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for the purpose of regulating the water and electrolyte balance of the tissue fl uid, while

removing unwanted waste products from the body. They occupy the retroperitoneal

space of the abdominal cavity immediately anterior to the 12th ribs. The ureters descend

from the kidneys lateral to the lumbar vertebrae, cross anterior to the psoas musculature

and the common iliac vessels, and enter the pelvis to join the bladder.

The paired kidneys are the

processing organs of the urinary system that fi lter the blood

Kidneys and Ureters

 1 Hilum

 2 Renal pelvis

 3 Ureter

 4 Renal capsule

 5 Renal vein

Dissection into medulla of left kidney

Posterior view

 6 Renal artery

 7 Segmental artery

 8 Segmental vein

 9 Major calyx

10 Minor calyx

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Transverse section of ureter

200X

Longitudinal section of renal pyramid

400X

Longitudinal section of renal cortex

50X

Frontal section of kidney

Posterior view

 11 Renal cortex

12 Renal pyramid

13 Renal column

14 Collecting tubule

15 Glomerulus surrounded by urinary tubules

16 Transitional epithelium of tunica mucosa

17 Smooth muscle of tunica muscularis

18 Connective tissue of tunica adventitia

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stores the urine, which is continually being produced by the kidneys, until it is

convenient to remove it from the body. Arising from the inferior surface of the

bladder is the drain for the bladder called the urethra. It is a short tube in females

and a much longer tube in males. The male urethra not only transports urine, but

also is the passageway for sperm as it exits during ejaculation.

The bladder is the

convenience organ of

the urinary system that

Bladder and Urethra

Sagittal section of female pelvis

Medial view

Female

 1 Bladder

 2 Urethra

 3 Clitoris

 4 Vagina

 5 Uterus

 6 Rectum

 7 Pubis

 8 Anus

 9 Labia majora

Male (opposite page)

 1 Bladder

 2 Prostatic urethra

 3 Spongy urethra

 4 Prostate

 5 Penis

 6 Testis

 7 Scrotum

 8 Rectum

 9 Anus

10 Pubis

 11 Transitional epithelium of tunica mucosa

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Sagittal section of male pelvis and penis

Medial view

Section of relaxed mucosal lining of bladder

400X

Section of distended mucosal lining of bladder

640X

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 1 Kidney

 2 Ureter

 3 Bladder

 4 Renal artery

 5 Renal vein

 6 Aorta

 7 Inferior vena cava

 8 Diaphragm

 9 Esophageal hiatus

10 Celiac artery

 11 Left gastric artery

12 Splenic artery

13 Common hepatic artery

14 Superior mesenteric artery

15 Inferior mesenteric artery

16 Common iliac artery

17 Common iliac vein

18 Posas major muscle

19 Iliacus muscle

20 Ductus deferens

21 Femoral nerve

Dissection of urinary system

Anterior view

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REAL ANATOMY

20 Reproductive Systems

321

Th e organs of the

male and female reproductive (genital) systems have, as their

primary role, the responsibility of producing the specialized

cells called gametes and making it possible for these cells to

unite to form a new individual. Th e male gametes, the

sperm, arise in the testes from meiotic divisions in the

walls of the numerous seminiferous tubules. From here

hundreds of millions of sperm make their way during

ejaculation through a series of tubes — rete testis, eff erent

ductules, epididymis, ductus deferens, ejaculatory duct,

prostatic urethra, intermediate urethra, spongy urethra —

that move the sperm out of the male genital system and

introduce them into the female genital system. During this

passage secretions are added to the sperm by the prostate,

seminal, and bulbourethral glands to help protect and

nurture the sperm in their journey to unite with the

female gamete.

Th e sperm are introduced by the male intromittent organ, the penis, into the female vagina,

which serves the dual function of being a penile

receptacle and the birth canal. Sperm deposited

in the fornices of the vagina then enter the os

of the uterine cervix and propel themselves to

the top of the uterine cavity. Here the sperm

 enter the openings into the uterine tubes where

they continue their journey toward the ovulated

female gamete.

Aft er rupturing the surface of the ovary in an

event called ovulation, the female gamete, the primary

oocyte, is swept into the ostium of the uterine tube by

the fi ngerlike fi mbriae. Ciliary action of the uterine tube

mucosa carry the the oocyte down the uterine tube

where the sperm and oocyte make contact. If a sperm

penetrates the oocyte’s surrounding cells and membranes, then fertilization occurs and the DNA of the two

cells unite to form a new individual called a zygote. Cell

divisions give rise to the embryo, and ciliary actions and

muscular contractions in the wall of the tube move the

embryo into the uterus, the mammalian equivalent of a

nest, where the remainder of development will occur.

Find more information

about the reproductive

system in

322

Sagittal section of female pelvis

Medial view

Female Reproductive Organs

The female genital organs consist of the internal genitalia and the external genitalia. The

ovary, uterine tube, uterus, and vagina form the internal genitalia. These organs are responsible for production of the female gamete, the oocyte, and for nourishing, protecting, and

delivering the new life that results from fertilization of the oocyte by the sperm. The external

genitalia consist of the erectile tissues, glands, and folds of skin that proctect the entry into

the female internal genitalia. These organs are the clitoris, vestibular glands, and labia

majora and minora.

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 1 Ovary

 2 Uterine tube

 3 Fimbriae

 4 Fundus of uterus

 5 Body of uterus

 6 Cervix of uterus

 7 Vagina

 8 Clitoris

Dissection of female abdominoplevic cavity

Superoanterior view

 9 Labia minora

10 Labia majora

 11 Mons pubis

12 Broad ligament

13 Round ligament of uterus

14 Ovarian ligament

15 Vesicouterine pouch

16 Rectouterine pouch

17 Rectum

18 Bladder

19 Urethra

20 Pubic symphysis

21 Cecum

22 Sigmoid colon

23 Ileum

24 Mesentery

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 1 Ovary

 2 Tunica albuginea

 3 Primordial follicle

 4 Granulosa cells

 5 Theca folliculi

 6 Zona pellucida

 7 Primary oocyte

 8 Seconary follicle

 9 Follicular antrum

10 Corona radiata

 11 Corpus luteum

12 Infundibulum of uterine tube

13 Ampulla of uterine tube

14 Isthmus of uterine tube

15 Fimbriae of uterine tube

16 Round ligament of uterus

17 Ovarian ligament

18 Uterus

Ovary in situ

Anterior view

Photomicrograph of ovary

50x

The ovaries are the site of oocyte, “egg,” production in the female. These

solid organs are approximately the size of an unshelled almond and project

into the lower abdominal cavity at the boundary of the pelvis where they are

Ovary

covered and supported by folds of the peritoneum. During embryonic life, millions of oogonia,

potential oocytes, surrounded by nursing follicular cells begin their development. Of these millions of cells only about 500 are ever ovulated during the female’s reproductive life. The follicular

cells not only nurse the ooytes, but also are the endocrine cells of the ovary that produce the

estrogens and progesterone.

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Female internal genitalia

Anterior view

 1 Uterine tube

 2 Fimbriae

 3 Mesosalpinx

 4 Fundus of uterus

 5 Body of uterus

 6 Cervix of uterus

 7 Vagina

 8 Mucosa of uterine tube

 9 Muscularis of uterine tube

The uterine tubes, also called

the oviducts or fallopian tubes,

are suspended in the peritoUterus and Uterine Tubes

10 Peg cells

 11 Ciliated columnar cells

12 Lamina propria

13 Perimetrium

Endometrium:

14 Stratum functionalis

15 Stratum basalis

neal fold, the broad ligament, along with the ovaries. In addition to transporting the oocyte toward the

uterus, they are the site of fertilization of the oocyte by the sperm. The uterus is the thick smooth muscle

organ that functions as the internal nest of mammalian animals. Note the vascular and glandular changes

exhibited by the uterine endometrium as it progresses through the menstrual cycle.

Myometrium:

16 Inner longitudinal muscle

17 Middle circular muscle

18 Outer longitudinal muscle

Photomicrograph of uterine tube

25x

Photomicrograph of tunica mucosa

of uterine tube

400x

Photomicrograph of uterine wall,

2nd week of menstrual cycle left,

3rd week of menstrual cycle right

16x (left), 20x (right)

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 1 Vagina

 2 Nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium of the mucosa

 3 Lamina propria of the mucosa

 4 Inner circular layer of tunica muscularis

 5 Outer longitudinal layer of tunica muscularis

 6 Adventitia

 7 Fundus of uterus

 8 Body of uterus

 9 Cervix of uterus

10 Bladder

 11 Urethra

12 Rectum

13 Rectouterine pouch

14 Vesicouterine pouch

15 Pubic symphysis

16 Clitoris

Photomicrograph of vaginal wall

25x

Sagittal section showing vagina in situ

Medial view

The vagina, from the Latin word meaning sheath, is the receptacle for the penis

during sexual intercourse, the birth canal, and the outlet for the menstrual fl ow.

This muscular tube has a protective mucosal lining of stratifi ed squamous epitheVagina

lium. Approximately 10 cm (4 inches) in length, it expands at its superior end to form a cuffl ike wrapping

around the cervix of the uterus. The caverns of the cuffl ike superior end are called the fonices, and it is

in this region that the sperm are deposited during intercourse.

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