining pregnancy.
A cord containing blood vessels connects the placenta with the foetus, called as the umbilical cord.
Umbilical cord arising from embryo’s abdomen serves as a link between the embryo and the placenta.
It can be represented as-
Embryo Umbilical cord Placenta. Uterine wall of mother.
GESTATION PERIOD – The full term of development of an embryo in the mother’s uterus is called
gestation period. In humans it last war about 280 days or 9 months or 40 weeks. After this the foetus is
ready for birth.
BIRTH & PARTUIRITION – The child is born as a result of rhythmic contractions of the muscles of uterus
wall.
 The first sign of birth is the dilation of the birth canal.
 The wall of the uterus contacts repeatedly under the influence of a hormone called oxytocin in such
a way that foetus is forced out.
 The pain arising due to uterus contraction and relaxation is called labour pain.
 Birth of a child is called as partuirition.
 Separation of placenta from uterine wall is called after birth.

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