Male Reproductive System Flashcards by Holly Soetaert

What are the two functions of the male repro system?

Produce male gametes (spermatozoa)
Deliver male gametes to female reproductive tract

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What are the 4 parts that the system is organized into? What are their functions?

Testes: production of spermatozoa and male sex hormone (testosterone)
Ducts: sperm storage, maturation, transport
Accessory glands: secrete majority of seminal fluid and the secretions function in maintenance/ maturation of sperm
Penis: male organ of copulation, common pathway for sperm and urine

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What are the 9 main anatomical features of this system and their brief functions?

Urethra: for urine/sperm
Penis: copulation and pathway for sperm/ urine
Scrotum: contains tesis, epididymis, ductus deferens
Testis: in scrotum contains sperm
Epididymis: tubular network for sperm transfer
Ductus deferens: carries sperm to penis
Bulbourethral gland
Ejaculatory duct: secretions enters urethra
Prostate: secretions for seminal fluid
Seminal vesicle: end of DD, produces semen to carry sperm

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What are the 3 anatomical structures for gonad migration? What is gonad migration?

Inguinal ligament
Inguinal canal
Superficial inguinal ring
Gonads start development in your back (retroperitoneal) and migrate inferiorly via the inguinal ligament and leave the body in the males and sit outside in the scrotum for temperature management, too hot in body for sperm (35 degrees is optimal and body is 37), but they maintain original vascular supply

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What is the spermatic cord and what is included in it?

Connects structures in testes to above structures, contains the Deferential artery, DD, pampiniform plexus, testicular artery

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What is the scrotal septum? What are the scrotal sacs homologous to in females?

Fibrous tissue separating LT and RT scrotal sac
Homologous to labia majora

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What are the two muscles in the male genitalia?

Cremaster muscle: thin muscle to draw testes back up in to abdominal wall
Dartos muscle:always active, make rugae on scrotal sac, relax to move testes away from body and contract to pull them towards (temperature management)

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What is surrounding the testes?

Tunica vaginalis: part of parietal peritoneum pulled by gonads as they go to scrotal sack

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What are the two components of the semen?

Spermatozoa and secretions from accessory glands

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What are the 8 anatomical parts of the testes?

Tunica vaginalis: part of peritoneum dragged down, 2 layers (visceral in contact with testes and parietal in contact with scrotal skin), both serous to testes can move but not too much
Efferent ductules
Rete testis: tubular network from ST to epididymis (spermatozoa transport)
Seminiferous tubule: manufacture spermatozoa before passed to tubule network to bring to epididymis
Tunica albuginea: white, outer wall of testes proper, STRONG
Scrotal cavity
Ductus deferens: bring to urethra
Epididymis: gets spermatozoa from rete, GAIN ability to move/fertilize here

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What is the order of structures through the testes?

Seminiferous tubule (make spermatozoa)
Rete testis (send spermatozoa from ST to epididymis)
Efferent ductules (connect rete to epididymis)
Epididymis (gets sperm from rete, GAIN MOBILITY)
Ductus deferens (sends spermatozoa to urethra in spermatic cord)

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What happens if there is too much movement allowed by serous tunica vaginalis membrane?

Testicular torsion: blood vessels become twisted in spermatic cord and cut off blood flow
EMERGENCY

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What are the three things in the seminiferous tubule?

Interstitial cells (make testosterone)
Spermatogenic cells (make sperm)
Spermatozoa

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What is spermatogenesis and where does it occur?

Process by which sperm is produced within the seminiferous tubules

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What is the order of structures/cells created during sperm creation in the spermatocytes? (3)

Spermatogonia (stem cells present at birth)
Primary spermatocytes
Spermatids

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What are the Sertoli cells and what do they do? Where are they?

BIG AND PALE
Create outside barrier of seminiferous tubule
Create tight junctions that the sperm cells must pass through when maturing

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What is spermiogenesis? What are the three things that happen to the spermatozoon here?

Final stage of spermatogenesis
Transformation of round spermatid into asymmetric spermatozoon (condensation of nucleus, formation of acrosome, development of flagellum)

What are three defining things that happen during spermiogenesis in terms of structre?

Acrosomal cap
Condensation of mitochondria into spiral in the middle piece
Shed cytoplasm

What is the structure of the spermatozoon? (3 large segments, few small ones)

Head: acrosome and nucleus
Midpiece: mitochondria produce ATP that generates the beating of the flagellum)
Tail: flagellum

What are the four things that the acrosome does?

Breaks down when sperm contacts egg
Contains enzymes that bore a hole in zona pellucida (becomes like concrete after this, immobilizing other sperm so only the one can enter)
Allows sperm to reach plasma membrane of egg
Egg and sperm plasma membranes fuse at fertilization

What are the immune considerations surrounding male reproductive system?

At birth: testes contain only spermatogonia and sertoli cells
Spermatocytes, spermatids, and sperm do not develop intil puberty
Immune system established shortly after birth and learns what is ENDOGENOUS and what is FOREIGN
Immune system will see sperm proteins as foreign because not present as BIRTH

What is the blood testis barrier? What forms it? Why is it necessary?

Created by tight junctions between Sertoli cells
NECESSARY: without it, sperm would lose progenitors because immune system would destroy them

What is the purpose of Leydig cells?

Secrete testosterone into vasculature

What are the 2 things testosterone does?

Regulates spermatogenesis
Stimulates development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics

What is the role of FSH and LH in the male repro system?

FSH: stimulates Sertoli cells to support spermatogenesis LH: stimulates Leydig cells to produce testosterone

What are the 3 purposes of the epididymis?

Sperm is stored here Sperm undergoes maturation here Sperm must pass through here in order to become motile

What is the implications of sperm maturation in the epididymis for IVF?

For IVF to be effective, you must be attaining sperm AFTER they have gone through the epididymis because then they are MOTILE Best way to get this is to have patient masturbate into cup

What are the 2 structural and one functional aspect of the ductsu deferens?

Long muscular tube Lined by pseudostratified epithelium Conducts sperm from epididymis to seminal vesicles

What are some characteristics of the seminal vesicles? (5)

Mucosa highly amplified Secrete 60% of seminal fluid Secretions contain coagulating factors to help form bolus of semen to sit in vaginal canal and not come back out High content of fructose (energy source) Enables sperm motility

What are two features of the prostate gland?

Secretes 30% of seminal fluid Contains hydrolytic enzymes to liquefy ejaculated sperm so it can reach egg and release spermatozoa

What prevents sperm backflow into seminal vesicle when it is put into the urethra?

Prostate gland contracts to push it down and internal urethral sphincter closes so it does not go up and only goes down

What is contained within the root of the penis? (2) What is the function of the second part?

Crura (2) of penis Bulb of penis: blood reservoir attached to penis, muscles here contract to push blood to CS/CC to be rigid and elongated

What are the two engorgement structures in the penis? What are they collectively called with the urethra?

Corpus spongiosum: inner muscle layer, surrounds urethral lumen, rigid and elongated with blood Corpus cavernosum: outer muscle layer, largest engorgement structures to elongate/ become rigid (2)

What are the two structures on the tip of the penis?

Prepuce: surrounds glans for protection, foreskin, removed sometimes, personal decision or religious Glans (same as glans clitoris)

What is the role of the tunica albuginea in terms of enlargement?

Prevents indefinite enlargement, contricts size

What is the blood supply to the penis like?

Dorsal artery, vein and nerve Central artery in CC

How does viagra work? Why is it potentially dangerous?

Causes uncoiling of the tubes (mimics parasympathetic) and enlarge/rigid BUT can last a long time Do not want blood ALWAYS here because prevents nutrients from getting in More than 3-4 hours of erection needs medical attention and sympathetic meds can counter it

What is the blood supply to the CC?

Central (deep) arteries supply blood here Drained by veins in surrounding connective tissue sheath

What are the 4 things involved in the mechanism of erection?

Parasympathetic stimulation causes vasodilation of central arteries Erectile tissue becomes engorged with blood Peripheral veins become compressed, retarding drainage Sympathetic stimulation causes ejaculation

What do the glands of littre do?

Secrete into urethral lumen to lubricate tissue

Why are secretions into the urethra necessary?

Urine is acidic and will dry and burn through urethra and chew up the sperm

What lubricates and cleans urethra before sperm arrives?

Bulbourethral gland constricts and secretes into urethra to clean and neutralize the tract before sperm Pre-ejaculate