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HSF Block 4 > Histo - Male > Flashcards

Histo - Male Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 major parts of the Male Genital System?

A
  1. Testes
    • produces spermatozoa
    • synthesizes & secretes androgens
  2. Duct system
    • carries sperm to the exterior
    • epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory duct, urethra
  3. Secretory glands
    • provide fluid & nutrients to support & nourish sperm
      • seminal vesicles, prostate gland, bulbourethral glands of Cowper
  4. Penis
    • capable of erection
    • urination
    • sperm/semen ejaculation
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2
Q

What is this?

A

Testes

Basics:

  • In scrotum
    • develop retroperitoneally
    • descend into scrotal sac at ends of the spermatic cords
    • surrounded by tunica vaginalis
      • serous sac from peritoneum
  • 2-3 degrees below body temp

Structure:

  • Epididymis attached POSTERIORLY
  • Enclosed by CT = tunica albuginea
    • thickens posteriorly –> mediastinum testis
    • CT from here delineates testicular lobes
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3
Q

What is this?

A

Rete Testis

Mediastinum of testes:

  • contains rete testes
  • has septa that divide the testes into lobules
    • each lobule = 1-4 seminiferous tubules
      • bound by BL
      • surrounded by loose CT w/ blood vessels, lymph vessels, nerves, Leydig cells
  • continuous w/ tunica albuginea

Structure:

  • Terminal part of testes = consists of straight tubules
    • enter the rete testes
  • Both straight tubules & rete testes lined w/ simple cuboidal –> low columnar w/ microvilli
  • Cels have flagellum

Note:

  • Rete testes fuse to form multiple efferent ductules
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4
Q

What is this?

A

Seminiferous Tubules

Basics:

  • Coiled, nonbranching loop
    • w/ both ends opening into rete testes

Composed of:

  1. Central lumen (open space)
  2. Germinal or spermatogenic epithelium
  3. Sertoli cells (sustentacular cells)
    • support & create blood.testes barrier
  4. BL
    • outside of germ layer
  5. Fibrous CT
    • Fibroblasts
    • Myoid cells
    • Leydig cells
    • Blood vessels, nerves, lymphatics
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5
Q
A

Cells of the Testis (Seminiferous Tubules)

W/in the Seminiferous Tubules - Germinal Epithelium

  1. Spermatogonia
    • up against BL
  2. Primary spermatocytes
    • meiosis I
    • have condensed chromosomes
  3. Secondary spermatocyte
    • meiosis II
  4. Spermatids
    • after mitosis is complete
    • spermiogenesis - closer to lumen
  5. Immature sperm
    • tails toward lumen; head embedded
  6. Sertoli cells
    • supporting cells

Outside the BL of Seminiferous Tubules:

  1. Myoid cells
    • contractile cells around tubules
  2. Fibroblasts
    • Make ECM
  3. Cells of blood vessels
  4. Leydig cells
    • Make testosterone
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6
Q

What is the Blood‐testis Barrier? What are the 2 compartments?

A
  1. Basal Compartment
    • Mitosis
    • Spermatogonia
      • Type A
        • stem cells
        • progenitor cells
        • heterochromatic (condensed)
      • Type B
        • euchromatic (less condensed)
  2. Adluminal Compartment
    • Meiosis
    • Spermatocytes
      • Primary (1st meiotic division)
      • Secondary (2nd meiotic division)
    • Spermatids
    • Spermatozoa

Note:

  • Compartments = formed by tight junctions of Sertoli Cells
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7
Q

What is the importance of Sertoli Cells?

A

Basics:

  1. Large, oval & euchromatic nucleus
  2. Prominent mucleolus
  3. Tight & gap junctions btw cells
  4. Form basal lumen vs. adluminal compartments
  5. DONT DIVIDE
  6. Survive adverse conditions
    • infection, malnutrition, irradiation

Functions:

  1. Formation of blood-testis barrier
  2. Support
    • Nutrition, transport of waste, protection from immune system
  3. Phagocytosis
    • cytoplasm by spermatids
  4. Spermiation
    • faciliates release of sperm
  5. Secretory
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8
Q

What are the Secretions of Sertoli Cells?

A

During weeks 8-9 of fetal development:

  • Mullerian inhibitory hormone (MIH)
    • causes Mullerian ducts to regress
    • leads to MALE development
  • No MIH = FEMALES

Mature Testes:

  • Androgen binding protein (ABP)
    • allows testosterone to concentrate in tubule
  • Inhibin
    • negative feedback to hypothalamus & pituitary to inhibit FSH
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9
Q

What is this?

A

Cryotorchidism

  • No Spermatogenesis!
    • happens when testes dont decend into the scrotum
    • NO SPERM BEING MADE due to high temp
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10
Q

What is this?

A

Leydig Cell Tumor

Basics of Leydig cells:

  • in CT btw seminiferous tubules
  • steroid secreting cell
  • appears foamy

Function:

  • Synthesizes & secretes testosterone
  • LH
    • stimulate testosterone
  • Prolactin
    • stimulates expression of LH receptor

Crystals of Reinke

  • pink (eiosinophilic)
  • tumor in Leydig cells
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11
Q

What are the 2 cell types?

A

Interstitial (Leydig) Cells & Sertoli cells

  • Green image = antibody to a glycoprotein in sertoli cells
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12
Q

How does the Formation of Sperm occur?

A

Basics:

  • Germinal epithelium produces male gametes
  • Takes ~64 days
  • Asynchronous

Sequence:

  • Spermatogenesis (dev of spermatid)
    • Mitosis & Meiosis
      • spermatogonia –>
      • primary –>
      • secondary –>
      • spermatocytes –>
      • spermatids
  • Spermiogenesis (spermatid –> sperm)
    • formation of acrosome
    • flagellum
    • nuclear flattening
    • cytoplasmic shedding
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13
Q

What is Spermatogenesis?

A

Spermatogonia

  • Type A dark stem cells
  • Type A pale (mature into type B)
  • Type B
    • mitose & differentiate –> primary spermatocytes

Primary spermatocytes (4N)

  • Meiosis I
    • produce secondary spermatocytes

Secondary spermatocytes (2N)

  • Meiosis II
    • produce spermatids (1N)

Spermatids

  • undergo spermiogenesis
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14
Q

What are the 4 phases of Spermiogenesis?

A
  1. Golgi phase
    • begin to form acrosome (hydrolytic enzymes)
    • centrioles/microtubules –> flagellum
  2. Cap phase
    • acrosomal cap THICKENS & FLATTENS
    • nucleus condenses
  3. Acrosome phase
    • nuclei elongate; protamines replace histones
    • head still embedded in Sertoli cells
  4. Maturation phase
    • cytoplasm = lost (forms residual body)
    • released to lumen
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15
Q

What is the basic Anatomy of Sperm?

A
  1. Head
    • Acrosome
    • Nucleus
  2. Tail
    • Midpiece
      • helically arranged mitochondrial sheath
    • Prinicpal piece
    • End piece
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16
Q

What is the purpose of Intratesticular Ducts?

A

Basics:

  • Allow for the movement/migration of sperm

Consists of :

  • seminiferous tubules
  • straight tubules (tubuli recti)
    • sertoli cells = proximal part
    • simple cuboidal = distal part
  • rete testis
    • simple cuboidal cells w/ microvilli + 1 cillium
  • efferent ductules
    • connects rete testis to epididymis
17
Q

What is this?

A

Rete Testis & Efferent Ductules

  • Rete testes
    • absorb fluid
    • move sperm via cilia
  • Efferent ductules
    • tall simple ciliated columnar cells
    • simple cuboidal cells w/ no cilia
    • scalloped appearance
    • convoluted
    • absorb fluid from semiferous tubules
    • SM around ductules to aid in motility
      • SM in epididymis = helps move sperm –> epididymis
18
Q

What are the components of the Excretory Genital Ducts?

A
  1. Epididymis
  2. Vas deferens
  3. Urethra
    • all 3 transport sperm from ST –> penile urethra for ejaculation
19
Q

What is this?

A

Ductus Epididymis

Basics:

  • Connects efferent ductules to vas deferens

Structure:

  • Pseudostratified columnar epithelium w/ stereocilia
    • NOT scalloped
    • Principal cells = have stereocilia
      • absorb water, residual bodies & debris
  • SM around to aid sperm motility

Function:

  • Sperm maturation
  • Acrosome maturation
  • Fluid prevents acrosomal reactions
    • decapacitation factors
20
Q

What is this?

A

Vas Deferens (Ductus deferens)

Basics:

  • Thick SM wall
    • ​inner = longitudinal
    • middle = circular
    • outer = longitudinal
  • Helps propel sperm

Structure:

  • Small stellate lumen
  • Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
    • w/ stereocilia
  • Enlarges over urinary bladder
    • more folded epithelium
21
Q

What is this?

A

Ampulla of the Vas Deferens

Basics:

  • Vas deferens dilate to form ampulla
  • Mucosa = more highly folded

Final part of ampulla:

  • seminal vesicle joins the duct
    • forms the ejaculatory duct
      • opens to the prostatic urethra
22
Q

What is this?

A

Ejaculatory Duct

  • Open to the posterior wall of the prostatic urethra
  • Walls of ED = folded + lined w/ simple columnar epithelium
    • surrounded by CT + SM
23
Q

What are the 3 Accessory Glands?

A
  1. Seminal vesicles
  2. Prostate
  3. Bulbourethral glands
24
Q

What is this?

A

Seminal Vesicles

Basics:

  • Folded tubes/mucosa
  • Epithelium = simple columnar –> pseudostratified
  • Sperm not usually in lumen
  • Thin muscle layer
    • Inner = circular
    • Outer = longitudinal

Secretions:

  • Fructose (eosinophiilic)
    • energy for sperm
  • Prostaglandins
    • stimulate part of female reproductive tract
  • Citrate
  • Inositol
  • Fibrinogen
    • helps semen coagulate
25
Q

What is this?

A

Prostate Gland

Basics:

  • Tubuloacinar glands
    • open into urethra
  • Capsule forms lobes
    • subdivide:
      • lobes = anatomy
      • zones = pathology
  • Enlarges at age 45+

Structure:

  • Simple or pseudostratified columnar
    • lower if NO testosterone

Prostatic Concretions (aka corpora amylacea)

  • glycoproteins in lumen
  • increase w/ age
  • can calcify

Prostatic Fluid

  • Expulsion fluid during ejaculation
  • Contains glycoproteins, enzymes, etc

Note:

  • Clinically important = Prostate-specific antigen
    • no longer considered a useful marker for prostatic cancer
26
Q

What are the 3 Histologic Prostate Gland Zones?

A
  1. Transition Zone
    • periurethral mucosal glands
    • main site of BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTOPHY (BPH)
      • ​contains ANTERIOR lobe
  2. Central Zone
    • periurethral submucosal glands
      • contains MEDIAN lobe
  3. Peripheral Zone
    • main glands
    • main site of PROSTATE CANCER
      • ​contains POSTERIOR lobe

Note:

  • Right & left lateral lobes = found in ALL zones
27
Q

What is the importance of the Bulbourethral Glands of Cowper?

A

Basics:

  • In the urogenital diaphragm
  • Drain into PENILE urethra

Structure & Function:

  • Tubuloacinar glands w/ SM around
  • Simple columnar epithelium
    • secretes mucous + lubricates
28
Q

What is this?

A

Penile Urethra & Erectile Tissue

29
Q

What is this?

A

Penis

Basics:

  • 3 regions of erectile tissue
    • venous cavernous spaces w/ CT + SM

Dorsal = 2 corpora cavernosa

  • blood vessels w/in
    • surrounded by tunica albuginea

Ventral = 1 corpus spongiosum

  • penile urethra w/in
    • lined by multiple types of epithelium
  • uretral glands (glands of Littre) along urethra
    • secrete mucous

HSF Block 4 (10 decks)

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