西北大学

生殖概论

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Do you have questions about sex hormones or menstrual cycles? This is a crash-course in human reproductive health through fact and biology-based information on a variety of topics. "Sex 101" will cover reproductive anatomy, key biological changes during puberty, sexual biology and contraceptive methods, reproductive disorders, and a special introduction to the exciting field of Oncofertility. Specific lecture titles are as follows: 1) Reproductive Anatomy & Hormones, 2) Menstrual Cycle, Oocyte Maturation, & Sperm Activation, 3) Sexual Biology, Fertilization, & Contraception, and 4) Reproductive Health & Disorders. The objective of this course is to ensure you understand reproductive health and not confuse reproduction with sex (or having sex). This course was designed with you in mind, and is aimed at providing you with quality information that is meaningful to you and that may be hard to find otherwise. Reproductive health is an area of knowledge that needs to be demystified. We have designed this course for you to examine reproduction through a biological and scientific lens addressing these issues in a comfortable and interactive format that will lead to a better understanding of holistic health, long-term.

From the lesson

Anatomy, Development, and Hormones

This module focuses on learning, identifying, and labeling all parts of male and female reproductive anatomy and the function of hormones on development. COURSE GOAL 1: Students will be able to label and analyze the basic functionality of all parts of male and female reproductive anatomy, conceptualize the role of hormones in the interactions between the brain, pituitary, and reproductive tract, and examine the basic functionality of the hormones involved during development and puberty.

Lecture 1.1 Part 1 - Male Reproductive Anatomy2:29

Lecture 1.1 Part 2 - Female Reproductive Anatomy3:37

Meet the Instructors

Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D.
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thomas J. Watkins Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Director, Women’s Health Research Institute
Feinberg School of Medicine

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Female reproductive anatomy begins with the ovary.

Women have two ovaries, and

together they house the most important tissue of reproduction, the follicle.

The follicle has two functions.

It houses the female gamete, the egg,

and it produces the hormones, estrogen and progesterone.

Women are born with about one million follicles.

By puberty, that number is reduced to 300 to 400 thousand.

And by menopause, the end of the reproductive years,

there are no follicles remaining in the ovary.

The ovary sits adjacent to a large tube called the Fallopian tube.

The Fallopian tube is open to the peritoneal cavity, and a series of

fingers, or Fimbriae, reach out and cover the ovary at the time of ovulation.

And literally catch and

transport the newly released egg into the Fallopian tube.

If sperm are available, fertilization takes place in the Fallopian tube.

If not, the egg disintegrates.

The Fallopian tube has muscles that contract, and cilia gently transport

the disintegrated egg or the newly fertilized embryo to the uterus.

The uterus has a muscular layer called the myometrium, and

two layers of tissue that make up the endometrium.

The endometrium is under the control of ovarian hormones, and

we'll discuss the hormones in a later section.

For now, I want you to remember two things.

First, that this tissue has a basal layer

which includes cells that proliferate each month.

And that the cycling endometrium is the site where neovascularization, or

new blood vessels, develop each month.

If an embryo arrives in the uterus, it will implant in this receptive tissue.

If a degenerating egg arrives in the uterus,

the lining of the endometrium is shed.

The myometrium, which sits just under the endometrium,

contracts once a month under the influence of ovarian hormones.

When this happens, the newly formed blood vessels are pinched off, and

the secretory endometrial cells die.

The blood vessels and the endometrial cells slough off.

Which then results in the monthly mense.

The cervix is the slender neck at the base of the uterus.

The endocervix faces the uterus and

the ectocervix is the tissue that faces the vagina.

The cervix is a barrier between the outside world and the uterus.

It produces mucous throughout the reproductive cycle,

which changes in consistency and can block or aid sperm function.

The cervix is connected to the vagina, which is a muscular tissue that can

stretch to receive the penis, or permit the exit of a fetus during birth.

A hymen blocks the opening of the vagina, and

is permanently disrupted during sexual intercourse or by physical action.

The external genitalia in females is called the vulva.

The labia, or folds of skin that encircle and form a foreskin for the clitoris.

The clitoris is an erectile tissue, like the penis, and has sensory

receptors that make it the sensory center of the female reproductive system.

The urinary and reproductive tracts are separate in the female.

Recall that the urethra in the male transports both urine and sperm.

Additional minor tissues, and further explanations about reproductive anatomy,

can be found in the Repropedia.

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