Accessory Structures Flashcards
What do accessory structures of the male reproductive tract mostly function to produce?
Seminal fluid
What does seminal fluid help?
Help sperm survive in the female reproductive tract. Sperm is only 1% of the volume of seminal fluid
Where are seminal vesicles placed?
They lie posteroinferior to the bladder, anterior to the rectum and inferior to the peritoneum
How long are the seminal vesicles?
5cm long
What do the seminal vesicles do?
They do not store sperm by they secrete components off seminal fluid that mixes with the sperm as they pass into the ejaculatory ducts
How much of the volume of seminal fluid do the seminal vesicles produce?
They produce 60-70% of the final volume
What type of fluid is produced by the seminal vesicles?
Alkaline thick fluid
What does the alkaline fluid protect?
Protects sperm from acidic nature of the urethra and female reproductive tract
What provides energy for sperm?
Fructose
What is used for lowering the female immune response to seminal fluid?
Prostaglandins and they improve sperm motility to the uterine tubes
What do coagulation factors do?
They coagulate seminal fluid to help deliver sperm as directly as possible to the cervix
How long are the ejaculatory ducts?
They are 2.5cm long
How are the ejaculatory ducts formed?
They are from the combination of the ductus deferens with the ducts of the seminal vesicles
Where are the ejaculatory ducts found?
They are found near the neck of the bladder and pas through the posterior part of the prostate
Where do the ejaculatory ducts open?
They open into the urethra within the prostate which is known as the prostatic urethra
How long is the prostate gland?
3cm long
What is the largest accessory gland in the male reproductive system?
The prostate
What is the base of the prostate related to?
The neck of the bladder
What is the posterior surface of the prostate related to?
The rectum
Where do the prostatic ducts open into?
The prostatic urethra
Describe prostatic fluid
It is thin and milks and supplies 20-25% of the volume of semen - the secretions aid mobility of the sperm
Where do the bulbourethral glands lie?
They lie immediately inferior to the prostate gland at the level of the membranous urethra
Where do the bulbourethral gland ducts open?
Open into the penile spongy urethra - after the urethral sphincter
Describe the secretions from the bulbourethral glands
It is transparent and viscous - it adds some volume to semen. These glands produce what is known as ‘pre ejaculate’ which flushes out the urethra and acts as a lubricant
How many ductus deferens are there?
There is one on each side of the body
How does the ductus deferens reach the pelvic cavity?
Travels in the spermatic cord through the inguinal canal to get from the scrotum to the pelvic cavity
How many seminal vesicles are there?
One on each side. They sit posterior to the bladder
How many ejaculatory ducts are there?
There is a left and a right duct and these sit within the prostate and drain into the prostatic urethra
How many bulbourethral glands are there?
There is a left and right gland
What is usually a begin process in the prostate?
Prostatic hyperplasia
What is fatal in the prostate?
Malignant carcinoma - it is less common but is more fatal. The common age of presentation is 65-85
Where does the malignant carcinoma occur?
In the peripheral tissue, in some cases the growth can be slow and asymptomatic and the patient often dies of unrelated causes
What is a symptom of a benign prostatic hyperplasia?
It is due to the enlarge gland pressing on other structures, the bladder outlet obstruction causes urinary retention, hesitancy, poor stream and double voiding.
There may be some haematuria (blood in the urine)
What is the symptom of prostate cancer?
Back pain from bony mestastes to the spine
What do malignant and begin growths feel like?
Malignant usually feel modular and irregular whereas benign growths are smooth
