Urogenital apparatus

The urogenital apparatus consists of both the urinary system involved in the excretion of waste products of metabolism as well as reproductive system responsible for procreation.

Urinary system

Urinary system

The components of the urinary system are the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.

Organs of the urinary system

The primary organs of the urinary system are the kidneys, which are located retroperitoneally between the levels of the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae.

Kidneys

The cortex and medulla make up the parenchyma of the kidney. The central region of the kidney is the renal pelvis, which collects the urine as it is produced. The functional unit of the kidney is a nephron, which consists of a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule.

Ureter

The ureters transport urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder.

Urinary bladder

The urinary bladder is a temporary storage reservoir for urine.

Urethra

The urethra is the final passageway for the flow of urine.

Bladder control

The flow of urine through the urethra is controlled by an involuntary internal urethral sphincter and voluntary external urethral sphincter.

Female reproductive system

Reproductive system

The reproductive system has four functions:

• To produce egg and sperm cells
• To transport and sustain these cells
• To nurture the developing offspring
• To produce hormones

Male reproductive system

Primary, secondary and accessory reproductive organs

• These functions are divided between the primary and secondary, or accessory, reproductive organs.
• The primary reproductive organs, or gonads, consist of the ovaries and testes.
• These organs are responsible for producing the egg and sperm cells gametes), and hormones.

Male reproductive system

• The male reproductive system consists of the testes, duct system, accessory glands, and penis.
• The male gonads are the testes. Their location within the scrotum is necessary for the production of viable sperm.

Female reproductive system

• The female reproductive system includes the ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, accessory glands, and external genital organs.
• The female gonads are the ovaries, which are located on each side of the uterus in the pelvic cavity.
• Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the development of glandular tissue and ducts in the breast.
• Prolactin stimulates the production of milk, and oxytocin causes the ejection of milk.