Male Infertility Flashcards
What is defined as sex?
- genotypical sex (XX = Female)
- GENDER Identity
- Gonadal Sex (presence of gonads)
- Genital Sex
What do the sertoli cells secret?
mULLERIAN INHIBITING factor (inhibits female reproductive tract prodn)
What makes up a Wolffian ducts?
- MALE reproductive system: epidymis, vas deferense and seminal vesicles
What occurs in females?
- Wolffian ducts DEGENRATE
- Mullerian ducts develop into female reprod. tract
What does DHT bring about?
dht STIMULATES the development of the male EXTERNAL genitalia structures
- so absence of DHT: no penile formation
When can you differentiate sex of a baby?
16 week
—TRIPLE sign in female
What is ANDROGEN INSENSITIIVTY SYNDROME?
- female fetus with y chromosome
- –female phenotypic external genitalia
WHy does AIS occur?
- D/T congenital insensitivity to androgens - ANDROGEN induction of WOLFFIAN duct DOES NOT occur.
- —-mullerian inhibition occurs (MIF remains sensitive)
How does AIS present as?
- at PUBERTY with PRIMARY amenorrhoea
- lack of pubic hair
What supplies the testis?
- tesiticular artery from the aorta
- —L drains into left renal vein
- R into IVC
Malignancy to testis, involves which lymph nodes?
-paraaortic lymph node
The descent of the testis depends on which hormone?
- androgen
What is undescended testes called? When should it ideally descend?
- Cryptorchidsm
- —should come down by 6-9 months of age
Why may cryptorchidsm cause infertility?
—at body temperature
—-reduced spermatogenesis - poor sperm count
(if unilateral undescended teste–still fertile)
What is associated with reduced penile size?
- smoking
- obesity
- tesiticular failure (undescended/Klinefelter)
- environmental
- endocrine
Where is the gene package in the sperm?
Head of the sperm
What drives the sperm?
- mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm
ROle of sertoli cells?
- sertoli forms tight jxns between themselves
- creates ALKALINE fluid
- secrete seminiferous tubulue fluid and androgen binding globulin
- secret INHIBIN AND ACTIVIN
- PROVIDES nutrients for developing cells
How is the action of the GnRH diff. in males ?
—-continuous release (still pulsatile; not cyclic)
WHat does LH act on?
- LEYDIG cells
- REGULATES TESTOSTERONE release
What regulates the release of LH and FSH?
- GnRH
WHat helps the sperm to get through the Zona Pellucida?
- Acrosome
What is the EXIT route from testes to urethra ?
- Epidydimis
- vas defrens