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Kylemaxinne Panzo posted an update in the group
MT 30 – A (LAB) S.Y. ‘23-‘24 2 years, 1 month ago Kylemaxinne B. Panzo
MT 30 – A (LAB)
Activity 8: Reproductive System
The reproductive system is important not just for reproduction, but also for our overall health, contributing to hormone regulation and other physiological processes.
The male reproductive system includes the following: the tests for hormone production and with seminiferous tubules for spermatogenesis; the long coiled epididymis for sperm maturation along with the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate glands, and bulbourethral glands; and the penis for urination and sexual intercourse consisting of the corpora cavernosa, corpus spongiosum, superficial fascia, and keratinized simple squamous epithelium.
The epididymis, which is attached to the scrotum, is composed of the head region, the body, and the tail. Efferent ductules in the head are lined with pseudostratified squamous epithelium with principal cells that have sterocilia. These cells play a role in the maturation of sperm by removing water and secreting different products. The ductules are embedded into dense connective tissue covered with smooth muscles.
The female reproductive includes the following: a pair of ovaries and oviducts (fallopian tubes), the uterus, the vagina, and external genitalia. During the development of the embryo, the umbilical cord and the placenta are also involved.
The ovaries are found at either side of the uterus and are important in producing oocytes (female reproductive eggs), female hormones, and in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. The first stage of embryonic development involves the formation of primary follicles with primary oocytes. With the release of follicle-stimulating hormones, the oocyte in these follicles grow, proliferate, and differentiate. Selection is then done for a dominant follicle destined for ovulation every month. They eventually become secondary or antral follicles with fluid that contains hormones, proteins, and other important materials.
The paired oviducts (fallopian tubes), also found on each side of the uterus, facilitates the production and transport of oocytes towards the uterus. It also acts as the site for fertilization. They open into the peritoneal cavity, then into the following regions before reaching the uterus: the infundibulum with fimbriae, the ampulla where fertilization occurs, the isthmus, and the uterine or intramural part. The walls of ovaries consists of the following, starting from the innermost: the folded mucosa, the muscularis with circular and longitudinal layers of smooth muscle and blood vessels, and the serosa with mesothelium.
The umbilical cord connects the placenta to the fetus in the uterus, allowing for the transportation of nutrients. This is specifically done through the blood traveling inside the umbilical arteries and veins. It is covered with a special single layer of cuboidal to columnar epithelial cells called the amniotic epithelium. A connective tissue called Wharton’s Jelly provides the umbilical cord with turgor regulation and protection, as it contains macrophages, myofibroblasts, and mast cells.
REFERENCES
Dudás, B. (2023). Human histology: a text and atlas for physicians and scientists. Academic Press.
Kaplan, C. G. (2022). [Anatomy and Pathology of the Umbilical Cord]. Benirschke’s Pathology of the Human Placenta (pp. 1-12). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84725-8_16
Kenhub. (2024). Histology of the male reproductive system. https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/histology-of-the-male-reproductive-system
Mescher A.L. (2018). Junqueira’s Basic Histology: Text and Atlas, 15th Edition. McGraw Hill. Retrieved from https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=3390§ionid=281539239
Singh, K., & Cohen, M. C. (2024, May 29). Anatomy & histology-placenta & umbilical cord. PathologyOutlines.com. Retrieved from https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/placentanormalhistology.html
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