Male Reproduction Flashcards
What is the testis?
Contained in a bag of skin (scrotum) and produces sperm and testosterone
What is the epididymis?
coiled tubes that store sperm until ejaculation
What is the vas deferens?
sperm passes through the vas deferens to be mixed with fluids produced by the glands before being passed into the urethra for ejaculation
What is the prostate gland and seminal vesicle?
Produce an alkaline, sugar-rich fluid (fructose) that provides sperm with a source of energy to help them move
What is the urethra?
Tube running down the center of the penis that can carry out urine or semen
What is the penis?
Passes urine out of the body from the bladder and allows semen to pass into the vagina of a woman during sexual intercourse
What is gametogenesis?
the process by which diploid precursor cells undergo meiotic division to become haploid gametes (sex cells)
What are the steps of gametogenesis?
Multiple mitotic divisions and cell growth of precursor germ cells
Two meiotic divisions (meiosis I and II) to produce haploid daughter cells
Differentiation of the haploid daughter cells to produce functional gametes
Where is spermatozoa produced?
the seminiferous tubules of the testes
What is the first step of spermatogenesis?
The process begins at puberty when the germline epithelium of the seminiferous tubules divides by mitosis
What happens to spermatagonia in spermatogenesis?
they undergo a period of cell growth, becoming spermatocytes
How do the spermatocytes become spermatids?
The spermatocytes undergo two meiotic divisions to form four haploid daughter cells (spermatids)
How do the spermatids become spermatozoa?
The spermatids then undertake a process of differentiation in order to become functional sperm cells (spermatozoa)
What is the function of a haploid nucleus?
To fuse with an ovum nucleus to form a diploid zygote
What is the function of an acrosome?
contains digestive, or hydrolytic, enzymes to aid entry into the ovum
