Lecture 6 - Pelvis & Pelvic organs Flashcards
What is the male reproductive tract made up of?
Externa genitalia
Internal genitalia
What is external genitalia?
- penis
- scrotum
- distal urethra
What is internal genitalia?
- testis
- epididymis
- vas deferens
- ejaculatory ducts
- seminal vesicles
- prostate & bulbourethral glands
What are the parts of the penis?
- root (base)
- body (shaft)
- glans (head)
What are the 2 types of erectile tissues?
- corpora cavernosa
- corpus spongiosum (with urethra)
What is the blood supply of the penis?
Internal pudendal nerve (from internal iliac artery)
What is the venous drainage of the penis?
Deep and superficial dorsal
What is the innervation of the penis?
Dorsal nerve of the penis
What are the 2 parts of the scrotum?
- Dartos muscle/fascia
- Cremaster muscle
What is the dartos muscle/muscle?
Very thin smooth muscle layer that wrinkles the skin
What is the cremaster muscle?
Proper muscle that contracts and elevates the testicles towards the abdomen
What is the function of the testis?
- production of sperm cells
- production of testosterone
Where are testis?
suspended in scrotum by spermatic cord
What is the process of production of sperm cells?
Production of sperm cells (spermatogenesis which needs a very stable temperature, hence why they are on the outside of the body) in seminiferous tubules –> rete testis –> storage and maturation in epididymis
What are the 3 types of ducts?
- urethra
- vas (ductus) deferens
- ejaculatory ducts
What is the urethra?
- from urinary bladder (neck) to urethral meatus on the glans penis
What are the 4 parts of the urethra?
- Pre-prostatic
- Prostatic
- Membranous
- Spongy
What is the function of the urethra?
Transports urine and semen (sperm cells, seminal fluid + prostatic secretions) to the outside of the body.
What is the Vas (ductus) deferens?
- inside spermatic cord, travels superiorly through inguinal canal - loops above ureter and descends posterior to urinary bladder
- connects epididymis/testis with seminal vesicle (transport ONLY sperm cells)
- joins seminal vesicle ducts to form ejaculatory duct
What are the ejaculatory ducts?
- Formed by union of vas deferens with duct of seminal vesicle
- opens into prostatic urethra
- transports sperm cells & seminal fluid
What are the accessory glands?
- Seminal vesicles
- Prostate
- Bulbourethral glands
Where is the seminal vesicles found?
Posterior to urinary bladder, anterior to rectum
What do the seminal vesicles produce?
- Production of alkaline, viscous fluid that contributes to the volume of semen (65-75%) and helps protect sperm cells in the reproductive tract
- Fluid consists of nutrients including FRUCTOSE (found in seminal fluid and used by sperm cells for energy) and citric acid, prostaglandins and fibrinogen
What does the prostate do?
- elastic, fibromuscular capsule around glandular tissue
- inferior to urinary bladder, surrounds the urethra
- production of slightly alkaline fluid that contributes to the volume of semen (25-30%) and helps protect sperm cells - better mobility, longer survival, better protection of genetic material
What do the bulbourethral glands do?
- either side of the membranous urethra, just below prostate
- opens to spongy urethra
- secretion of clear, viscous fluid during sexual arousal before ejaculation
- fluid neutralizes acidity of the urethra to prepare for sperm cells to pass through
What is female reproductive tract made up of?
- external genitalia
- internal genitalia
What makes up the external female genitalia?
Vulva
What makes up the internal female genitalia?
- vagina
- uterus
- uterine tube
- ovary
- urethra
What are the structures of the vulva?
- mon pubis
- labia majora
- labia minora
- vestibule (with external urethra and vaginal orifice)
- clitoris
- greater vestibular glands
What is the innervation of the vulva?
- ilioinguinal, genital branch of genitofemoral and pudendal nerves
What is the blood supply to the vulva?
internal pudendal artery (from internal iliac artery
What is the clitoris?
- Erectile tissue - internal (4/5) & external (1/5)
What are the parts of the clitoris?
Glands, body (shaft), prepuce, bulb, crus
What is the innervation of the clitoris?
Dorsal nerve of clitoris (from pudendal nerve)
What is the blood supply of the clitoris?
Branches of internal pudendal artery
What are differences in erectile tissue in females vs males?
Male erectile tissue is mostly external, while female erectile tissue is mostly internal
What is the vagina?
Elastic muscular (rugae) canal from vulva to cervix - vaginal lumen surrounds the cervix of the uterus forming fornices
What is the innervation of the vagina?
Upper part of the pelvic plexus, lower from pudendal nerve
What is the blood supply of the vagina?
Branches of internal iliac artery
What are the parts of the uterus?
- Fundus
- Body
- Isthmus
- Cervix
What is the uterus?
muscular wall, expanded during pregnancy - uterine wall: endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium
What is the innervation of the uterus?
- Autonomic from sympathetic hypogastric plexus
- Parasympathetic from pelvic splanchnic nerves
What is the blood supply of the uterus?
branches from internal iliac artery
What is the cervix in the uterus?
- mucus production
- changes during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, childbirth
Internal os - between the uterus & cervix
External os - between cervix and vagina
What are the surroundings of the uterus?
- ‘Mobile’ organ
- Position: posterior and superior to the urinary bladder; anterior to rectum
- Rectouterine pouch - between uterus & rectum
- Vesicouterine pouch - between uterus and bladder
What are the uterine tubes?
- muscular tubes
- extend laterally from the uterus, opening into the abdominal cavity near the ovaries (not attached)
What are the 4 parts of the uterine tubes?
In order from closest to the ovary to uterine:
- Fimbriae
- Infundibulum
- Ampulla (fertilization)
- Isthmus
What are the functions of the ovary?
Not attached to uterine tubes
Functions:
- production of ova
- production of sex steroid hormones (oestrogen and progesterone)
What is the blood supply of the ovaries?
Ovarian artery (from abdominal aorta)
What is the venous drainage of the ovary?
Ovarian vein (left to left renal vein, right to IVC)
What is the nerve supply of the ovary?
Pelvic plexus
What are the ligaments of the female reproductive system?
- Suspensory ligament of ovary*
- Ovarian ligaments
- Broad ligament
- Round ligaments
- Cardinal ligaments*
- Uterosacral ligaments
*contains neurovascular structures
What is the suspensory ligament of ovary?
ovary to lateral pelvis wall
What are the ovarian ligaments?
Ovary to fundus of uterus
What are broad ligaments?
Double layer of peritoneum, covers uterus and uterine tubes
What are round ligaments?
Uterus to labia majora via the inguinal canal (remanent of gubernaculum)
What are cardinal ligaments?
Cervix and vagina to lateral pelvic wall
What are the uterosacral ligaments?
Uterus to sacrum
What is a summary of pelvis and pelvic organs?
- The pelvis is composed by the ilium, ischium and pubis. The pelvis brim diivdes the abdominal pelvis cavities.
- The male reproductive tract has external (penis, scrotum and distal urethra) and internal genitalia (testis, epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory ducts, seminal vesicles, prostate and bulbourethral glands).
- Spermatogenesis occur in the seminiferous tubules in the testis. Sperm cells cells travel to the epididymis through the rete testis to be stored and continue maturation.
- The penis has 2 erectile tissues: the paired corpora cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum
- the female reproductive tract has external (vulva) and internal genitalia (vagina, uterus, uterine tube, ovary, urethra)
- Fertilisation occurs in the ampulla of the uterine tube.
