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Reproductive Anatomy > Histology of the Male Reproductive System > Flashcards

Histology of the Male Reproductive System Flashcards

1
Q

The internal male genitalia consists of?

A
  1. The testes - with the adjoining epididymis
  2. The vas deferens
  3. The accessory sex glands
    • the seminal vesicles
    • the prostrate
    • the bulbourethral glands
  4. Male urethra
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2
Q

What are the 2 functions of the testes?

A
  1. spermatogenesis - production of male gametes or spermatozoa
  2. steroidogenesis - production of male sexual hormone : testosterone
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3
Q

Describe the structure of the capsule of the testes?

A
  • Surrounded by a thick capsule: the tunica albuginea
  • The tunica albuginea is covered externally by a serosa
  • The mediastinum testis projects into the testis from the tunica albuginea
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4
Q

How do the testes parenchyma get divided?

A

From the mediastinum testis

  • delicate fibrous septa radiate towards the tunica albuginea
  • Septa divide the parenchyma of the testis into about 300 lobes
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5
Q

Each lobules contains?

A
  1. 1-4 convoluted seminiferous tubules
    • sperm production
  2. Interstitial tissue between the convoluted tubules
    • contains Leydig cells or interstitial cells
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6
Q

Describe the structural components that make up the end of the seminiferous tubule?

A
  1. straight tubule (tubulus rectus)
    • continues from seminiferous tubule
  2. rete testis
    • a labyrinthine system of cavities in the mediastinum
  3. efferent ductules
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7
Q

Describe the histological layers of the seminiferous tubule?

A
  1. enclosed by a thick basal lamina
  2. surrounded by 3-4 layers of smooth muscle cells (or myoid cells).
  3. The insides of the tubules are lined with seminiferous epithelium
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8
Q

What are the 2 general types of cells that make up the seminiferous epithelium?

A
  1. spermatogenic cells

2. Sertoli cells

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9
Q

Describe the function of spermatogenic cells?

A

Replicate and differentiate into mature sperms

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10
Q

What are spermatogonia?

A
  • the first cells of spermatogenesis
  • Spermatogonia remain dormant until puberty.
  • They are always in contact with the basal lamina of the tubule
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11
Q

Describe the embryonic development of spermatogonia?

A

They originate in the 4th week of fetal development in the yolk sac and migrate to the primordium of the testis, where they differentiate into spermatogonia

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12
Q

What are the 2 types of spermatogonia?

A
  1. type A

2. type B

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13
Q

Describe the structure of Type A spermatogonia?

A
  • Rounded nucleus with very fine chromatin grains

- one or two nucleoli

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14
Q

Describe the function of Type A spermatogonia?

A

They are stem cells which divide to form new generations of both type A and type B spermatogonia

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15
Q

Describe the structure of Type B spermatogonia?

A
  • rounded nuclei

- chromatin granules of variable size

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16
Q

Describe the function of Type B spermaogonia?

A

Their final mitosis always results in the formation of 2 primary spermatocytes

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17
Q

Describe the structure and position of primary spermatocytes?

A
  • lie in the cell layer luminal to the spermatogonia

- They appear larger than spermatogonia

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18
Q

Describe the maturation of primary spermatocytes?

A
  • They immediately enter the prophase of the first meiotic division, which is extremely
    prolonged (about 22 days)
  • Cell divisions are incomplete
  • The cells remain connected by bridges of cytoplasm
  • The completion of the first meiotic division results in the formation of secondary spermatocytes
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19
Q

Describe the appearance of secondary spermatocytes?

A

smaller than primary spermatocytes

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20
Q

Describe the maturation of secondary spermatocytes?

A
  • They rapidly enter and complete the second meiotic division
  • Their division results in the formation of spermatids
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21
Q

Describe the appearance and location of spermatids in the seminiferous tubules?

A
  • lie in the luminal part of the seminiferous epithelium

- They are small (about 10 µm in diameter) with an initially very light (often eccentric) nucleus

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22
Q

Describe the maturation of spermatids?

A
  • The terminal phase of spermatogenesis is
    called spermiogenesis
  • consists of the differentiation of the newly
    formed spermatids into spermatozoa
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23
Q

Describe the appearance of the spermatozoa as they mature from spermatids?

A
  • The chromatin condenses during the maturation of the spermatids into spermatozoa
  • The nucleus becomes smaller and stains darker
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24
Q

Describe the spermatozoa?

A
  • The mature human spermatozoon is about
    60 µm long and actively motile.
  • It is divided into head, neck and tail
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25
Q

Describe the head of the spermatozoa?

A
  • chiefly consists of the nucleus (greatly condensed chromatin)
  • The anterior 2/3 of the nucleus is covered by the acrosome
  • The posterior parts of the nuclear membrane forms the so-called basal plate
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26
Q

Describe the neck of the spermatozoa?

A
  • short and attached to the basal plate
  • contains nine segmented columns of fibrous
    material
27
Q

The tail of the spermatozoa is divided into?

A
  1. a middle piece
  2. a principal piece
  3. an end piece
28
Q

Describe the different parts of the tail of the spermatozoa?

A
  1. In the middle piece
    • is surrounded by a sheath of mitochondria
    • The axoneme begins in the middle piece
  2. The principal piece
    • contains a fibrous sheath
  3. The end piece
    • surrounded by cytoplasm and the plasma
      membrane
29
Q

Describe the structure of the sertoli cells?

A
  • The nucleus of Sertoli cells is ovoid or angular,
    large and lightly stained and often contains a
    large nucleolus.
  • Characterized by a fold in the nuclear
    membrane
  • Lateral processes of Sertoli cells are
    interconnected by tight junctions - the
    structural basis for the blood-testis barrier
30
Q

Describe the location of the sertoli cells

A
  • Sertoli cells extend from the basement
    membrane to the luminal surface
  • Processes of the Sertoli cells extend in
    between the spermatogenic cells
31
Q

What is the function of the sertoli cells?

A
  1. mechanical and nutritive support for the
    spermatogenic cells
  2. secretion of hormones
    • inhibin and activin
32
Q

What are the cells of the interstitial tissue?

A

Leydig cells
- constitute the endocrine component of the
testis

33
Q

Where are Leydig cells located?

A

in the interstitial tissue between the convoluted seminiferous tubules

34
Q

Describe the histology of Leydig cells?

A
  • Leydig cells occur in clusters , which are
    variable in size and richly supplied by
    capillaries
  • The cytoplasm is strongly acidophilic and
    finely granular
  • The nucleus is large, round and often located
    eccentric in the cell
35
Q

What is the function of Leydig cells?

A

synthesize and secrete testosterone

36
Q

Name the ducts that spermatozoa pass via?

A
  1. tubuli recti
  2. rete testis
  3. ductuli efferentes
37
Q

Describe the histology of the ducts of the testes?

A
  1. tubuli recti - low columnar epithelium
  2. rete testis - flattened or cuboidal epithelium
  3. ductuli efferentes - columnar epithelium
38
Q

Name the cells that make up the ductuli efferentes?

A
  1. absorptive cells
  2. ciliated cells
    - The height of the two cells types is variable which gives the lumen a characteristic wavy outline.
39
Q

The ductuli efferentes open into?

A

ductus epididymis

40
Q

Describe the histology of the ductus epididymis?

A
  • It is lined by a very tall pseudostratified
    columnar epithelium.
  • Most cells of the epithelium, also called
    principal cells, have long stereocilia.
  • Towards the basal lamina a number of small
    nuclei, which belong to the basal cells
    • These cells regenerate the epithelium.
41
Q

What moves the spermatozoa in the ductus epididymis?

A

Peristaltic contractions of smooth muscle cells move the spermatozoa towards the middle segment of the duct

42
Q

Where in the epididymis do spermatozoa mature?

A

middle segment of the epididymis duct is the site of final functional maturation of the spermatozoa
- now they are motile

43
Q

Where in the epididymis is spermatozoa stored?

A

The terminal segment is the site of storage of the mature spermatozoa

44
Q

Describe a physiological adaptation of the terminal part of the epididymis?

A

Smooth muscle fibres of the terminal part of the ductus epididymis contract during sexual stimulation

45
Q

Describe the histological layers of the vas deferens?

A
  1. The mucosa - forms low longitudinal folds
  2. The lamina propria - rich in elastic fibres
  3. The muscularis - well developed and consists
    of a thick circular layer of smooth muscle
    between thinner inner and outer longitudinal layers.
  4. The vas deferens is surrounded by dense adventitia
46
Q

Describe the histology of the cells of the vas deferens?

A
  • lined by a pseudostratified columnar
    epithelium
  • Similar to the epididymis, cells have long
    stereocilia
47
Q

What is the prostate?

A

Largest accessory gland in men

48
Q

What is the prostate embedded into?

A

into a fibromuscular stroma, which consists of smooth muscle separated by strands of connective tissue

49
Q

Describe the histological structures of the prostate?

A
  • It contains tubuloalveolar glands
  • These ducts open into the urethra
  • The secretory alveoli are irregularly shaped because of papillary projections of the mucosa into the lumen
50
Q

Describe the cells of the prostate?

A
  • The epithelium is cuboidal or columnar.
  • Basal cells are again present, and the epithelium may look pseudostratified where they are found.
  • The secretory cells are slightly acidophilic with secretory granules in the cytoplasm
51
Q

How does the prostate secrete fluid?

A

secretion is apocrine/merocine

52
Q

The secretory ducts are lined with?

A

simple columnar epithelium, which changes to a transitional epithelium near the openings of the ducts into the urethra

53
Q

What is a characteristic feature of cells in the prostate?

A

appearance of prostatic concretions (corpora amylacea) in the secretory alveoli.

  • They are rounded eosinophilic bodies.
  • Their number increases with age (in particular past 50)
54
Q

What are the 4 prostatic anatomical and clinical zones?

A
  1. peripheral
  2. central
  3. transitional
  4. periurethral
55
Q

Describe the characteristics of the peripheral zone?

A
  • 70% of the glandular tissue
  • contains main glands
  • most susceptible to inflammation & prostatic carcinomas
56
Q

Describe characteristics of the internal zone?

A
  • 25% of glandular tissue
  • contains of submucosal glands
  • resistant to inflammation & prostatic carcinomas
57
Q

Describe the characteristics of the transitional zone?

A
  • contains mucosal glands.

- in elderly indv. undergo extensive division (Benign prostatic hyperplasia -BPH)

58
Q

Describe the characteristics of the periurethral zone?

A
  • contains mucosal and submucosal glands

- BPH compresses urethra

59
Q

What is the clinical importance of the subdivision of the prostate?

A
  • With age the prostate becomes enlarged due to benign nodular hyperplasia.
  • The onset age of these hyperplastic changes is 45.
  • About 3/4 of the males above 60 are affected of which half will be symptomatic. This condition affects the mucosal glands.
  • Cancer of the prostate, which is the second most common malignant tumor in western males, involves the peripheral zone.
60
Q

What are seminal vesicles?

A
  • Develop from the vas deferens.
  • Elongated sacs/glands (about 4 cm long and 2 cm wide),
  • Each seminal vesicle consists of one coiling tube (about 15cm long)
  • secretion constitutes 60-70 % of the ejaculate
61
Q

Describe the histological layers of the seminal vesicles?

A
  1. The mucosa shows thin, branched, anastomosing folds.
  2. The lamina propria - thin and loose.
  3. The muscularis consists of 1 inner circular and outer longitudinal layers of smooth muscle.
62
Q

Describe the histology of the epithelium of the seminal vesicles?

A

The epithelium is variable appearing columnar or pseudostratified columnar (columnar cells and basal cells)

63
Q

The secretory product of seminal vesicles contains?

A
  1. Fructose - spermatozoa utilise as a source of energy.
  2. Prostaglandins,
  3. Flavins - (yellow fluorescing pigment - of use in forensic medicine to detect semen stains)
  4. Other proteins and enzymes
64
Q

The secretory product has what 3 main functions?

A
  1. the formation of the sperm coagulum,
  2. the regulation of sperm motility and
  3. the suppression of immune function in the female genital tract
    - Maybe this suppression increases the women’s susceptibility to HIV contraction compared to the men

Reproductive Anatomy (16 decks)

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