human reproductive system

Introduction
Development of the reproductive organs
The male reproductive system
- External genitalia
  - The penis
  - The scrotum
  - The testes
- Structures of the sperm canal
- Accessory organs
  - The prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands
  - Ejaculatory ducts
The female reproductive system
- External genitalia
- Internal structures
  - The vagina
  - The uterus
    - Uterine structure
    - The endometrium in the menstrual cycle
    - Blood supply and innervation
  - The fallopian tubes
  - The ovaries
    - Ovarian structure
    - Ovulation
    - Blood supply and innervation

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Front view anatomical diagrams of the male and female reproductive systems, with labeled organs including penis, testis, prostate gland, uterus, ovary, and vagina.

Medical illustration showing a cross-section of the female reproductive system with labeled parts including the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix, vagina, vulva, bladder, rectum, and surrounding anatomical structures.

Medical illustration of the male reproductive system in cross-section, showing labeled anatomical structures such as the penis, testis, scrotum, prostate, urethra, seminal vesicle, and associated ducts and glands.

Diagram showing the development of external genitalia in human embryos, with labeled illustrations comparing undifferentiated, female, and male stages at 12 and 36 weeks, highlighting anatomical changes during fetal growth.

Medical illustration of the human male reproductive system, showing the penis and surrounding pelvic muscles and structures, with anatomical labels identifying parts such as the glans, urethral opening, perineal muscles, and anus.

Diagram of the human male reproductive system showing the organs involved in the production and transport of semen, including the testis, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, prostate, urethra, and penis, with arrows indicating the path of sperm from the testis through the reproductive tract.

Medical illustration of a sagittal section of the human male reproductive system, showing the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, urinary bladder, urethra, rectum, and associated ducts and glands, each labeled for anatomical reference.

Medical illustration of the female external genitalia showing anatomical structures such as the mons pubis, clitoris, labia majora and minora, vaginal opening, urethral opening, and anus, with labeled pointers identifying each part.

Diagram of the menstrual cycle showing hormone levels, follicle development, and endometrial changes across 28 days. It highlights menstruation, ovulation, and the follicular and luteal phases, with labeled curves for estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH.

Diagram showing the female reproductive system with labeled ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina, alongside hormone pathways and the process from ovulation to fertilization and early embryo development.

At a Glance

human reproductive system summary

Quizzes

Male muscle, man flexing arm, bicep curl.

Facts You Should Know: The Human Body Quiz

Superficial arteries and veins of face and scalp, cardiovascular system, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC)

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Muscles of facial expression, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC). Human face, human head.

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Related Questions

How do FSH and LH control ovulation and the menstrual cycle?
How do Leydig cells contribute to the male reproductive system?
How do Sertoli cells support developing sperm cells?
How do X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm influence a child's chromosomal sex?
How do estrogen and progesterone prepare the endometrium for implantation?
How do muscle contractions move sperm through the ductus deferens?
How do the acrosome and its enzymes help a sperm cell enter an egg?
How do the bulbourethral glands help prepare the urethra for semen?
How do the bulbourethral glands prepare the urethra before ejaculation?
How do the fallopian tubes transport an egg to the uterus?
How do the greater vestibular glands correspond to the bulbourethral glands in males?
How do the seminal vesicles contribute to semen?
How does a fertilized egg travel from a fallopian tube to the uterus?
How does a follicle develop during the menstrual cycle?
How does blood flow produce an erection?
How does implantation in the uterine lining prevent menstruation?
How does ovulation release an egg from an ovary?
How does testosterone affect the male body during puberty?
How does testosterone affect the male reproductive organs during puberty?
How does the cervix connect the uterus and vagina?
How does the cervix connect the uterus with the vagina?
How does the corpus luteum change during early pregnancy?
How does the corpus luteum produce progesterone?
How does the corpus spongiosum relate to the urethra?
How does the epididymis help sperm mature?
How does the hypothalamus help control reproductive hormones?
How does the myometrium differ from the endometrium?
How does the pituitary gland communicate with the ovaries and testes?
How does the sperm acrosome help the sperm enter an egg?
How does the urethra function in the penis?
How is the clitoris anatomically similar to the penis?
How long does a typical menstrual cycle last?
How long does sperm formation take in the seminiferous tubules?
How long would the coiled duct of the epididymis be if it were stretched out?
How many chromosomes are in a human sperm cell?
What are the corpus cavernosum and corpus spongiosum?
What are the three tissue layers of the uterus?
What changes occur when a mature ovarian follicle ruptures?
What happens to the corpus luteum if fertilization does not occur?
What is the difference between sperm and semen?
What proportion of semen consists of sperm cells?
What role do the fallopian tubes play in human reproduction?
What role does the myometrium play in the uterus?
Where are sperm cells formed within the testes?
Where are sperm stored before ejaculation?
Where are the bulbourethral glands located?
Where are the ejaculatory ducts located?
Where are the greater vestibular glands located?
Where are the ovaries located in the female body?
Where are the testes located in the male body?
Where do the ductus deferens and seminal vesicles join?
Where do the urethra and vagina open within the female external genitalia?
Where does an egg travel after ovulation?
Where does fertilization usually occur in the female reproductive tract?
Where is the corpus spongiosum located in the penis?
Where is the glans located on the penis?
Where is the prostate gland in relation to the bladder and rectum?
Which cells in the testes produce testosterone?
Which glands add fluid to semen?
Which nutrient in seminal-vesicle fluid provides energy for sperm?
Which organs make up the female reproductive system?
Which organs make up the male reproductive system?
Which organs produce egg cells in the female reproductive system?
Which organs produce sperm cells in the male reproductive system?
Which part of the penis forms the glans?
Which parts of a sperm cell contain genetic material and provide movement?
Which parts of the uterus are called the fundus, body, and cervix?
Which structures carry sperm from the testes to the urethra?
Which structures form the ejaculatory ducts?
Which three tissue layers form the wall of the uterus?
Which tissues divide each testis into lobules?
Which tissues fill with blood during an erection?
Why are the testes located in the scrotum outside the abdomen?
Why are the testes located in the scrotum outside the abdominal cavity?
Why does menstruation occur when an egg is not fertilized?
Why does semen not normally enter the bladder during ejaculation?
Why is the uterus usually angled forward relative to the vagina?
What initiates pregnancy?
How is pregnancy diagnosed?
What is the duration of a typical human pregnancy?
What are some potential complications of pregnancy?

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External Websites

National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The Physiology of Reproduction Â– Quo vadis?
Thompson River University - Human Biology - Introduction to the Reproductive System
LiveScience - Reproductive System: Facts, Functions and Diseases
National Cancer Institute - SEER Training Modules - Introduction to the Reproductive System
Pressbooks.ccconline.org - Anatomy and Physiology - Reproductive Structures and Functions
University of Minnesota Libraries - Human Biology - Human Reproductive Anatomy

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

reproductive system - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
reproductive system - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

human reproductive system

anatomy

Written by

Richard J. Harrison

Emeritus Professor of Anatomy, University of Cambridge. Author of Reproduction and Man and others.

Richard J. Harrison

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

History

human reproductive system, organ system by which humans reproduce and bear live offspring. Provided all organs are present, normally constructed, and functioning properly, the essential features of human reproduction are (1) liberation of an ovum, or egg, at a specific time in the reproductive cycle, (2) internal fertilization of the ovum by spermatozoa, or sperm cells, (3) transport of the fertilized ovum to the uterus, or womb, (4) implantation of the blastocyst, the early embryo...