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Female Reproductive Tract
Female Reproductive Tract
Vulva - protects the vagina and urinary tract
Vagina - birth canal, copulatory organ
When performing AI, be careful of the fornix vagina: the pocket formed between the caudal aspect of the cervix and the vaginal wall
Cervix - isolates and protects uterus from external environment, several thick muscular rings that interlock
Uterine Body - cows have a bicornate uterus with moderate horn and body development
Perimetrium: serosal layer, part of peritoneum, support uterus
Myometrium: outer longitudinal muscle layer and inner circular muscle layer, contractions, motility, and tone in the presence of estrogen (lack of tone under progesterone)
Endometrium: composed of mucosa and submucosa, secrete materials into uterus to enhance embryo development and sperm viability, caruncles are highly vascularized and give rise to placenta
Uterine Horns - site for fetal growth during pregnancy
Oviduct - captures oocyte released by ovary, fertilization happens here, transports zygote to uterus
Ovary - Produce ova and the hormones estrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, relaxin, inhibin, and activin
Tunica albuginea: outer connective tissue
Ovarian Cortex: beneath tunica albuginea, houses oocytes and corpus luteum
Ovarian Medulla: houses vascular structure, nerves, and lymphatics, dense connective tissue
Suburethral Diverticulum - pouch ventral to the urethra and bladder, be careful to not end up here when performing AI
Bladder
Digestive Tract
Figure 2. Female reproductive tract anatomy in a dairy cow
The female tract is made up of a series of four main layers: the serosa, the muscularis, and submucosa, and the mucosa. The serosa is the outermost layer and is made up of a single layer of squamous cells, or thin flat cells. The muscularis is next from the outside composed of two layers of smooth muscle, one longitudinal and one circular, with the ability to contract in order to transport secretory products, gametes, and early embryos. The submucosa varies in thickness throughout the tract and houses blood vessels, nerves, lymphatics, and supports the mucosal layer. The mucosa is the innermost layer and it is responsible for producing secretions that help move materials through the tract.
Male Reproductive Tract
Male Reproductive Tract
Glans Penis - Main copulatory organ since it allows spermatozoa to be transferred to the female reproductive tract
Also necessary in micturition
Prepuce - Protects the penis
Sigmoid Flexure - Allows penis to be retracted into the body
Retractor Penis Muscles - Holds the penis inside the prepuce
Cowper's Gland - Provides a viscous secretion that is responsible for neutralizing the acidity in the urethra
Urinary Bladder - Storage for urine
Prostate Gland - Produces ejaculate volume that helps nourish spermatozoa
Seminal Vesicles - Contributes to the volume of ejaculate by introducing sugar, ions, minerals, and vitamins which helps nourish spermatozoa
Ampulla - Reservoir for sperm
Vas Deferens - Allows for the transport of spermatozoa away from the testes
Testes - Responsible for the production of spermatozoa and hormones such as testosterone, inhibin, anti- Müllerian hormone, and estrogen
Head of Epididymis - Allow for the maturation of spermatozoa
Tail of Epididymis - Allow for the maturation of spermatozoa; spermatozoa gain full motility
Scrotum - Protects testes and helps regulate temperature
Spermatic Cord - Suspends the testes in the scrotum; contains blood vessel and nerves that allow for temperature regulation
Rectum - Final section of the large intestine, where stool is held until expulsion through the anus
Figure 3. Male reproductive tract In the dairy cow
Starting with the testes, the testes have a thin layer of connective tissue surrounding them called the tunica albuginea. Located inside are seminiferous tubules which drain into the rete testis lined with simple cuboidal or columnar epithelium. Along with that, Sertoli cells are found inside the seminiferous tubules while Leydig cells are located between the seminiferous tubules. In the epididymis, there is an outermost muscular layer, following by, pseudostratified columnar epithelium and stereocilia. Then in the vas deferens, there is an outer muscular layer, an inner muscular layer and finally an innermost layer of pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. The outer layer of the vesicular glands contains a muscular layer. Then working in, there is the layer of lamina propia and finally columnar to cuboidal epithelium adjacent to the lumen of the vesicular glands. The parenchyma of the prostate gland is compromised of columnar epithelium and is followed by smooth muscle and then connective tissue. The Cowper's gland contain a tubuloalveolar structure lined with cuboidal and columnar epithelium (1).
ReferencesHeader image: Kitty, F. (2018, May 22). Anatomy of cattle! BackYardHerds. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/anatomy-of-cattle.191/
- Klatt, E. (n.d.). Male Genital Tract . Male genital tract. Retrieved December 7, 2022, from https://webpath.med.utah.edu/HISTHTML/NORMAL/NORMAL14.html#:~:text=External%20Male%20Genitalia&text=The%20penile%20urethra%20is%20lined,major%20portion%20is%20pseudostratified%20columnar.
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