Final Flashcards
Male and female reproductive systems…
produce and nurture sex cells, and transport them to the site of fertilization
What are the testes?
the primary sex organ of the male reproductive system
What is the tunica vaginalis?
a piece of peritoneum that descended with the testes into the scrotal sac.
What is the function of the tunica vaginalis?
facilitates movement of testes within scrotum
What is the tunica albuginea?
dense white capsule on outside of testes
What are in the lobules of the testes?
seminiferous tubules
What is the purpose of the seminiferous tubules?
produce sperm.
other than spermatogenic cells, what cells line the seminiferous tubules?
Sertoli or sustentacular cells.
What is the function of Sertoli cells?
- form the blood testis barrier
- nourish spermatocytes, spermatids, and spermatozoa
what is the function of the blood-testis barrier?
prevent an immune response against spermatogenic cells.
what are the functions of the organs of the male reproductive system?
- mediate the effects of testosterone and FSH on spermatogenesis
- phagocytose excess spermatids cytoplasm
- control movements of spermatogenic cells and release sperm into the lumen of seminiferous tubules
- secrete fluid for sperm transport
- secrete inhibin (inhibits FSH, slows sperm production)
What is produced by interstitial cells?
testosterone
channels leading from the seminiferous tubules carry sperm to…
epididymus and ductus (vas) deferens
what is the scrotum?
A pouch of skin and subcutaneous tissue that houses the testes.
What temperature does sperm require to survive?
3 degrees lower than core body temperature.
what muscle of the scrotum causes wrinkling?
dartos muscle
when it is warm, the scrotum is…
relaxed (increases surface area for cooling)
when it is cold, the scrotum…
wrinkles
the cremaster muscle in the spermatic cord…
elevates testes on exposure to cold and arousal.
what is the spermatic cord?
a supporting structure of the male reproductive system
what makes up the spermatic cord?
- cremaster muscle
- ductus (vas) deferens
- testicular artery
- veins and lymphatic vessels
- autonomic nerves
what is the penis?
contains the urethra and serves as a passageway for ejaculation of semen.
what are the anatomical parts of the penis?
- root (made up of bulb and crura)
- body
- glans penis
the body of the penis contains three erectile tissue masses what are they?
- paired corpora cavernosa penis (1&2)
- unpaired corpus spongiosum penis (3)
Erection is caused by…
parasympathetic reflex
- sexual stimulation causes arteries of penis to dilate
- nitric oxide mediates local vasodilation
What occurs during ejaculation?
sympathetic reflex
- muscle contractions close sphincter at base of bladder
- peristaltic contractions in the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, ejaculatory ducts, and prostate propel semen into the penile portion of spongy urethra.
After ejaculation,
blood flow is restricted to penis and small muscles around the erectile tissue masses force blood out of the penis making it flaccid again
What is the epididymus?
tightly coiled tube laying adjacent to the testis and leading from the testis to the vas deferens
what is the function of the epididymus?
site of sperm maturation and storage. (sperm can remain in storage up to a month)
What is the ductus (vas) deferens?
a muscular tube 45 cm in length leading from the epididymus into the body cavity.
what is the function of the ductus (vas) deferens?
unites with the ejaculatory duct and empties its contents into urethra.
what is the ejaculatory duct?
union of the ducts from the seminal vesicles and ductus (vas) deferens
what is the function of the ejaculatory duct?
eject sperm into prostatic urethra.
What are the 3 subdivisions of the male urethra?
- prostatic urethra
- membranous urethra
- penile (spongy) urethra
What are the accessory sex glands of the male reproductive system?
- seminal vesicle
- prostate gland
- bulbourethral glands (Cowper’s glands)
What is semen?
a combination of sperm cells and the secretions of the seminal vesicle, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands.
What is the function of the seminal vesicle?
secretes an alkaline fluid that neutralizes acid in the male urethra and female reproductive tract.
-the fluid also contains
…fructose (nourishes sperm)
…prostaglandins (cause contractions in the female tract to help propel sperm to egg)
…semenogelin (causes coagulation of semen after ejaculation)
What is the function of the prostate gland?
secretes a milky, slightly acidic fluid that contains…
…citric acid (can be used by sperm for ATP production)
…acid phosphotase
…enzymes
what is the function of the bulbourethral glands?
- secrete mucus to lubricate tip of penis during sexual arousal.
- secrete an alkaline substance that neutralizes acid
How many sperm on average are in a milliliter of semen?
120 million
what is spermatogenesis?
sperm production
what are the stages of spermatogenesis?
spermatogonia->primary spermatocytes-> secondary spermatocytes-> spermatids-> spermiogenesis
how many chromosomes do spermatogonia contain?
46
primary spermatocytes are in what stage of cell division? How many chromosomes do they have?
Meiosis 1, 46
Secondary spermatocytes are in what stage of cell division? how many chromosomes do the have?
Meiosis 2, 23
how many spermatids are created from one spermatocyte? are they haploid or diploid?
4, haploid
what is spermiogenesis
maturation of spermatids into sperm.
what is spermiation?
the release of a sperm from its connection to a Sertoli cell.
At puberty in males,
- GnRH increases secretion of LH and FSH.
- LH stimulates secretion of testosterone.
- FSH stimulates spermatogenesis
What is the function of testosterone?
- stimulates final steps of spermatogenesis
- controls growth, development, functioning, and maintenance of sex organs
- stimulates bone growth, protein anabolism, and sperm maturation
- stimulates development of male secondary sex characteristics.
What is the function of inhibin?
inhibits production of FSH
- helps regulate rate of spermatogenesis
- decreases sperm production when production is sufficient
what are the parts of the sperm?
- head
- neck
- midpiece
- tail (flagellum)
Where is a sperm’s DNA located?
the head
Once ejaculated what is the life expectancy for a sperm in the female reproductive tract?
48 hours
What is the primary sex organ of the female reproductive system?
ovaries
what is the structure of an ovary?
- germinal epithelium (simple cuboidal epithelium that covers surface of ovary)
- tunica albuginea (Dense irregular connective tissue)
- ovarian cortex (contains ovarian follicles)
- ovarian medulla (contains blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves)
What are the internal accessory organs of a female
-uterine tubes
->infundibulum (funnel shaped portion near each ovary)
->fimbrae (fringe of finger like projections)
(cells lining the uterine tube have cilia which draw the egg into the uterine tube)
-Uterus
-vagina
What are the parts of the uterus?
- fundus
- body
- isthmus
- cervix
What are the layers of the uterus?
- endometrium
- myometrium
- perimetrieum
The endometrium is made up of
- stratum functionalis
- stratum basalis
What part of the endometrium is shed during menstruation?
stratum functionalis
the myometrium is made up of
3 layers of smooth muscle
Is the cervical mucus more receptive to sperm when it is thick or thin?
thin
What are the layers of the vagina?
- mucosal layer
- muscularis layer
- adventitia
What are the female external reproductive organs?
- vulva
- labia majora (correspond to scrotum of male)
- labia minora (correspond to spongy urethra of male)
- clitoris (corresponds to the penis)
- vestibule (corresponds to membranous urethra of male.
What is atresia?
the process by which most germ cells generate before birth
what is a primary oocyte?
stem cell that has entered Meiosis 1 and stops in prophase 1
How many primary oocytes are present at birth?
200,000 to 2 million
how many primary oocytes are present at puberty?
40,000
on average how many oocytes mature during a woman’s lifetime?
400
is a secondary oocyte haploid or diploid?
haploid
What are the phases of the female reproductive cycle?
- menstrual cycle (menstruation) (day 1-5)
- preovulatory phase (days 6-13)
- ovulation (day 14)
- postovulatory phase (day 15-28)
which phase of the female reproductive cycle is the most consistent?
postovulatory (lasts fourteen days)
