Gonad
| Gonad | |
|---|---|
 A pair of ovaries of Cyprinus carpio (common carp) placed in dissecting dish | |
| Identifiers | |
| MeSH | D006066 |
| FMA | 18250 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive organ is a mixed gland and sex organ that produces the gametes (reproductive cells), and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm cells.
The male gonad, the testicle, produces sperm cells, the female gonad, the ovary, produces egg cells. Both of these gametes are haploid cells. Some hermaphroditic animals and some humans have a type of gonad called an ovotestis that contains both ovarian and testicular tissue.