Download Endocrine System/Reproduction Notes File

Endocrine System- regulates long-term changes in the body such as growth & development
Endocrine gland- produces & releases chemical substances that signal changes in other parts of the body.
Hormone- a chemical substance produced by an endocrine gland
Endocrine glands include & regulate:
*hypothalamus- links the nervous and endocrine system
*pituitary gland-controls things such as growth, reproduction and metabolism
*thyroid & parathyroid glands- regulates metabolic rate and levels of calcium & phosphorus
*thymus gland- helps the immune system develop
*adrenal glands- releases hormones to stress and general metabolism
*pancreas- regulates sugar levels in blood
*reproductive glands- regulates hormones responsible in reproduction
Puberty- the period of sexual development during which a person becomes sexually mature and
physically able to reproduce
Male Reproduction
Sperm- male reproductive cells
Male reproductive system functions:
* to produce sex hormones
* to produce and store sperm
* to deliver sperm to the female reproductive system
Fertilization- when a sperm cell joins with an egg
Testes- male reproductive glands
Testes produce:
* testosterone
* sperm
Scrotum-sac of skin that holds the testes outside the body
Penis- external sexual organ through which sperm leave the body
Semen- the mixture of sperm and fluids produced by the glands of the male reproductive system
Epididymis- storage house for sperm to fully mature
Vas Deferens-the tube that sperm and fluids travel through
Seminal vesicles- produces fluid that provides a source of energy for the active sperm
Prostate gland- produces a fluid that protects the sperm
Bulbourethral glands- produces a lubricating fluid that aids the passage of sperm through the urethra
Urethra-tube that carries semen and urine out the male body
Ejaculation-the ejection of semen from the penis
Infertility-the condition of being unable to reproduce
Female Reproduction
Ova- the reproductive cells in females; also known as eggs
Female reproductive system functions:
*to produce sex hormones
*to produce eggs
*to provide a nourishing environment in which a fertilized egg can develop into a baby
Ovaries-the reproductive glands in which eggs are produced
Ovulation-releasing of a ripened egg (about once every month)
Fallopian tubes- passageways that carry eggs away from the ovaries
Uterus-hollow, muscular, pear-shaped organ that holds the fetus
Vagina-birth canal leading from the uterus to the outside of the body
Menstrual cycle-a cycle in which the ovaries mature an egg cell and the reproductive organs
prepare for pregnancy
Menopause- when the ovaries slow down their hormone production and no longer release mature eggs
Pap smear-a sample of cells taken from the cervix and examined under a microscope
Mammogram-x-ray of the breast that can help detect breast cancer