Lecture Notes
Chapter 4 Sexual Anatomy
Updated:
2017-07-11
Sexual anatomy is a basic bit of knowledge needed for this course.
The homologous nature of the sexual organs must be understood. Also,
the differences in anatomy will be later seen to a have a large role
in the differences in sexual response by gender.
- Female
- Female External Sex Organs
- Vulva
- clitoris
- mons pubis
- inner lips--labia minora
- outer lips--labia majora
- Clitoris--homologue to penis, erectile, no known
reproductive function
- Mons--pad of fatty tissue, covered with hair on top of
pubic bone, most visible external feature
- Labia--Bartholin's glands are inside inner labia
- Fourchette--where inner labia meet
- Perineum--area between vaginal opening and anus
- Introitus--vaginal opening
- Urethra--urine passageway, located midway between
clitoris and introitus
- Hymen--maidenhead, many shapes, many ruptured prior to
first intercourse
- Female Internal Sex Organs
- Vagina--opening for penis, baby, flexible, ennervated on
outer 1/3 only
- vaginismus--involuntarily tight muscles, prevents or
causes painful intercourse
- pubococcygeal muscle--Kegel exercise
- Uterus--"womb", cervix consists of lower 1/3, inner
layer or endometrium sloughed off during menses
- Fallopian tubes--passageway from ovaries to uterus,
tubal ligation
- Ovaries--paired, produce ova, produce estrogens and
progesterone
- Breasts
- Contain 15-20 clusters of mammary glands
- Nipples are richly ennervated
- Tremendous psychological impact on both genders
- Male
- Male External Sex Organs
- Penis
- Shaft containing urethra, two corpora cavernosa, and
corpus spongiosum
- Erection occurs when blood fills corpora, no bones or
muscles in penis
- Foreskins-routinely removed in USA, some discussion
about utility
- Men and penis size
- Scrotum
- pouch, holds testes, temperature regulation likely
function
- Male Internal Sex Organs
- Testes--analogue to ovaries, produce testosterone, left
usually hangs lower
- Seminiferous tubules--(about 1000) spermatogenesis
- Interstitial cells--produce testosterone
- Sperm
cycle--spermagonium->spermatocyte->spermatid->spermatozoan
- Seminal vesicles--produce 70% of ejaculate
- Prostate--produces alkaline secretions in ejaculate
- Cowper's glands--produces clear alkaline fluid,
neutralizes urethra, pregnancy in coitus interuptus
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