Exam 4: Male Reproductive System

Question 1

general functions of reproductive system (3)

Answer 1

production of sex cells (ovum females, sperm males)

secretion of hormones (cyclical in females, constant males)

support of developing fetus

Question 2

what does the male reproductive system consist of (5 or 8)

Answer 2

testes
epididymis
ductus deferens (aka vas deferens)
accessory glands (seminal vesicles, prostate, bulbourethral)
penis

Question 3

why are the testes outside the body

Answer 3

if inside the germ cells would not be able to produce sperm and abnormalities can happen with mitotic division and can be a cancer risk
- germ layer producing sperm needs to be ~10 degrees less than the core body T

Question 4

epididymis

Answer 4

stores sperm once they are produced

sperm not active yet but they have been produced and left the testes

Question 5

ductus deferens (vas deferens)

Answer 5

goes through spermatacord

eventually carries sperm out of epididymis and gets them ready for ejaculation

Question 6

what do all of the accessory glands ensure

Answer 6

the sperm make it out of the male reproductive system tract with enough energy and semen that they could survive in the female system
not destroyed on the way out through the urethra

Question 7

penis

Answer 7

copulatory organ for the male

Question 8

when do he testes descend into the scrotum

Answer 8

the third trimester

Question 9

scrotum

Answer 9

protects the testes and regulates temperature

divided into 2 cavities by a septum - raphe

Question 10

what are the 2 layers of muscle in the scrotum

Answer 10

dartos muscle

cremaster muscle

Question 11

dartos muscle

Answer 11

in scrotum

• compresses around testes or relaxes it, controls shape of scrotum around teste
• little T regulation

Question 12

cremaster muscle

Answer 12

most T regulation

• if contracts: pulls testes up towards body
• if relaxes: moves testes away from body - T regulation

Question 13

the double layer in addition to the scrotum

Answer 13

tunica vaginalis

• parietal and visceral layers
  parietal: capsule you can take off
  visceral: on top of teste

Question 14

tunica albuginea

Answer 14

deeper into the testes
composed of tissue
divides into lobes with each lobe getting a seminiferous tubule

Question 15

each seminiferous tubule has

Answer 15

germ cells that go through mitosis, one cell stays behind to maintain germ layer other goes and is guided by Sertoli cells or sustenacular cells - bind testosterone and make sure you go through meiosis to get 4 haploid sperm

sperm go through lumen of seminiferous tubules, not active still
move into reet testes and then epididymis for storage, stay here for weeks

Question 16

what cells do seminiferous tubules have

Answer 16

germ (spermatogenic) cells and Sertoli (sustenacular) cells

Question 17

what do germ cells produce

Answer 17

spermatids

Question 18

Sertoli cells

Answer 18

direct maturation of sperm
surround sperm producing blood-testes barrier
bind testosterone
secrete inhibin

Question 19

blood testes barrier

Answer 19

produced by sertoli cells
prevent testes from interacting with cells in blood , since they are haploid you do not want them exposed to immune cells due to inactivation or making antibodies against the sperm - infertility

Question 20

myoid cells

Answer 20

outer layer of contractile cells that move the sperm into the rete testes by peristalsis (thickens with age)

Question 21

what happens as males age

Answer 21

get less gem cells, dec ability to make sperm, errors and abnormal sperm taken out by sertoli cells
basement membrane of myloid cells gets thicker, dec diameter in seminiferous tubules, dec testosterone

Question 22

Leydig (interstitial) cells

Answer 22

produce testosterone

- active for dvelopment and then inactive from 5 months development until puberty

Question 23

spermatogenesis cycle

Answer 23

takes ~74 days
sperm survive in male system for weeks but only last 2-3 days in female, max of 5 days in female

newly mature sperm are non-motile and are moved by peristalsis

Question 24

acrosome

Answer 24

head of sperm
has enzymes for penetrating the ovum - specific receptors on ovum, has proteins to form actin strands that push the nuclear material into the ovum
-make sure do not do this too soon

Question 25

what does the sperm mebrane have to prevent the sperm from carrying out fertilization

Answer 25

glycoconjugates
this way sperm cannot do fertilization until 10-15 min in female that is going through capacitation
glycoconugates removed in female system during capacitation

Question 26

avg ejaculate has how much sperm

Answer 26

15-200 million

less than 15 million sperm - infertility issues

Question 27

epididymis

Answer 27

stores sperm
maintains fluid environment
carries out phagocytosis of cell debris/recycled sperm

Question 28

ductus deferens

Answer 28

continuous with epididymis; lower region stores sperm

moves sperm for ejaculation by peristaltic waves

Question 29

seminal vesicles

Answer 29

secrete majority of the seminal fluid
secretions:
-fructose: energy
-prostaglandins: create smooth muscle contraction in female system to propel spem up through system
-semenogelin: critical for capacitation
with coagulate all sperm stay together giving sperm time to wear off and get rid of inhibitors

Question 30

prostate

Answer 30

valve - prevents urine and ejaculation from occurring at same time
inner lining makes up prostatic urethra
secretes 20-30% seminal fluid
secretion has enzymes for liquidifying sperm coagulum
- later breaks down semenogelin to fertilize the egg

Question 31

bulbourethral gland

Answer 31

secretes thick alkaline mucus to neutralize pH in urethra and lubricate the glans penis

pre-ejaculate - when erection happens, triggers these glands to secrete fluid before the sperm and seminal fluid. Lubricates inside of spongy urethra and glans penis

Question 32

membranous portion that includes the external sphincter

Answer 32

penis

Question 33

body has 2 types of erectile tissue

Answer 33

corpus cavernosa

corpus spongiosum

Question 34

corpus cavernosa

Answer 34

erectile tissue
fills with blood during ejaculation
-has helicine arteries that fill with blood
-elongation and thickening of penic in erection

Question 35

corpus spongiosum

Answer 35

erectile tissue
surrounds urethra and extends to form the glans
-ensures that when you get an erection and the erectal tissue fills with blood that you do not close off the urethra, you keep it open

Question 36

prepuce

Answer 36

fold of skin that covers the glans

contains gland that produce smegma (protective lubricant fluid)

Question 37

3 steps of male sexual act

Answer 37

erection
emission
ejaculation

Question 38

erection process

Answer 38

• vascular event regulated by autonomic nervous system
• stimulation of mechanoreceptors (or CNS) initiates PARASYMPAHETIC dilation of helicine arteries (begins with Ach, progresses with NO)
• blood flow results in expansion of erectile tissue that compresses veins (corporal occlusive mechanism)
• parasympathetic impulses trigger bulbourethral glands

Question 39

emission

Answer 39

sympathetic response results in peristaltic movement of sperm and gland secretions into the urethra

Question 40

ejaculation

Answer 40

sympathetic impulses in skeletal muscle at base of penis result in expulsion of semen and orgasm
sympathetic impulses contract the helicine arteries, dec P in erectile tissue, allows erection to be resolved