Male and Female Reproductive Physiology Flashcards
What are the ducts that all embryos have?
Wolffian ducts
Mullerian ducts
Which ducts develop in males?
Wolffian
Which ducts develop in females?
Mullerian ducts
What prevents the Mullerian ducts developing in females?
testosterone and Mullerian Inhibiting factor
What is testosterone stimulated by in physiological development?
hCG from the placenta
What is testosterone converted to after week 6?
DHT
What does DHT stimulate in males?
the genital tubercle to become the glans penis with urethral opening
The urethral folds to close
The Genital swellings to develop into the scrotum and shaft of the penis
What happens to the female genitalia?
Genital tubercle becomes clitoris
urethral fold remains open
Genital swelling becomes labia
What are the glands associated with the penis?
Prostate, bulburethral, seminal vesicle
What are the two functions of the testes?
producing sperm and secreting testosterone
What is 80% of the testicular mass?
seminiferous tubules
Where do Leydig cells appear?
in connective tissue between seminiferous vesicles
What is Cryptorchidism?
When the testes have not descended in adulthood
Why is it important for the testes to descend?
Lower temp outside the body to facilitate spermatogenesis
nerve reflexes trigger muscle movement in the scrotal sac to lower/raise testes according to external temp
What are the 5 types of effects of testosterone?
before birth on sex-specific tissues other reproductive events secondary sex characteristics non-reproductive events
What is the effect of testosterone before birth?
masculinises the reproductive tract and external genitalia
promotes descent of testes into scrotum
What is the effect of testosterone before birth?
masculinises the reproductive tract and external genitalia
promotes descent of testes into scrotum
What is the effect of testosterone on sex-specific tissues?
promotes growth and maturation of repro system
causes testes to enlarge and start spermatogenesis
maintains repro tract through life
What are the other reproductive effects of testosterone?
develops libido
controls GnRH
what are the effects of testosterone on secondary sex characteristics?
enlarges larynx and thickens vocal cords
induces male pattern hair growth
thickens skin
causes male body shape
What are the effects of testosterone on non reproductive events?
promotes protein and bone growth
closes epiphyseal plates
induces oil secretion - acne
aggressive behaviour
What are the two types of cell involved with spermatogenesis?
germ cells
sertoli cells
how long does sperm differentiation take?
64 days
What are spermatogonia differentiated into and how?
mitotic proliferation to primary spermacytes
How are primary spematocytes converted to secondary spermatocytes?
1st meiotic division
23 double stranded chromosomes
What happens to the secondary spematocytes at the second meiotic division?
become 2 single stranded spermatids
What stages is testosterone required for?
mitosis and meiosis
What is spermiogenesis?
the packaging of spermatids to spermatozoa and removal of unnecessary cellular components and rebuilding into specialise motile sperm
What is required for spermiogenesis?
FSH
what does acrosome contain?
enzymes for penetration of the ovum
What are the roles of the sertoli cells?
form a blood-testes barrier provide nutrients phagocytosis secrete seminiferous tubule fluid secrete androgen binding protein secrete inhibin secrete Mullerian inhibiting factor in fetus
What hormones control the testes?
LH
FSH
What hormones control the testes?
LH
FSH
What does the seminal vesicle secrete?
fructose
prostaglandins for motility
What does the prostate gland secrete?
alkaline fluid to neutralise vaginal acid secretions
clotting of semes to keep sperm in vagina during penis withdrawl
What does the bulbourethral gland secrete?
mucus for lubrication
What are the essential reproductive functions of the female tract?
production of ova reception of sperm transport of sperm and ova to site of fertilisation gestation partuition nourishment of infant through lactation
What is different about oogenesis?
has the same meiotic and mitotic divisions but is suspended at birth until puberty
What stages of oogenesis have occured before birth?
mitotic
arrested at first meiotic division
What happens at puberty?
primary oocyte reaches maturity and completes first meiotic division before ovulation
What does fertilisation trigger?
second meiotic division to create 3 polar bodies
What are the two phases of the ovarian cycle?
follicular phase
luteal phase
What happens during the follicular phase?
maturation of the egg, ready for ovulation at mid cycle
What happens during the luteal phase?
development of corpus luteum
induces preparation of reproductive tract for pregnancy
What does the corpus luteum do?
secretes progesteron and oestrogen to prepare the uterine lining
How long does the corpus luteum survive if no fertilisation occurs?
8-9 days growth degrades after 14 days
What does the degeneration of the corpus luteum signal?
start of a new follicular phase
What is the function of estrogen during most of the ovarian cycle?
inhibits LH and FSH release
When does estrogen stimulate a spike in LH?
around days 12-14
What does the spike in LH cause?
ovulation
When does progesterone start to increase?
after ovulation
When does estrogen peak?
12-14 daysa
When is the proliferative phase of the uterine cycle?
5-15 days
What phase follows the proliferative phase?
the secretory phase days 15-28
What phase follows the proliferative phase?
the secretory phase days 15-28
When does the anterior pituitary start to increase the amount of FSH and LH secreted?
a few days before menstruation
What does the surge in LH do other than trigger ovulation?
stimulates development of follicle cells into corpus luteum
What causes the menstruation?
the lack of progesterone
what does the decrease in estrogen and progesterone do?
reduce negative feedback on the anterior pituitary
What is adrenarche?
growth spurt and pubic hair growth
What is thelarce?
breast development starts
what is menarche?
onset of menstrual cycle
What is the menopause?
oestrogen withdrawl when FSH levels rise but oestrogen, progesterone and inhibin fall
causes cessation of ovulation and menstruation
What are some of the long term side effects of menopause?
hot flushes
vaginal and uterine atrophy
decreased breast size
long term susceptibility to osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease
