Andrology Flashcards
What is andrology?
name for the medical specialty that deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems that are unique to males.
What is the SRY gene?
Sex-determining region Y protein, or testis-determining factor,
is a DNA-binding protein encoded by the SRY gene that is responsible for the initiation of male sex determination in mammals.
SRY is an intronless sex-determining gene on the Y chromosome.
Sertoli cells
Sertoli cells are the somatic cells of the testis that are essential for testis formation and spermatogenesis. Sertoli cells facilitate the progression of germ cells to spermatozoa via direct contact and by controlling the environment milieu within the seminiferous tubules.
Leydig cells
Leydig cells are essential and crucial cells located in the testes of the male gonads. They are known as testicular interstitial cells and can be found between seminiferous tubules, which contain Sertoli and germ cells.
Leydig cells are the primary source of testosterone or androgens in males.
Essentially, they produce the sperm.
Klinefelter’s syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome ( XXY) is where boys and men are born with an extra X chromosome.
In rare cases, cats can have an extra X chromosome making them XXY. These cats present as male, but can be Calico because they have two X chromosomes. (calicos are typically female)
gubernaculum
a fetal ligament attached to the caudal epididymis and testis and the bottom of the scrotum guides the descent of the testes into the scrotum.
What is the male excurrent duct system?
The Intratesticular excurrent duct system of the adult testis consists of a terminal segment of the convoluted seminiferous tubules, straight tubules, and rete testis.
The terminal segment is a short transitional zone connects between seminiferous tubules and tubuli recti.
