commonly used terms in reproductive system are added

1. MRS.P.CHRISTENA, RNM
M.SC-NURSING-OBG
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

2. Gametes, the male and female sex cells, are
produced through meiosis in the ovaries and
testes.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The sperm and the egg are gametes.
They each contain half the genetic
information necessary for reproduction.
When a sperm cell penetrates and fertilizes
an egg, that genetic information combines.

4. The ovaries produce secondary oocytes—
the female sex cells. Each month one
secondary oocyte is released into the
uterine tube. If the oocyte is fertilized, it
implants in the uterus.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

6. The ovaries are two almond-shaped structures
that sit on either side of the uterus,
connected to the uterine tubes.
System: Endocrine, Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: They produce oocytes (egg cells), as
well as estrogen, progesterone, and other
hormones.
Pathologies: Infertility, ovarian cysts, pelvic
inflammatory disease, polycystic ovary
syndrome, premature ovarian failure

8. Egg cell production, or oogenesis, begins with the
primordial follicles. As girls reach puberty, each
ovary contains thousands of these follicles, and
each follicle contains a primary oocyte. When
follicles mature, some primary oocytes become
secondary oocytes. By the time of ovulation, there
is only one mature follicle remaining. The rest of
the follicles deteriorate. During ovulation (about
once a month), the dominant follicle bursts and
releases its secondary oocyte. The oocyte travels
into the uterine tube, where it can be fertilized.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

10. The uterine tubes (also called Fallopian tubes or
oviducts) connect the ovaries to the uterus. Each
uterine tube can be divided into three parts: The
infundibulum is open to the abdomen. A constricted
section called the isthmus connects with the uterus.
Finally, an intermediate and dilated portion, the
ampulla, curves over the ovary.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: Egg fertilization usually occurs in the
ampulla. The eggs then travel through the isthmus
into the uterus.
Pathologies: Ectopic pregnancy, infertility

12. The uterus is a pear-shaped organ located in the pelvic
cavity between the bladder and the rectum. It is a
hollow organ with thick, muscular walls.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: During menstruation, the inner lining of the
uterus is shed. When a woman becomes pregnant,
however, the fertilized egg embeds itself in the
uterine wall and menstruation is prevented. The
uterus expands dramatically as the egg develops into
an embryo and then a growing fetus.
Pathologies: Endometriosis, gonorrhea, infertility,
pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine fibroids

14. Women of childbearing age go through a cycle
about every 28 days that makes it possible to
become pregnant. A follicle in the ovary
develops and releases a secondary oocyte at
the same time that the lining of the uterus
thickens to prepare for the possibility of a
fertilized egg. These cycles begin at puberty
and continue until menopause. During
pregnancy the cycles are suspended.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

16. The lower part of the uterus constricts into a segment
called the cervix, which leads to the vagina.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The cervix is the passageway for menstrual
flow, for entering sperm, and for childbirth. Glands in
the mucous membrane of the cervix secrete a clear,
viscous, alkaline mucus that changes character at
different times during a female’s menstrual cycle.
Pathologies: Endometriosis, genital warts, gonorrhea,
HPV, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease,
trichomoniasis, uterine fibroids

18. The vagina extends down from the cervix, the lower
part of the uterus, to the vestibule, which is part
of the vulva and the external genitalia. It sits
behind the bladder and in front of the rectum.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The vagina has three core functions: it
carries menstrual flow outside the body, it
receives the male penis during sexual intercourse,
and it serves as a birth canal during labor.
Pathologies: Chlamydia infection, genital herpes,
genital warts, HPV, infertility, syphilis,
trichomoniasis, yeast infections

20. The external genitalia (vulva) of the female
reproductive system include the mons
pubis, the labia majora and labia minora,
the clitoris and prepuce (clitoral hood),
the vestibule of the vagina, urethral
orifice, and the greater vestibular glands.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Pathologies: Genital warts

22. The vestibule encompasses the vaginal
orifice, the external urethral orifice, and in
some females, the hymen. Lateral to the
vaginal orifice are masses of erectile tissue
known as the bulbs of the vestibule. When
a female is sexually aroused, each bulb
engorges with blood and swells around
the vaginal opening.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

24. The labia minora are situated between the
labia majora and extend from the clitoris
obliquely downward, laterally, and
backward for about 4 cm on either side of
the orifice of the vagina, enclosing the
vestibule. Unlike the labia majora, the
labia minora lack pubic hair.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

26. The two labia majora have an outer
pigmented surface covered with pubic
hair and an inner surface well-endowed
with sebaceous (oil) and sudoriferous
(sweat) glands.
System: Integumentary, Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

28. Developmentally homologous to the penis, the
clitoris consists of two corpora cavernosa
composed of erectile tissue enclosed in a
dense layer of fibrous membrane.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The clitoris has an extremely high
concentration of nerve endings. It can
engorge with blood when stimulated and
functions in female sexual arousal.

30. The testes constantly produce sperm—the
male sex cells. Sperm are produced in
seminiferous tubules inside the testes
through a process called spermatogenesis.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

32. The testes (or testicles) are the male gonads
and sit below the penis within a sac called
the scrotum.
System: Endocrine, Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The testes generate sperm, the male
sex cells, as well as testosterone and other
sex hormones. The production of sperm is
constant and occurs within numerous
lobules in each testis.
Pathologies: Infertility

34. Inside testes are coiled tubes called
seminiferous tubules. Production begins
with the seminiferous tubules where stem
cells, called spermatogonia, develop into
immature sperm. Each 46-chromosome
spermatogonium divides through mitosis to
produce primary spermatocytes. These cells
divide by meiosis to become 23-chromosome
cells called secondary spermatocytes that
develop into spermatids.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

36. The epididymis is the duct of the male
reproductive system that attaches directly to
the testis. It is part of the male internal
genitalia. The epididymis sits directly on top
of each testis.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: Sperm from the testis mature as they
move through the coiled duct of the
epididymis. During sexual intercourse and
ejaculation, they are expelled into the vas
deferens.

38. The vas deferens, also known as the ductus
deferens, is one of the ducts of the male
reproductive system. The vas deferens serves as
the excretory duct of the testis and is the
continuation of the epididymis.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The vas deferens pushes the sperm up
over the bladder and down toward the prostate
gland. There, the vas deferens joins the ends of
the seminal vesicles (accessory reproductive
glands) to form the ejaculatory ducts.

40. The ducts of the male reproductive system
include two ejaculatory ducts, one
associated with each testis.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The ejaculatory ducts receive
seminal fluid from the vesicles, pass
through the prostate, and move semen
into the urethra.

42. Semen is a mixture of seminal fluid
produced by accessory glands and sperm
produced by the testes. Sperm cells
depend on seminal fluid to keep them
moving and alive. This fluid is produced
during ejaculation by accessory glands:
the seminal vesicles, the prostate, and the
bulbourethral glands.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

43. The seminal vesicles, two saclike structures, sit
close behind the bladder and extend toward
the bladder. There they each join one of the
vas deferens to form the ejaculatory ducts.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The vesicles secrete a whitish-brown
fluid containing sugars, prostaglandins, and
other substances that makes up two-thirds of
the semen volume.

45. The prostate, located under the bladder and
above the start of the penis, contains the
ejaculatory ducts and the prostatic urethra.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: As semen enters the urethra, the
prostate secretes enzymes that help activate
the sperm.
Pathologies: Enlarged prostate (BPH), prostate
cancer

47. The bulbourethral glands (or Cowper’s
glands) are pea-sized, with single ducts
that connect to the urethra where it
emerges from the prostate.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: These glands add mucus that
helps with sperm motility.

49. The male urethra extends from the bladder,
through the prostate, to the external
orifice at the end of the penis. It receives
additional seminal fluids from the
prostate before it expels semen out of the
body.
System: Urinary, Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Pathologies: Urinary tract infections

51. The penis is part of the male external genitalia,
suspended from the body at the front and sides of the
pubic arch. Internally, the penis consists of three
connected columns of tissue.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: During sexual arousal, the erectile tissue of
the penis fills with blood and the penis stiffens,
allowing it to penetrate the vagina during coitus.
Ejaculation delivers semen at or near the cervix, the
passage to the uterus.
Pathologies: Chlamydia infections, erectile dysfunction,
genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, HPV,
syphilis, trichomoniasis

53. The paired corpora cavernosa extend together from
the root of the penis through the body. Together,
they form the greater part of the penis.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The corpus spongiosum and corpora
cavernosa consist of sponge-like erectile tissue
containing spaces that can temporarily fill with
blood from the deep and dorsal arteries of the
penis. These structures engorge with blood and
become erect when a male is sexually aroused.

55. The corpus spongiosum runs along the underside of
the cavernosa. It contains the spongy urethra and
expands past the body of the penis to form the
glans penis (the tip).
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis
Function: The corpus spongiosum and corpora
cavernosa consist of sponge-like erectile tissue
containing spaces that can temporarily fill with
blood from the deep and dorsal arteries of the
penis. These structures engorge with blood and
become erect when a male is sexually aroused.

57. The glans penis is the tip of the penis, the
external genital organ of the male
reproductive system. It arises as the anterior
end of the corpus spongiosum and is
expanded in the form of a flattened cone. In
an uncircumcised male, the loose and
retractable skin of the prepuce (foreskin)
covers a variable amount of the glans.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

59. The testes (or testicles) are the male gonads
and sit below the penis within a sac called
the scrotum.
System: Integumentary, Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

61. Pregnancy is a series of events through
which a fertilized egg implants, becomes
an embryo, and develops into a fetus.
System: Reproduction
Region: Pelvis
Function: The resulting offspring carries
genetic information from a male and
female into a new generation.

63. During sexual intercourse, some sperm
ejaculated from the male penis swim up
through the female vagina and uterus
toward an oocyte (egg cell) floating in one of
the uterine tubes. The sperm and the egg are
gametes. They each contain half the genetic
information necessary for reproduction.
When a sperm cell penetrates and fertilizes
an egg, that genetic information combines.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

65. The 23 chromosomes from the sperm pair
with 23 chromosomes in the egg, forming
a 46-chromosome cell called a zygote. The
zygote starts to divide and multiply. As it
travels toward the uterus it divides to
become a blastocyst, which will burrow
into the uterine wall.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

67. Fifteen days after conception marks the beginning
of the embryonic period. The embryo contains a
flat embryonic disc that now differentiates into
three layers: the endoderm, the mesoderm, and
the ectoderm. All organs of the human body
derive from these three tissues. They begin to
curve and fold and to form an oblong body. By
week four, the embryo has a distinct head and tail
and a beating heart. Over the next six weeks,
limbs, eyes, brain regions, and vertebrae form.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

69. At day 15 after conception, the cells that
will form the embryo become an
embryonic disc. Other cells begin to form
support structures. The yolk sac, on one
side of the disc, will become part of the
digestive tract. On the other side, the
amnion fills with fluid and will surround
the embryo as it develops.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

71. By the end of week 10, the embryo is a
fetus. From week 10 of pregnancy, the
fetus grows inside the uterus, fueled by
nutrient-rich blood supplied by the
umbilical cord. Bones, muscles, skin, and
connective tissues form. Body systems
develop. Limbs and facial features take
shape.
System: Reproductive
Region: Pelvis

73.  Dutta, D. C., Hiralal, K., & Konar, H. (2018).
DC Dutta’s Textbook of Obstetrics: Including
Perinatology and Contraception (9th ed.).
Jaypee Brothers Medical Pub.
 Dutta, C. D. D. D. C. (2021). Textbook of
Gynaecology: Including Contraception (5th
Revised edition). New Central Book Agency.
 Body, V. (2021). Glossary of the Reproductive
System | Learn Reproductive Anatomy.
Visiblebody.
https://www.visiblebody.com/learn/repro
ductive/glossary