Male Repro Flashcards
Testes
for production of gametes and steroids (exocrine and endocrine)
Duct system
for transport of gametes
Accessory glands
for the production of additional additives to the semen
The production of sperm occurs in the ______ and is carried externally through the duct system which exits through the ______.
testis; penis
The testis is covered by visceral _______ and The _________
tunica vaginalis; tunica albuginea
Within the interstitial space are the _______ which produce testosterone
Leydig cells
Gametogenesis occurs within the seminiferous tubules, which also contain the supporting __________
Sertoli cells
The _________ has a thickened area on the posterior aspect of the testis which is termed the __________. This is the area where the vessels, nerves and ducts enter and leave.
tunica albuginea; mediastinum.
The testis is divided into _______ by the septum from the albuginea
lobules
In the testis, outside of the seminiferous tubules, is the interstitial area containing
the vasculature, lymphatics and Leydig cells.
The tubular wall is made of
fibroblasts and connective tissue.
The seminiferous tubules are divided into a basal and adluminal compartments by the
Sertoli-Sertoli cell tight junctions
In the fetal testis the interstitial compartment is the largest but the Leydig cells are indistinct and mostly nonfunctional. The tubules contain _______ and gonocytes but lack a _______
supportive cells; lumen
In the tubule the gonocytes are pail staining precursors to the germ cells and the supportive cells are early ________.
Sertoli cells
THE TUNICA VAGINALIS IS
A THIN LAYER OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE COVERED BY MESOTHELIUM.
THE TUNICA ALBUGINEA IS
A THICK CONNECTIVE TISSUE COVERING WHICH CONTAINS THE FUNCTIONAL PARTS OF THE TESTIS
The _______, in the interstitial area, are the primary producers of the steroid hormone testosterone in the male. The cells are characterized by
Leydig cells; a round nucleus often seen with a ring of heterochromatin.
Cells which produce steroids (ie Leydig cells) are characterized by an abundance of certain organelles these include?
Cells which produce steroids typically contain abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria with tubular cristae and well developed golgi apparatus
Testosterone, as other steroids, are derived from cholesterol, production is stimulated by the action of ________ from the anterior pituitary
luteinizing hormone (lh)
The seminiferous tubule is seperated from the interstitium by the tubular wall made up of
connective tissue layers, layers of fibroblasts and a distinct basement membrane.
THE SEMINIFEROUS EPITHELIUM IS RATHER COMPLEX IN ITS MAKE UP. THE SERTOLI CELLS ARE
THE SUPPORTING OR “NURSE” CELL OF THE EPITHELIUM.
THE ________ CELL RESTS ON THE BASEMENT MEMBRANE AND REACHES TO THE LUMINAL SURFACE. The cells contain cytoplasmic processes which surround the developing germ cells.
SERTOLI
The Sertoli cell has several functions which support the developing germ cells as they differentiate from
spermatogonia to sperm
One of the primary functions of the Sertoli cell is the formation of _________.
specialized junctions
The two most important junctions are the ________ junction, which divides the epithelium into a basal and adluminal compartment, and the ______ junction which forms as the spermatid reaches the luminal edge.
Sertoli-Sertoli; Sertoli-Spermatid
excludes most substances from reaching the adluminal compartment forming a blood-testis barrier. This barrier is important in protecting the developing germ cells.
sertoli-sertoli junction
The blood testis barrier in conjunction with the sertoli cell protects the germ cells from
autoimmune destruction
The germ cells begin to differentiate at _______, after the body has determined self and nonself. This results in the later stages being antigenic. In some disease states the barrier breaks down resulting in destruction of the germ cells and infertility.
puberty
THE SERTOLI SUPPORTS THE GERM CELLS _________. The blood testis barrier prevents nutritional components from reaching the later stages of the germ cells. This requires that all substances needed by these cells must pass through or be provided by the Sertoli cells.
PHYSICALLY AND NUTRITIONALLY
The Sertoli cell also produces _______ which helps stabilize and sequester testosterone, _________ which prevents development of the mullerian duct. (this developes in the female into parts of the female system), _______ which inhibits FSH production in the pituitary, and ________ which transfers iron.
androgen binding protein; antimullerian hormone; inhibin; transferrin
