Chapter 4: sexual anatomy Flashcards
What are the external female organs (the vulva)?
The clitoris, the inner and outer lips, the mond pubis (venusheuvel) and the vagina opening.
What does the clitoris consist of?
- The glans / tip.
- The shaft: consisting of 2 corpora cavernosa. Lie an inch into the body.
- 2 crura: lie deep into the body. Run from the glans to either side of the vagina (under the major lips).
- Vestibular bulbs: lie close to the crura.
Homologous organs
Organs that develop form the same tissue before birth (like the penis and the clitoris).
Fourchette
Where the inner lips come together underneath the vagina opening.
Introitus
The vaginal opening.
Urethra
The opening for urine.
What are the internal female sex organs?
The vagina, the vestibular bulbs, the Skenes glands, the uterus, the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.
Pubococcygeus muscles
Part of the pelvic floor muscles that can be stretched during birth, but can also be trained.
The vestibular bulbs
Two bulbs that lie on either side of the vagina, under the inner lips. They contain erectile tissue.
The Skene’s glands (female prostate)
Lies between the vaginal wall and the urethra. Can secrete female prostate (squirting).
What does the uterus (womb) consist of?
- The cervix: the opening into the vagina.
- The fundus: the top (main part).
- The os (the cervical canal): the opening from the cervix into the uterus.
3 layers of the uterus
- The endometrium (inner layer): supplied with blood vessels and glands, its state depends on the woman’s age and the phase of the menstrual cycle.
- The myometrium (middle layer): strong elastic muscle. Contracts during orgasm.
- The perimetrium (outer layer): external cover.
Fallopian tubes / oviducts
Tubes extending out from the uterus. The eggs and sperm travels through these tubes
Ovaries
Produce eggs and manufacture sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone). A woman is born with 1 million immature eggs (follicles) in the ovaries, they develop during each menstrual cycle.
The breasts
Are not sex organs. They contain clusters of mammary glands, each with a opening to the nipple.
The nipples
Have may nerve endings and are important for erotic stimulation. When the smooth muscle fibre of the nipple contract, it becomes erect. The darker surrounding of the nipples are called the areola.
What are the male external sexual organs?
- The glans / tip
- The meatus / urethral opening.
- The shaft / main part
- The corona: raised ridge at the end of the glans.
- The scrotum / the testes
- The foreskin: covers the glans.
What are the male internal sexual organs?
- The urethra: pathway for urine and semen.
- Corpora cavernosa: 2 spongy bodies lying on top of the urethra. Contain blood vessels for erection.
- Corpora spongiosum: 1 spongy body at the body of the penis. The urethra runs through this. Also contains blood vessels for erection.
Male penis mutilation
- Supercision: a slit in the length of the foreskin.
- Subincision: a slit along the lower side of the penis into the urethra.
The testes / the gonads
Are the reproductive glands of the male. They manufacture sperm (germ cells) and sex hormones (testosterone).
Where do the testes consist of?
- Seminiferous tubules: store and manufacture sperm by spermatogenesis.
- Interstitial cells: produce testosterone.
The phases of spermatogenenis
- Spermatogonium
- Spermatocyte
- Spermatid
- Spermatozoa
Seminal vesicles
2 saclike structures that lie above the prostate. They produce 60% of the seminal fluid (ejaculate). The other 40% is produced by the prostate.
The prostate
Lies below the bladder. Secretes a milky alkaline fluid that is part of the ejaculate and is a good environment for the sperm.
The Cowper’s glands
Lie below the prostate. Secretes alkaline fluid during arousal, which neutralises the acidic urethra, allowing a safe passage for sperm. The fluid often contains some stray sperm.
Breast cancer
Seconds most common form of cancer among women (12%). Can be caused by:
- Obesity
- Genetic factors
- Menopausal hormone therapy
- Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (can be prevented by screening, drugs and gene therapy).
3 kinds of breast lumps
- Cysts (not cancerous)
- Fibroadenomas tumors (not cancerous)
- Malignant tumors (cancerous)
Needle asprition
A needle is inserted into the breast lump. If the lump is a cyst, the fluid wil drain out. Otherwise it’s a tumor.
Treatments for cervical cancer
- Cryotherapy: extreme cold destroys the cells.
- Biopsy: surgical removal.
- Hysterectomy: surgical removal of the uterus.
- Radiation therapy
- Drug therapy
- For breast cancer: lumpectomy: removing the lump or the entire breast.
Treatment for endometrial cancer
Hysterectomy: surgical removal of the uterus. Does not make the woman more masculine, only if the ovaries are also removed.
Treatment for ovarian cancer
Oophorectomy: surgical removal of the ovaries and the uterus (hysterectomy). Often combined with chemo.
Prostate cancer
Second most common cancer in men. Has high survival rates, because it’s often not wide spread.
