Primary and Secondary Sex Organs: Description, Characteristics

Primary Sex Organs

The primary sex organs or gonads are associated with the production of gametes and sex hormones. The testes are the male primary sex organs and the ovaries are the female primary sex organs.

Male Primary Sex Organs

Testes: The testes produce sperm and the hormone testosterone. They are located outside of the abdomen within the scrotum, which provides the proper temperature for spermatogenesis.

Female Primary Sex Organs

Ovaries: Ovaries are the organs wherein the eggs (oöva) and the female sex hormones, namely estrogen and progesterone, are produced. They are paired organs, meaning that there are two, and are located in the pelvic cavity on each side of the uterus.

Secondary Sex Organs

The secondary sex organs give rise to secondary sex characteristics and support sexual intercourse. They support the primary sex organs to perform their job.

The Secondary Sex Organs Of The Male

1. Penis: This is the male sex organ through which semen is passed and deposited into the female's reproductive system during sexual intercourse.

2. Accessory Glands: These include the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and bulbourethral glands. They produce fluids into which the semen is passed and make provision for the sperm.

3. Uterus: It is a muscular organ into which the ovum when fertilised implants and grows into a foetus.

4. Vagina: A muscular canal extending from the cervix to the external female genitalia and made up of muscular tissue; it acts as a birth canal and as the receptacle of the penis in intercourse.

5. Fallopian Tubes are conductors of ova from the ovaries to the uterus, and there is fertilisation in these tubes.

Conclusion

The human reproductive system is best understood by looking into the primary and secondary sex organs. Sex organs function together to generate gametes, give out hormonal regulation, and favour fertilisation and birth.

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