The reproductive system is a system of organs within an organism which work together for the purpose of reproduction. Hormones and pheromones are also important accessories to the reproductive system. The major organ of the reproductive system includes penis and vulva as well as a number of internal organs including the testicles and ovaries. Most other vertebrate animals have generally similar reproductive systems consisting of gonads, ducts, and openings. Human reproduction takes place as internal insemination by sexual contact. During this process, the erect penis of the male is inserted into the female's vagina until the male ejaculates semen, which contains sperm, into the female's vagina. The sperm then travels through the vagina and cervix into the uterus for conception of the ovum. Upon successful fertilization and implantation, this process is known as pregnancy in humans. Then we have the Endocrine glands. They are glands of the endocrine system that secrete hormones, directly into the blood. The main endocrine glands are the pituitary (anterior and posterior lobes), thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal (cortex and medulla), pancreas and gonads. The pituitary gland is attached to the hypothalamus of the lower forebrain. The thyroid gland consists of two lateral masses, connected by a cross bridge, that are attached to the trachea. They are slightly inferior to the larynx. The parathyroid glands are four masses of tissue, two embedded posterior in each lateral mass of the thyroid gland. One adrenal gland is located on top of each kidney. The cortex is the outer layer of the adrenal gland. The medulla is the inner core. The pancreas is along the lower curvature of the stomach, close to where it meets the first region of the small intestine, the duodenum. The gonads (ovaries and testes) are found in the pelvic cavity. Endocrine glands produce and secrete various types of hormones: Somatotropic hormone or Growth hormone (GH) is an
The reproductive system is a system of organs within an organism which work together for the purpose of reproduction. Hormones and pheromones are also important accessories to the reproductive system. The major organ of the reproductive system includes penis and vulva as well as a number of internal organs including the testicles and ovaries. Most other vertebrate animals have generally similar reproductive systems consisting of gonads, ducts, and openings. Human reproduction takes place as internal insemination by sexual contact. During this process, the erect penis of the male is inserted into the female's vagina until the male ejaculates semen, which contains sperm, into the female's vagina. The sperm then travels through the vagina and cervix into the uterus for conception of the ovum. Upon successful fertilization and implantation, this process is known as pregnancy in humans. Then we have the Endocrine glands. They are glands of the endocrine system that secrete hormones, directly into the blood. The main endocrine glands are the pituitary (anterior and posterior lobes), thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal (cortex and medulla), pancreas and gonads. The pituitary gland is attached to the hypothalamus of the lower forebrain. The thyroid gland consists of two lateral masses, connected by a cross bridge, that are attached to the trachea. They are slightly inferior to the larynx. The parathyroid glands are four masses of tissue, two embedded posterior in each lateral mass of the thyroid gland. One adrenal gland is located on top of each kidney. The cortex is the outer layer of the adrenal gland. The medulla is the inner core. The pancreas is along the lower curvature of the stomach, close to where it meets the first region of the small intestine, the duodenum. The gonads (ovaries and testes) are found in the pelvic cavity. Endocrine glands produce and secrete various types of hormones: Somatotropic hormone or Growth hormone (GH) is an