Male Reproductive System

Question 1

What is the role of genital ducts in the male reproductive system?

Answer 1

Production of nourishing and lubricating secretions, have smooth muscle in the walls that contract to propel spermatozoa towards the exterior

Question 2

What is semen?

Answer 2

Combination of glandular secretion from glands and spermatozoa produced by the testes

Question 3

Secretions from what structure make up the most of semen volume?

Answer 3

Seminal vesicles

Question 4

What is the innermost layer of the testes?

Answer 4

Tunica albuginia- dense connective tissue capsule

Question 5

Which layer of the testis enters the parenchyma of the testis to divide it into lobules?

Answer 5

Tunica albuginia

Question 6

Describe the anatomy of a testicular lobule?

Answer 6

Each lobule has 1-4 seminiferous tubules that are surrounded by interstitial loose connective tissue

Question 7

True or False: There is not communication between testicular lobules?

Answer 7

False

Question 8

What type of cells are contained the interstitum between testicular lobules?

Answer 8

Leydig/ interstitial cells

Question 9

Which cells of the testes secrete testosterone?

Answer 9

Leydig cells

Question 10

From what is the tunica vaginalis derived?

Answer 10

Peritoneum

Question 11

How is the consistency in testis temperature maintained?

Answer 11

Pampiniform plexus creates a countercurrent heat exchange system with the testicular artery; Dartos muscle in subcutaneous tissue wrinkles or relaxes to spread out skin to change surface area to modify heat exchange; Cremaster m. raises testes closer to the body

Question 12

What is cryptorchidism?

Answer 12

Failure of the testis to descend into the scrotal sac, inhibiting spermatogenesis but not interstitial cells

Question 13

What structures have specialized epithelium where sperm are produced? Into what structure do sperm next enter?

Answer 13

Seminiferous tubules; Straight tubule

Question 14

What is the pathway of sperm out of the testes?

Answer 14

Seminiferous tubules-> straight tubules-> rete testes–> efferent ductules–> epididymus

Question 15

What sort of epithelium does the seminiferous tubules have?

Answer 15

Complex, specialized stratified epithelium- germinal or seminiferous epithelium

Question 16

True or False: Myeloid cells within the inner layer of seminiferous tubules allow for weak contraction

Answer 16

True

Question 17

What are the two main types of cells of the seminiferous tubule?

Answer 17

Dividing spermatozoa, and Sertoli cells

Question 18

What are the two major processes that occur in the seminiferous tubules? What is each?

Answer 18

Spermatogenesis (Process of producing haploid gametes from diploid spermatogonia) and Spermiogenesis (Process of modifying the gametes to resemble and function as sperm)

Question 19

Into what types of cells can spermatogonia mitotically divide? What is the difference?

Answer 19

Type A Spermatogonia and Type B Spermatogonia; Type A remain as spermatogonia germ cells and Type B are destned to produce sperm

Question 20

What cells result from mitotic division of Type B spermatogonia?

Answer 20

Primary spermatocytes

Question 21

Which are the biggest cells of the germinal epithelium?

Answer 21

Primary spermatocytes

Question 22

Approximately how long does it take for the 1st meiotic prophase of spermatogenesis to take place?

Answer 22

22 days

Question 23

What cells result from the first meiotic division? Into which cells do they divide?

Answer 23

Secondary Spermatocytes; Spermatids

Question 24

How many spermatids will be produced from one primary spermocyte?

Answer 24

4

Question 25

What is the function of Sertoli cells?

Answer 25

Support, protect, and nourish the developing spermatogonia; endocrine and exocrine functions, and phagocytosis of shed cytoplasm

Question 26

Which cells form the blood-testis barrier? What is the function of the barrier?

Answer 26

Sertoli cells; prevents autoimmune attacks against spermatogenic cells

Question 27

What compartments do the Sertoli cells create? In which compartment do spermatogonia develop?

Answer 27

Basal and adluminal compartments; Basal

Question 28

True or False: Developing spermatogonia are all connected with one another.

Answer 28

True

Question 29

What is involved in spermiogenesis?

Answer 29

Formation of an acrosome head cap, condensation and elongation of the nucleus, development of the flagellum, shedding of excess cytoplasm

Question 30

What cells are contained in the lining of the straight tubules?

Answer 30

Only sertoli cells

Question 31

What is the rete testis?

Answer 31

A tubular network that brings sperm from the straight tubules to the efferent ductules

Question 32

What type of epithelium is in the rete testis? What specialized structure is found on it?

Answer 32

Simple cuboidal with microvilli and one cilia

Question 33

What is the appearance of efferent ductules? Why is this so?

Answer 33

Scalloped border resulting from two patches of cells with varying heights- shorter cells with microvilli and taller cells with cilia

Question 34

What is the physiologic function of the epididymus?

Answer 34

Storage and maturation of sperm

Question 35

What modifications happen to sperm in the epididymus?

Answer 35

Become motile, gain membrane receptors and express zona pellucida proteins

Question 36

What sort of epithelium is found in the epididymus? What membrane specializations are found on the epididymus epithelium?

Answer 36

Pseudostratified columnar epithelium; Sterocilia

Question 37

At what point in the sperm's pathway does smooth muscle begin to be seen?

Answer 37

Epididymus

Question 38

What is the histologic appearance of the vas deferens?

Answer 38

Thick smooth muscle ring around a collapsed lumen

Question 39

How is the smooth muscle of the vas deferens arranged?

Answer 39

Longitudinal inner and outer layer and a middle circular layer

Question 40

What sort epithelium is in the vas deferens?

Answer 40

Pseudostratified columnar epithelium with patches of stereocilia

Question 41

Into what does the vas deferens empty? What also empties into this structure?

Answer 41

Vas deferens ends at the ampulla where it is joined by the duct of the seminal vesicle which together create the ejaculatory ducts

Question 42

Into what does the ejaculatory duct empty?

Answer 42

Prostatic urethra

Question 43

What sort of epithelium is in the prostatic urethra? Membranous?

Answer 43

Transitional; Stratified or pseudostratified columnar

Question 44

True or False: The prostate contains smooth muscle?

Answer 44

True

Question 45

What is secreted by the prostate?

Answer 45

Mainly glycoproteins and enzymes

Question 46

What are corpora amylacea?

Answer 46

Prostatic concentrations containing primarily deposited glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans

Question 47

What is secreted by the seminal vesicle?

Answer 47

Mainly fructose, prostaglandins, and fibrinogen

Question 48

What percent of ejaculate is contributed by the seminal vesicles?

Answer 48

~70%

Question 49

What is the function of the bulbourethral and urethral glands? What regulates mucus secretion?

Answer 49

Secrete mucus in response to excitation in the male, lubricating the penile urethra and balancing pH; Testosterone

Question 50

What are the three masses of erectile tissue in the penis? Which contains the urethra? Which makes the glans penis?

Answer 50

Corpus spongiosum (contains urethra), and two corpora cavernosum; corpora spongiosum

Question 51

What composes erectile tissue?

Answer 51

Vascular cavernous sinuses lined with endothelium

Question 52

How is an erection obtained and sustained?

Answer 52

With PSNS innervation the smooth muscle in the helicine aa relax allowing blood to fill vascular sinus– PSNS relaxes muscle in wall of sinus allowing expansion, which constricts the veins, blocking venous blood and causing erection

Question 53

What is the neural stimuli for erection and ejaculation?

Answer 53

Parasympathetics to helicine aa result in arousal; sympathetic innervation to smooth muscle in glands and ducts results in ejaculation