Male Reproductive Histology Flashcards
Where are the Interstitial Cells of Leydig located?
between the seminiferous tubules, close to blood vessels and lymphatic channels
What is a hallmark of Sertoli cells?
cyclops nucleus
What forms the blood-testis barrier? Be specific.
The tight junctions between Sertoli cells
What do the Sertoli-Sertoli junctional complex divide the epithelium into? (2)
- basal compartments
- adluminal compartments
What is restricted to the basal compartments? (2)
- spermatogonia
- early primary spermatocytes
What is restricted to the adluminal compartments? (2)
- mature spermocytes
- spermatids
How are mature spermatids released?
Spermiation
What happens during spermiation? (3)
- loss of intercellular bridges
- remodeling of spermatid head and cytoplasm (residual bodies)
- mature spermatids separated, released into lumen
What are the parts of the mature sperm? (3)
- head
- neck
- tail
What does the head of the sperm contain? (2)
- flattened, elongated nucleus
- capped by acrosome
What is the tail subdivided into? (3)
- middle piece (mitochondria)
- principal piece (longest segment)
- end piece
What is the sperm transport pathway? (6)
straight tubules → rete testis → efferent ductules → epididymis → ductus deferens → ejaculatory duct
What type of epithelium does most of the sperm conduction pathway contain?
pseudostratified columnar (some w/stereocilia - mainly the stuff conducting sperm to final resting place)
What cell types are contained in the epididymis? (2)
- principal cells
- stem cells
What are the zones of the prostate gland? (3)
- transition zone
- central zone
- peripheral zone
