Male reproduction Flashcards
What are the testes located in?
the scrotum
What cords suspends the testes from the abdomen?
the spermatic cord
Spermatozoa are produced in which tubules of the testes?
the seminiferous tubules
Where do the seminiferous tubules drain into?
the rete testes
What ducts transport sperm from the rete testes to the epididymus?
efferent tubules
What are the testes covered by in the scrotum that has parietal peritoneal origin? It lubricates the testes
tunica vaginalis
What is the fibrous capsule that encloses the testes and divides the testes into lobules ?
the tunica albuginea
What parts can the epididymus be divided into?
head, body and tail
What is the blood supply of the testes?
testicular arteries that comes from the abdominal aorta
What problems can failure of testes descent occur? Does failure of testes descent effect testosterone production?
effects sperm production but not testosterone production
What cells in the testes are also referred to as interstitial cells?
leydig cells
What contains the vas deferens, the blood vessels and nerves supplying the testes?
the spermatic cord
What does the vas deferens join with to form the ejaculatory duct?
duct from the seminal vesicle
Where is the nucleus in the sperm cell?
the head
What is the tip of nucleus of a sperm cell covered by that contains enzymes?
acrosome
Which part of the sperm cell contains the mitochondria?
the midpiece
How long does the entire process of spermatogenesis take?
64 days
Which type of cell forms an unbroken ring around the circumference of the seminiferous tubule ?
sertoli cells
What type of cell can pahgocytose defective sperm?
sertoli cells
What hormone do sertoli cells secrete?
inhibin
What does the ejaculatory duct join with?
the urethra
What comprises semen?
sperm and secretions from the seminal vesicles and prostate gland
What is GnRH secreted by?
the hypothalamus
What secretes FSH and LH?
the anterior pituitary
What type of cell does FSH act on?
sertoli cells to stimulate spermatogenesis
What type of cell does LH act on?
Leydig cells
LH acting on leydig cells stimulates the secretion of which hormone?
testosterone
What hormone secreted by leydig cells is required for spermatogensis?
testosterone
How does testosterone inhibit LH secretion?
acting on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary
What hormone do sertoli cells produce in response to FSH?
inhibin
What is testosterone converted into in target cells?
DHT or estradiol
What is hypogonadism?
decrease in testosterone release from the testes
What are the male, undifferentiated germ cells?
spermatogonia
What do spermatogonia divide to become?
primary spermocytes
What do primary spermocytes become?
secondary spermocytes
What do secondary spermocytes become?
spermatids
How many spermatids does each spermocyte produce?
4
What do spermatids differentiate into?
spermatozoa
