The human reproductive system is one of the most important in the human body, because it is responsible for the function of procreation. The external genitalia distinguish a man from a woman, thanks to them you can determine the gender of the newborn baby. Moreover, they perform an excretory function (urination). In this article, we will examine the question of what is the genital organ. Photos, structure, functions will be presented below.
The organs of the external reproductive system of women
The reproductive system is divided into external as well as internal genital organs. The structure of the genitals is as follows: the pubis, the labia majora along with the labia minora, the clitoris, as well as the perineum. The structure of the external genitalia in girls who did not have sexual contact has some difference, namely the presence of tissue covering the vagina. This is a hymen. It can also be considered an external organ. The left has one or several small holes that allow you to skip menstrual flow. During contact, it either stretches or ruptures. Complete destruction of the hymen occurs during the birth process.
What is the main function of the external genitalia? The structure and location of those more suited for sexual contact. Reproductive function depends on the internal organs. They are in the stomach.
Labia
The pubis rises above the pubic articulation ; during maturation, hair begins to grow on it. The labia majora are folds of skin of a roll-shaped shape that begin from the lower part of the pubis and continue towards the anus. Like the pubis, they are covered with hair. Bartholin glands are located directly in the skin folds. Their purpose is to develop a moisturizing secret. This is especially important during sexual contact - the discharge lubricates the vaginal opening and enhances the activity of male germ cells.
The labia minora hide under the labia majora. These are folds of thinner and more delicate skin. They have a huge number of nerves and glandular bodies, which also secrete a secret. Their size is an individual feature of each individual woman.
Clitoris - what is it and why is it needed?
This organ in its structure is very similar to a member of men. The clitoris has a head, as does the penis. There is a body. The head is located in the upper part of the labia minora, being essentially the point of their connection. Outwardly, the clitoris resembles a small pea. Its function is that in sexual contact it is a kind of point of pleasure.
Female genital urethra
The structure of the genitals in a woman is such that the urethra is located above the vagina . Thanks to him, waste products, namely urine, are excreted from the body into the external environment. It should be noted that, in contrast to the male genital organs, the woman’s urethra is not directly related to the reproductive organs. In men, this canal is also the vas deferens.
What female reproductive organs are considered internal?
The vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, as well as the ovaries are genital organs, the structure of which allows for reproductive function. They are located in the abdominal cavity, in the lower abdomen.
Vagina
From the perineum to the uterus, a vagina is located, which is a tube with a length of approximately 8 to 12 cm. The walls of this organ consist of three layers: inside there is a pale pink mucous membrane (during pregnancy it acquires a bluish tint), the middle layer is muscular, it provides organ extensibility both in contact with a man and during childbirth. The outer shell is connective tissue, thanks to it the vagina is held in the stomach.
Uterus and appendages
The internal organs of a woman, performing the function of procreation, have their own structural features. The genital area, called the uterus, is usually pear-shaped. The uterus incorporates three types of tissue. The outer layer is the exometrium, or, in simple words, the peritoneum. The middle layer is called the myometrium, and it is the most powerful and elastic. During pregnancy, the uterus increases many times. The inner layer is the endometrium. Its function is to create all the necessary conditions for implantation of an embryo. The endometrium is very sensitive to the hormonal background of a woman - at the time of ovulation, he thickens, preparing to accept a fertilized egg. If this does not happen, the overgrown layer of the inner uterine membrane exfoliates and leaves in the form of menstrual flow.
Also, such an organ as the uterus is conventionally divided into three parts - this is the bottom, its uppermost part, then the body and the isthmus - the area between the cervix and the organ itself. The neck is its part, which communicates with the vagina. Inside it passes the cervical canal, rich in glands. They develop a secret that performs a protective function - the mucus does not pass the microbes located in the vagina into the uterine cavity.
The following genitals, the structure of which should be considered, are appendages with ovaries. Fallopian tubes extend from both sides of the uterine fundus. On the approach to the ovaries, they expand, and at the end, each has fringes. The inner layer of the oviducts is the mucous membrane lined with ciliated cilia, which allows a mature female reproductive cell to move towards the uterus, and sperm cells move towards it, and conception occurs.
Ovaries - in the female body, these are very important genitals. The structure, their functions are designed not only for the production of eggs, but also for the production of hormones. The ovaries consist of two layers - cortical and cerebral. Cortical contains a huge number of egg embryos, and they are laid in the female body from birth. By puberty, they become much smaller. At the time of each menstrual cycle, one egg matures in a woman’s body, which either fertilizes or collapses and comes out with menstrual flow.
As for the endocrine function of the ovaries, it is these organs that produce active substances that enter the bloodstream. These are hormones - estrogen, progesterone, as well as many others that ensure the normal functioning of the woman’s body, the menstrual cycle, the normal course of pregnancy and lactation after childbirth.
Male genitalia
The reproductive function in the body of a man is performed by the genitals, the structure of which differs significantly from the female. They are also located in the pelvic area, but most of them are located outside, not inside. By analogy with the female, male organs are both external and internal.
Bodies located outside
These include the penis with the scrotum, located outside the human body. The structural features of the genital organs located outside are that in addition to sexual function, they also carry out the urethra. This applies to a member in whom the same channel is created for ejaculation, and for excretion of urine.
The penis, also called the penis, has two parts in its structure, one of them is located outside and ends with the head, and the second is attached to the bones of the small pelvis, namely the pubic. This organ consists of cavernous and spongy bodies. When sexual arousal occurs, blood rushes to the penis, filling the cavernous bodies. Thanks to this process, the penis increases in size and becomes hard, which allows for sexual intercourse. The penis is covered with delicate skin that moves easily. The head is covered by its excess, which is called the foreskin.
A bag of skin and muscles is located just below the penis - this is the scrotum. Inside, it is divided by a partition, in each of the two parts of the scrotum there is one testicle. In addition to it, there is an appendage with the vas deferens.
The genitals of men inside
These include the testes, their appendages, ducts for excretion of the seed, bulbourethral and prostate glands, as well as seminal vesicles. The structure of the internal genital organs allows for reproductive as well as endocrine function. For example, the testes produce not only germ cells - sperm, but also testosterone - the hormone of men.
The testicle is a paired organ located inside the scrotum. It should be noted that at the stage of intrauterine development, the testes are located in the abdominal cavity and only closer to the birth they descend directly into the scrotum itself. There they are supported on a kind of cord, consisting of the vas deferens, supporting muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Inside, they consist of lobules with convoluted tubules. In total, there are more than a thousand such tubules. Inside they are lined with epithelial tissue, it is there that sperm are formed.
From each testicle departs one vas deferens. They go deep into the pelvic area, go around the bladder, and then form the vas deferens, connecting with the seminal vesicles. This process occurs in the prostate gland. In fact, sperm is formed there. Seminal vesicles and the prostate produce substances that make up its composition. Finally, at the base of the cavernous bodies of the penis, the secretion of the bulbourethral glands located therein enters the semen.
The prostate, also called the prostate, looks like a chestnut and is a muscular-glandular organ. The structure of the male genital organs involves a combination of urinary and reproductive functions. This is what happens in the prostate gland - it contains the beginning of the urethra, where the deferent ducts are built. Among the functions of the prostate should be noted such as "switching" urination and ejaculation. Due to this, urine is not excreted during sexual intercourse or, conversely, sperm is excreted during urination.