Male Repro Flashcards
What features would indicate poor semen quality?
Low sperm numbers
Low sperm concentration
Immotile sperm
Abnormal sperm morphology
What is the arterial supply of the penis?
Dorsal arteries of the penis, deep arteries of the penis, bulbourethral arteries
These are all branches of the internal pudendal artery which comes from the internal iliac artery.
What is the venous drainage of the penis?
Deep dorsal vein of the penis- empties cavernosum space
Superficial dorsal veins of the penis- superficial structures
What is the function of the corpus cavernosum?
Becomes engorged with blood during erection
What is the function of the corpus spongiosum?
Prevents urethra closing during erection
What are the layers of the scrotum and testes from outside to inside?
Skin Dartos muscle and fascia External spermatic fascia Cremasteric muscle and fascia Internal spermatic fascia Tunica vaginalis - visceral and parietal Tunica albuginea
What cells in the testes does LH act upon? What hormone does it cause them to secrete?
Leydig cells
Testosterone
What cells in the testes does FSH act upon? What hormones does it cause them to secrete?
Sertoli cells
AMH
Inhibin
Androgen binding protein
What are the contents of the spermatic cord?
Pampiniform plexus Ductus deferens Cremasteric artery Testicular artery Artery of ductus deferens Genital branch on genitofemoral nerve Sympathetic nerve fibres Lymphatic vessels Processus vaginalis
What are the names and lengths of the different parts of the male urethra?
Prostatic - 2-3cm
Membranous - 1-2cm
Spongy - 15-16cm
What are the different types of epithelium present in prostatic, membranous and spongy urethras?
Prostatic- transitional
Membranous- pseudostratified columnar
Spongy- pseudostratified columnar and stratified squamous closer to the penis
What is the arterial supply of the scrotum?
Pudendal branches of the femoral artery
What is the arterial supply of the testis?
Testicular artery (branch of the abdominal aorta)
What is the venous drainage of the testis and scrotum?
Pampiniform plexus of veins, right to IVC, left to left renal vein
What is the lymphatic drainage of the penis?
Inguinal and internal iliac nodes
What is the lymphatic drainage of the testes?
Para-aortic nodes
What is the lymphatic drainage of the scrotum?
Superficial inguinal nodes
What makes up the walls of the inguinal canal?
Upper wall -
internal oblique muscle
Transverse abdominus muscle
Anterior wall -
Aponeurosis of external oblique
Aponeurosis of internal oblique
Lower wall -
Inguinal ligament
Lacunar ligament
Posterior wall -
Transversalis fascia
Conjoint tendon
What type of epithelium is present in the ductus deferens?
Pseudostratified columnar with stereocilia
What what does the prostrate gland secrete?
Acid phosphatase and proteolytic enzymes which liquify coagulated sperm
Slightly acidic fluid - contains citrate
What do the bulbourethral glands produce?
Mucus like pre-ejaculatory fluid
What do the seminal vesicles produce?
Alkaline fluid containing prostaglandins and fructose
How long does spermatogenesis take?
64 days
What is the order of the tubules in the testis leading up to the vas deferens?
Seminiferous tubules Straight tubules Rete testes Efferent ductules Vas deferens
How many lobules are in the testis? How many seminiferous tubules are contained in each lobule?
30-50 lobules
1-4 tubules
What is capacitation?
When the sperm cell increases in motility and fertilisation ability whilst in the female tract. Uterine secretions aid this process.
What two layers surrounding the oocyte must the sperm cell penetrate to fertilise the egg?
The outer corona radiata and the inner zona pellucida
How long can sperm cells remain fertile for in the female tract?
48 hours
What is the name of the enzyme on the zona pellucida that sperm bind to, triggering the acrosome reaction?
ZP3
