Major differences and similarities between the male and female reproductive systems

Sample Solution

• Both males and females have gonads, which are the sex organs that produce gametes (sex cells). The male gonads are the testes, and the female gonads are the ovaries.
• Both males and females have ducts that transport the gametes from the gonads to the outside of the body. The male ducts are the vas deferens and the urethra, and the female ducts are the fallopian tubes and the uterus

Full Answer Section

• Both males and females have accessory glands that produce fluids that help to transport the gametes and nourish them. The male accessory glands are the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, and the bulbourethral glands, and the female accessory glands are the Bartholin's glands.

Differences

• The male gonads produce sperm, and the female gonads produce eggs.
• The male ducts carry sperm from the testes to the urethra, where they are expelled from the body during ejaculation. The female ducts carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus, where they can be fertilized by sperm.
• The male accessory glands produce fluids that help to nourish and protect the sperm. The female accessory glands produce fluids that help to lubricate the vagina during sexual intercourse.

Homologous structures

• The ovaries and testes are homologous structures. This means that they develop from the same embryonic tissues.
• The fallopian tubes and the vas deferens are homologous structures.
• The uterus and the prostate gland are homologous structures.

Derivatives of the same embryonic tissues

• The labia majora and the scrotum are both derived from the same embryonic tissues.
• The clitoris and the penis are both derived from the same embryonic tissues.