Male reproductive physiology Flashcards
What are the male reproductive organs?
Testicles - lie within the scrotum
What does the temperature of the testicles have to be below
the temp of the body in order to facilitate sperm production properly
what do the scrotum do?
1-2 degrees lower temperature then the abdo cavity
posterior to the testis is what gland?
epididymis
the sperm produced in the tested move to
epididymis - 3 months and mature - travel out
epididymis is connected by what tube
vas deferens, pass through inguinal region and curl around the bladder
- converges into urethra tube after prostate, travels up penis
what creates semen
seminal vesicles and prostate
In order for male fertility to remain intact - what do you need?
the structure of all organs and sperm pathway has to be intact
Structure of the testes is divided into?
seminiferous tubules
What are the testes surrounded by?
fibrous capsule called tunica albuginea
- penetrates into the testes and divides it into several lobules
site of sperm production?
seminiferous tubules
After the tubules merging, what do they lead into?
the head of the epididymis
- the body and the tail
What emerges from the epididymis tail?
vas deferens
all the lobule outflow goes into ?
the rete testis
How many cells within the seminiferous tubules?
3
What cell produce sperm?
germ cells
as sperm are produced they are driven towards?
the lumen of the testis
in addition to the germ cells, what other cells do you get?
where are they situated
Sertoli/sustentacular cells- inbetween the germ cells
support sperm producing cell, produce inhibin
What cells surround the seminiferous tubules?
Interstitial(Leydig) cells- produce testosterone
What do Interstitial(Leydig) cells produce? - needed for?
testosterone
- Male secondary sexual characters
main functions of the testes
Sperm production Millions of viable sperm per day
-Average time from production to ejaculation 64 days
Testosterone production
Average sperm cycle is?
3 months
What controls spermatogenesis?
Testosterone production
