1.1 Development of the reproductive tract Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the components of the male internal genitalia

A

Testis Duct system (epididymis, ductus deferens, urethra)

Seminal vesicles

Prostate

Bulbourethral glands

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2
Q

What is the purpose of the male internal and external genitalia

A

Internal: collect and mature sperm

External: deliver ejaculate semen into the vagina during coitus

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3
Q

Describe the components of the female internal genitalia

A

Ovaries

Duct system (Fallopian tube, uterus, cervix, vagina)

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4
Q

What is the purpose of the female internal and external genitalia

A

Internal: produce ovum and provide optimal environment for sperm

External: allow the introduction of sperm into the female reproductive tract and allow formation of a birth canal

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5
Q

Compare the male vs female EXTERNAL genitalia

A

Male:

  • Penis
  • Scrotum

Female:

  • Vagina
  • Vestibule
  • Labia minora
  • Labia majora
  • Clitoris
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6
Q

What is meant by the indifferent stage of of reproductive development?

A

Initial stage in both male and female begins the same

Depending on the expression of genes has the potential to become either male or female

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7
Q

What is the difference between structural and functional development?

A

Structural: occurs in utero

Functional: continues after birth

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8
Q

List 3 things that will develop/not develop if the primordial germ cells express XY on an indifferent gonad

A

Develpment into testis (male)

  1. Medullary cords develop
  2. No cortical cords
  3. Thick tunica albuginia
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9
Q

List 3 things that will develop/not develop if the primordial germ cells express XX on an indifferent gonad

A

Development into ovaries (female)

  1. Medullary cords degenerate
  2. Cortical cords develop
  3. No tunica albuginea
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10
Q

The primordial germ cells are formed in which layer of the trilaminar disc and during which week?

A

epiblast, 2nd week

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11
Q

What region/gene is specific to only the Y chromosome?

What does expression of this do?

A

SRY region (Sex determining region) / TDF (Testis determining factor)

Directs testicular formation

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12
Q

Absence of a Y chromosome (ie. XX) means what gene will be absent and what will occur as a result?

A

Absence of the SRY region

Directs development of a female (ovaries, tubes, uterus + external female genitalia)

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13
Q

At what week do we get migration of the PGC’s (primary germ cells)

A

week 3

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14
Q

Where do the PGC’s originate and how do they migrate?

A

Originate in the wall of the yolk sac

Migrate along the wall of the hindgut and dorsal mesentery into the genital ridge

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15
Q

Where is the urogenital ridge found?

What is found either side of this ridge and what is the fate of these?

A

Found on the dorsal body wall

Laterally: mesonephric ridge ➞ kidneys

Medially: genital ridge ➞ ovaries/testis

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16
Q

The genital ridge consists of two components, what are these?

A

Mesenchyme

Coelomic epithelium

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17
Q

What are the 3 sources of gonadal development?

A

1) condensed mesenchyme of gonadal ridges (plica genitalis)
2) coelomic epithelium (mesodermal origin)
3) gonocytes (primordial cells)

18
Q

Male internal genitalia develop from what duct?

A

Wolfian/ Mesonephric duct

19
Q

Female internal genitalia develop from what duct?

A

Mullarian/ Paramesonephric duct

20
Q

Explain gonadal development in the presence of SRY (TDF)

A

1) Gonadal cords develop ➞ expression of TDF leads to the growth of sex chords into the medullary region of the gonad
* primordial germ cells enter these cords and give rise to seminiferous tubules in an adult
2) No cortical cords develop
3) A Thick Tunica Albuginea forms

21
Q

Explain gonadal development in the absence of SRY (TDF)

A

1) Gonadal cords degenerate (leaves space for oogonia to develop)
2) Cortical cords develop
3) The germ cells become surrounded by mesenchymal cells to form primordial follicles

*** No Tunica Albugina

22
Q

What is the gubernaculum and what is its purpose?

A

Undifferentiated band of mesenchyme that guides the decent of the gonads

23
Q

After atrophy of the mesonephros, what happens to the proximal (upper) portion of the gubernaculum in males vs females?

A

Males: disappears

Females: forms the ovarian ligament (connecting ovary to uterus)

24
Q

After atrophy of the mesonephros what happens to the distil (lower) portion of the gubernaculum in males vs females?

A

In both, it inserts at a lower pole of gonad and extends to the inguinal region

Males: becomes the scrotal ligament

Females: becomes the round ligament of the uterus (connecting the uterus to the labia)

25
Q

What is the only ligament in females to pass through the inguinal canal?

A

The Round ligament

26
Q

What happens to the paramesonephric duct and mesonephric duct in females?

A

Paramesonephric duct at the top forms uterine tubes and at the bottom each side fuses ➞ uterus and part of the vagina

Majority of the Mesonephric duct degenerates EXCEPT

1) a small portion on outer vagina wall ➞ “Gartners cyst”
2) some tubules that persist as Paroophoron (distil) and Epoophron (proximal)

(these are remenants of the Mesonephric ducts in females)

27
Q

Before the decent of the testis what forms in order to protrude through the abdominal wall?

Where is it located?

A

Processus vaginalis ➞ a peritoneal outpouching

Lies immediately anterior to the gubernaculum within the inguinal canal

28
Q

Describe how the coverings of the spermatic cord are established

A

The processus vaginalis protrudes through the layers of the anterior abdominal wall and acquires coverings, these become the layers of the spermatic cord:

1) The transversalis fascia (deep) ➞ internal spermatic fascia
2) Musculature of the internal oblique ➞ cremaster fascia
3) Aponeurosis of the external oblique (superficial) ➞ external spermatic fascia

29
Q

Describe the decent of the testis and incl what marks the completion of the spermatic cord

A

1) As body grows the position of the testis moves more caudal
2) this causes the processus vaginalis to become a tubular structure with multiple coverings (forms inguinal canal)
3) As testis decends, its accompanying nerves, vessels and ducts pass through the inguinal canal
4) the completion of the spermatic cord occurs when the processus vaginalis obliterates

30
Q

What is Cryptorchidism?

What does this mean for male fertility and what does this increase risk of?

A

Failure of the testis to complete decent, causing the testis to remain in the abdominal cavity

This results in non-functioning scrotum due to the temperature of the abdominal cavity.

Iincreases risk of testicular cancer

31
Q

What are the two fates of mesonephric tubules in males? In males all tubules are linked to mesonephric ducts, what occurs in females?

A

Epigenital tubules: these establish contact with the cords of the rete testis and persist as the ductile efferentes (connects seminiferous tubules to epididymis)

Paragenital tubules: disappear (can occasionally persist as the paradidymis) In females the mesonephric ducts disappear

32
Q

Describe the development of prostate and seminal vesicles, include what week these occur

A

11th week: 5 independent solid cords of prostatic tissue develop lumina and acini

13th week: prostatic acini begin to develop secretory activity and mesenchyme surrounding prostate develops into muscle and connective tissue

33
Q

What is the equivalent of the prostate in females?

Where do these derive from?

A

Skene’s glands, paraurethral glands

Derived from the urogenital sinus

34
Q

What is the veramontanum and what is its importance?

A

Found in males ➞ midline region of the prostate, slightly raised

Important landmark for orientation of the openings of 2 ejaculatory ducts and the prostatic utricle

35
Q

The formation of the EXTERNAL genitalia starts with the indifferent stage, what 3 basic components does this require?

A

1) genital tubercle
2) urethral folds
3) labioscrotal swellings

36
Q

What happens to the following structures in males and what controls this?

1) genital tubercle
2) urethral folds
3) labioscrotal swellings

A

1) genital tubercle: elongates to form the glans penis
2) urethral folds: fuse to form the spongy urethra
3) labioscrotal swellings: fuse to form scrotum

Controlled by Dihydrotestosterone

37
Q

What happens to the following structures in females and what controls this?

1) genital tubercle
2) urethral folds
3) labioscrotal swellings

A

1) genital tubercle: glans clitoris
2) urethral folds: remain open: labia minora
3) labioscrotal swellings: labia majora

+ urethra opens into the vestibule

Controlled by lack of Dihydrotestosterone (no fusion occurs)

38
Q

Briefly describe how exactly fusion occurs in a male

A

1) phallic part of UG sinus (endoderm) grows into the phallus as the vertical urethral plate
2) the urethral plate split to form the urethral groove and urethral folds on ventral surface of penis
3) The urethral folds fuse to form the penile urethra EXCEPT in the glans

39
Q

What are the two genetic disorders that result from failure of fusion in males?

Briefly describe the anatomical location where failure occurs in each

A

Hypospadias: incomplete fusion of urethral folds, urethra opens inferiorly (on the ventral surface)

Epispadias (rarer): urethral meatus found on dorsum of penis (urethra opens on upper aspect)

*In both cases urine can dribble out

40
Q

What hormones are responsible for the outcomes of the Wollfian and the Mullarian duct in an XX embryo?

A

1) No androgen therefore mesonephric (wolfian) duct degenerates
2) No testis derived Mullerian inhibiting hormone (MIH) so Mullerian duct develops

41
Q

What hormones are responsible for the outcomes of the Wollfian and the Mullarian duct in an XY embryo?

A

1) Androgen secretions supports mesonephric (wolfian) duct
2) Sertoli cells secrete Mullerian Inhibitry hormone (MIH) causing the paramesonephric (Mullarian) duct to degenerate

42
Q

What does the term virilised mean?

A

Virilisation is the biological development of sex differences, changes that make a male body different from a female body