Male Reproductive System Flashcards
Leydig cells
Secrete androgens
In the interstitium of the testes
Signal development of the secondary sex characteristics
LH
Stimulates Leydig cells to produce testosterone and other androgenic hormones, which have a negative feedback to hypothalamus
4 major diseases
Infertility
Congenital abnormalities
Infections
Tumors
Cryptorchidism
Congenital malpositioning of testis outside of their normal scrotal location
Retractile testes due to unclosed inguinal canal
Infertility can result if both testes are cryptorchid (too hot in body for sperm production)
These testes have a 10x greater risk of malignant transformation than normal testes
Balanitis
Inflammation of the glans penis
Orchitis
Inflammation of the testes
Inflammation in older men is result of…
Urinary retention secondary to prostatic enlargement
Herpes vs Syphilis
Herpes: grouped vesicles with clear fluid
Syphilis: dirty looking ulcer
Genital herpes
HSV 2
Vesicles located on the glans or skin of the penis or scrotum
Antivirals for relief
Gonorrhea
Neisseria gonorrhoeae presents with burning on urination and a yellow urethral purulent discharge
Mild fever
Resistant strains emerging
3 stages of syphilis
Primary: chancre and inguinal lymphadenopathy
Secondary: systemic spread of spirochetes, fever/macular rash/condyloma latum/hepatitis/other internal organ inflammations
Tertiary: CNS, CV lesions, 20 years later, incurable
Chancre
From syphilis
Painless, indurated ulcer
Heals spontaneously
3 germ cell tumors of the testes
Seminoma
Malignant nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, yolk sac tumor, choriocarcinoma)
Mixed germ cell tumor
What is
1. AFP
2. hCG
secreted by
- Yolk sac tumor
2. Choriocarcinoma
Embryonal carcinoma
20-30 year age group
More aggressive than seminomas
Necrotic and hemorrhagic tumor composed of sheets of malignant cells
High nuclear grade - bad prognosis
Teratoma
Malignant in males (always)
Mixture of elements from more than one germ layer
Leydig cell tumor
Produce excessive testosterone from a Leydig cell tumor
Can cause precocious puberty in preadolescent males
10% malignant
Oval cells with round nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm
Sertoli cell tumor
Usually benign
Tumor is composed of cells arranged into tubules resembling an immature testes
Testicular lymphoma
Rare (5% of all testicular neoplasms)
Most common testicular cancer in older men
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - large cell
Usually disseminated, rarely confined to testis
Prognosis uncertain
Difference between benign prostatic hyperplasia and carcinoma of the prostate
BPH: central part becomes hyperplastic and compresses urethra
CP: Usually on the outer parts of the prostate so does not cause compression symptoms
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Reactive enlargement of the periurethral portion of the prostate gland
As it enlarges, it compresses the urethra
Pathogenesis not fully understood
Most common cancer of internal organs in males
Carcinoma of the prostate
Third most common cause of cancer related deaths in males
PSA
Prostate-specific antigen
Good marker of prostate carcinoma but has low specificity
Penile cancer is mostly what type
Squamous cell carcinoma
Associated with HPV or poor hygiene
