Male Histology Flashcards
What are the function of the testes?
Spermatogenesis(production of sperm)
Production of testosterone
From where do the testes descend?
the descend from the abdomen region(thus they will contain portions of peritoneum when they are descended into the scrotum)
What is the layer of the testes that contains portions of peritoneum left behind called?
tunica vaginalis
What are the two layers of tunica vaginalis ?
visceral tunica vaginalis
parietal tunica vaginalis
What is the tunica albuginea(tunica propia)?
-dense irregular collagenous connective tissue
-layer of the testes that has direct contact with the seminferous tubules
What is the tunica vasculosa?
vessel layer present in the testis
What are the rete testis?
-250 intercommunicating compartments
-where all the seminiferous tubules connect
-also reffered to as mediastinum testis
Where are the spermatozoa(sperms) produced?
in the epithelium of the seminiferous tubules
(pass to rete testis,efferent tubules,epididymis and the ductus deferens)
What surrounds the seminiferous tubules?
-tunica albuginea(tunica propia)
What happens in the seminiferous tubules?
-site of spermatogenesis(production of sperms
What are the cells contained within the seminiferous tubules?
Leydig Cells (intertial cells that are in charge of producing testosterone)
What is the epithelium in seminiferous tubules?
germinal epithilium (stratified epithelium)
What cells does the seminiferous tubules epithelium have?
Sertoli cells and Spermatogenic cells
Tunica albuginea(propia) and the seminiferous epithelium is separated from each other by?
basal lamina
What are the Sertoli cells?
-supporting/sustentacular cells
-do not replicate after puberty
What kind of cells are the sertoli cells?
columnar cells(enlarged nucleus) with extensive apical and lateral processes(surround adjacent spermatogenic cells
What are the function of the Sertoli Cells?
-physical and nutritional support of developing germ cells
-Phagocytosis of cytoplasm during spermiogenesis
-establishment of a blood-tests barrier(by forming zonilae occludents between adjacent Sertoli cells)(form gap junctions)
-synthesis and secretion of Inhibin(inhibits the release of FSH by anterior pituitary)
-synthesis of Activin(facilitates the release of FSH from the anterior pituitary)
-Secretion of fructose-rich medium (nourishes and facilitates the transport of spermatozoa to the genital ducts
-synthesis and release of antimüllerian hormone (occurs during embriogenesis, and supressess the formation of the müllerian duct)
What are the Leydig Cells?
-polygonal eosionophilic cells(pink color)
-have liposuction pigments
-are steriod secreting cells
- IN CHARGE OF SECRETING TESTOSTERONE DURING EARLY FETAL LIFE
What are the cells that inside the seminferous tubules
Leydig cells
Leydig cells are in charge of producing what?
testosterone and IGF-3 (insulin growth factor 3)
What happens with Leydig cells in the early fetal life?
secretion of testosterone is essential for a normal development of the male gonads. At 5 month leydig cells inactivate until puberty
What happens with Leydig cells during puberty?
are exposed to gonadrotropic stimulation thus become androgen secreting cells and remain active throughout life
What are the thickest cells that are part of the seminiferous epithelium?
Spermatogenic cells (found in different stages of maturation)
What are the different stages of the Spermatogenic cells?
Spermatogonia
Primary spermatocytes
Secondary spermatocytes
Spermatids
Spermatozoa
What is the process that the spermatogonia has go to be transformed into spermatocytes?
Mitosis division
Spermatogonia are small_________ germ cells, located in the ______________ of the seminiferous?
diploid—–basal compartment
What happens to the spermatogonia cells when puberty hits?
they will be influenced by testosterone production and thus enter the mitotic cycle
What are the two types of spermatogonia?
Dark type A and Pale type A
After type A spermatogonia what comes after?
Type B spermatogonia
Where are the spermatogonia cells located?
on the outsides of the seminiferous tubules(as they divide they will be moving into the insides)
Dark type A spermatogonia contain _________, thus they are dark color
heterochromatin
Why are Palt type A, pale color(colorless)?
have pale appearance because have few organelles present
Dark type A cells are considered________-?
reserve cells(have not entered the cell cycle but may do so)(have low mitotic rate)
When Pale type A get into mitosis, it produces _______?
Type B Spermatogonia
When Dark type A get into mitosis, it produces _______?
Pale Type A Spermatogonia
What induces type Pale type A to enter mitosis to produce type B spermatogonia?
testosterone
What happens when type B spermatogonia enters mitosis?
Primary spermatocytes
Difference between spermatogenesis/spermatocytogenesis and spermiogenesis?
spermatogenesis=genesis of spermatocyte
spermiogenesis=genesis of sperm
What happens when spermatid transforms into mature spermatid?
-it does not go into cell division
-spermatid CHANGES its external appearance into a sperm with a tail
What is the type A spermatogonia that follows the development of the spermatid?
Pale type A spermatogonia
Which cell gives rise to the primary spermatocytes?
Type B spermatogonia
Which cell is the most sensitive to deleterious effects of the ionizing radiation?
Type B spermatogonia
What is the largest cells of the seminiferous epithelium?
primary spermatocytes
Which cell in the spermatogenesis process is present only for less than 10hrs?
secondary spermatocytes (they enter second mitotic division to form spermatids)
Spermatid will be submitted into 4 phases to produce mature spermatids(sperm)?
Golgi phase
Cap phase
Acrosome phase
Maturation phase
Spermatids are haploid or diploid?
haploid
What happens during Golgi Phase in spermiogenesis?
Golgi apparatus will provide hydrolytic enzymes and those enzyme wil be encapsulated
What happens during Cap Phase in spermiogenesis?
-enzymes will help elongate the cell and will rearrange/reduce the number of the organelles(mitochondria will be rearrange)
-mircotubules for flagella will be formed
What happens during Acrosome Phase in spermiogenesis?
cytoplasm starts goes downward(is rearranged) with the mitochondria
What happens during Maturation Phase in spermiogenesis?
-Cytoplasm will be shed (to be able to form the acrosome and body)
-flagella is formed(from mitochondria)
-acrosome and body of the sperm is formed
Structure of the spermatozoa(sperm) is composed of?
Head(housing nucleus)(surrounded by acrosomal cap)
Short neck
Mid piece(connecting piece)
Tail
Acrosomal cap is composed of the enzymes from _________ and are known as?
—Golgi Apparatus—
1.Hyaluronidase
2.Neuraminidase
3.Acid Phosphatase
4.Acrosin(tripsin like protease)
The enzymes located in the acrosomal cap will get through the zona __________ of the ovum and ________?
zona pellucida of the the ovum and will fertilize the egg
What is the mid(connecting) piece of the sperm structure composed of?
full of mitochondrias(will give sperm the ATP/energy needed to move the flagella)
-responsable for the motility of the sperm
Tail of the sperm divides into?
-principal piece: contains fibrous sheath and axonemal complex(external/surrounding coarse fibers)
-end piece: contains only axonemal complex(just the microtubules but not the sheath)
The short neck of the sperm contains?
centrioles and origen of coarse fibers
Cycle of seminiferous epithelium duration is ? (Spermatogonium to complete spermatogenesis)
aprox 64 days(including spermatocytogenesis and spermiogenesis)
+ 12 days for the sperm to reach the epididymis
How many sperm cells are produced daily in male testis?
300 million sperm cells produced
Newly released sperm are ___________ ?
nonmotile
Why are newly released sperm into epididymis nonmotile?
because it needs to reach prostate, and mix with seminal fluid to be able to gain motility right before ejaculation(thus sperm when ejaculated inside vagina can swim to fertilize oocyte)
Since newly released/synthesized sperm are nonmotile, how are they carried from the seminiferous tubules into epididymis?
by fluid secreted by the sertoli cells(since they are nonmotile)
When the sperm reach epididymis, sperm will be exposed to ________?
-surface molecules(proteins/carbohydrates) that will surround sperm
-surface molecules will become coated with seminal plasma proteins when ejaculated
-when exposed to female tract plasma proteins dettach to expose molecules that bind to the zona pellucida
When does the sperm become capacitated?
when it arrives at the female tract(because sperm has capacity of fertalizing oocyte)
What are the ducts that are present in the structure of the testis?
intratesticular ducts(tubuli recti,rete testis)
extratesticular ducts (efferent ductules)(epididymis)(vas deferens)(ejaculatory duct)
Intratesticular ducts contain_________ and _________?
tubuli recti= lined by sertoli cells(sperm generated in seminiferous tubules will pass into tubuli recti) (have direct contact with the rete testis)
rete testis= obtain the sperm coming from the tubuli recti
Where are the sperm stored before ejaculation?
at the distal portion of the epididymis
Rete testis have a very ___________ tissue?
highly vascular connective tissue
Extratesticular ducts contains_____?
efferent tubules,ductus of epididymis and vas deferens
Efferent ductules are patches of ____?
non-ciliated cuboidal cells alternating with ciliated columnar cells
Efferent ductules become highly coiled and form_______?
coni vasculosi(6-10 conical masses)
What are the coni vasculosi?
cones like shape
(when the efferent ductules enter the epididymis the gather in a zigzag shape and form cones)
- every cone(coni vasculosi) will open up into 1 single duct and will merge into one in the body of the epididymis
Ductus of epididymis is divided into?
head
body
tail
The body of the epididymis is divided into:
initial segment, caput, corpus and cauda
What is the epithelium of the lumen of the epididymis?
pseudostratified epithelium composed of short basal cells and tall principal cells
Where are the basal cells and tall principal cells located in the epithelium of the epididymis?
-basal cells= located towards the external part of the ductus
-tall principal cells= located in the middle part of the ductus
What are the Short basal cells of the epithelium of the epididymis?
-pyramidal to polyhedral type cells
-round nuclei
- have clear cytoplasm
-function as stem cells(regenerate themselves and principal cells if need rises)
What are the Tall basal cells of the epithelium of the epididymis?
-irregular/oval nuclei
-have cluster of nonmotile microvilli
-produce GLYCEROPHOSPHOCHOLINE(glycoprotein that inhibits spermatozoa capacitation)
-produce FPP(fertalization promoting peptide) : prevents capacitation of spermatozoa until it reaches female tract
-phagotizes remnants of the cytoplasm that were not removed previously by sertoli cells
What is the epithelium present in the vas deferens?
pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium
What is the ductus deferens?
thick-walled MUSCULAR tube with a small, irregular lumen that transports sperms from the tail of the epididymis until the ejaculatory duct
Why is there a adventitia layer in the vas deferens?
because it come from the retroperitoneo
Vas deferens connects in the prostate with the______?
seminal vesicle
What happens when the ampulla of ductus deferens joins the seminal vesicle ?
forms the ejaculatory duct
What is the epithelium of the ejaculatory duct?
simple columnar epithelium
Does the ejaculatory duct have smooth muscle in its wall?
No.
No smooth muscle in ejaculatory duct(fibromuscular tissue of the prostate substitutes for it)
How many accessory glands does the male reproductive system have?
5 accessory glands
(2)= Bulbourethral glands for LUBRICATION
(2)=seminal vesicles to INCREASE VOLUMEN of sperm
(1)=prostate gland for MOTILITY with muscle
What are some characteristic of the semen?
Male semen around 3.5mL
pH= 7.7(basic)(acts like buffer for sperms to be able to survive because female pH is very acidic)
What is the epithelium of the seminal vesicles?
pseudostratified columnar epithelium
Mucosa of the seminal vesicles are highly convoluted, forming_________?
labyrinths
The columnar cells in the pseudostratified columnar epithelium of the seminal vesicles have short____________ and __________ projecting into the lumen of the gland?
Microvilli—- flagella
Height of the cells in the seminal vesicles are directly linked with?
blood testosterone levels
What is the function of the seminal vesicles?
produce yellow and viscous, fructose-rich seminal fluid(constitutets 70% of the volume of the semen) (energy source for sperm to move)
What is the main metabolic substrate for the sperm?
fructose
(in addition of simple sugars,amino acids,ascorbic acids and prostaglandins)
What is the zone of the prostate gland that is common for cancer?
Peripheral zone
What is the epithelium of the prostate gland?
pseudostratified columnar epithelium
Capsule of the prostate gland is composed of_______?
irregular collagenous connective tissue interspersed with smooth muscle cells
Prostate gland is a conglomeraton of 30-50 ________?
compound tuboloacinar glands
Prostate gland is arranged into 3 layers?
Mucosal
Submucosal
Peripheral layer(containing the glands)
Semen is completely formed with the help of the secretions of ?
prostate gland
seminal vesicles
bulbourethral glands
acinar cells have the ability to ____?
secrete fluids
Fluid from the seminal vesicle provides ________ to the sperm?
nurishment
the anterior fibromuscular stroma of the prostate gland is important because it contains______?
tons of collagen and muscle fibers
(prostate is a very fibrous tissue compared to the other accessory glands)
Bulbourethral glands and seminal vesicle have more_________
and prostate gland has more ___________?
tubuloacinar glands—- prostate has more stroma than glands
Prostate glands contain _______, which are hyaline masses
corpus amylacea
How much does the prostatic secretion constitute the semen ?
30% of the semen is formed by prostatic secretion (rich in lipids,proteolytic enzymes,acid phosphatase,fibrinolysin, and citric acid
What is the effect that the prostatic secretion give to the sperm?
Motility
Formation/secretion of the prostatic secretion is regulated by ?
dihydrotestosterone(active form the male hormone)
High testosterone will cause the prostate to..? and can cause_______
work more (which can cause tumor to grow)
Bulbourethral glands (cowper glands) are located in?
root of the penis
How is the consistency of the secretion by bulbourethral glands?
thick, slippery fluid (contains galactose and sialic acid) (plays a role in lubricating the lumen of the urethra)
What is the epithelium of the Bulbourethral glands?
simple cuboidal epithelium
Bulbourethral glands have a __________ capsule that contains fibroblasts, ________ muscle and _________ fibers
Fibroelasric—smooth muscle cells— skeletal muscle fibers
Bulbourethral glands have a _________ that divides each gland into different lobes?
septa
Penis is formed of three colums of:
erectile tissue(2 corpora cavernosa and 1 corpus spongium)
How is the corpora cavernosa localized ? How is the corpus spongium localized?
corpora cavernosa=dorsally
corpus spongium=ventrally
Corpus spongium houses?
the urethra
What is the Proximal shaft of the penis?
-touches the body of the penis
-has numerous sweat/sebaceous glands
What is the Glans of the penis?
-the most distal part of the penis
-has only few sweat glands
How does the erection work?
PNS via nitric oxide cause cavernous body to dilate thus increase pressure and causes the vein drainage to be constricted.
Thus blood will be stuck in cavernous body causing erection
