The Structure and Function of the Reproductive System

The male and female repsoductive system are made out of multiple, and numerous organs.

Male Reproductive System:​ The male reproductive system contains the following parts: Testes, Sperm Ducts, Glands, Urethra, and Penis. There are two Testes (one of them is called a testis) that are contained by a bag of skin called the scrotum. They have two functions: to produce millions of sperm, and to make sex hormones which affect the way a man’s body developments. The sperm duct is where the sperm passes through and eventually mixes with fluids produced by the glands. The fluids provide the sperm cells with nutrients. This mixture of sperm and fluids is called semen. The Urethra is the tube inside the penis that can carry urine, or carry semen during intercourse. A ring of muscles makes up the urethra to make sure that there is no chance of the urine and semen getting mixed up. The Penis has two main functions: to pass urine out of the man's body, and to pass semen into the vagina of a woman during sexual intercourse.

Female Reproductive System: The female reproductive system is made up of: Ovaries, Fallopian Tubes, Uterus, Cervix, and Vagina. There are two ovaries which contain hundreds of undeveloped female sex cells called egg cells. Women have these cells in their bodies since birth (whereas men produce new sperm continually). Each ovary is connected to the uterus by the fallopian tube. The tube is lined with cilia, which are tiny hairs on cells. Every month, an egg develops and becomes mature, and is released from an ovary. The cilia pass the egg along the fallopian tube and into the uterus. The Uterus is also known as the womb. It is a muscular bag with a soft lining. The uterus is where a baby develops until its birth. The cervix is a ring muscle at the lower end of the uterus. It helps keep the baby in place while the woman is pregnant. The vagina is a muscular tube that leads from the cervix to the outside of the body. The man’s penis goes into the woman’s vagina during sexual intercourse. The opening to the vagina has folds of skin called labia that meet to form a vulva. The urethra also opens into the vulva, but it separates from the vagina, and is used for passing urine from the body.

"Reproduction." BBC News. BBC, 2014. Web. 4 May 2015.

Hasudungan, Armando. "Reproductive System - Overview." YouTube. 22 Dec. 2012. Web. 4 May 2015.