Male Reproductive System Flashcards
Outline the general route of the sperm in a male
- Made of tightly coiled seminiferous tubules - where spermatogenesis occurs
- Sperm then enters hilum of testes - rete testis
- Then exit through efferent ductules where sperm become concentrated
- Enter epididymis where sperm start to mature and learn how to swim
- Epididymis continuous with ductus deferens - muscular tube that moves sperm away
Where are sertoli cells found
Walls of seminiferous tubule
State the action of sertoli cells
- Sertoli cells important in maturation of sperm
- Removes excess cytoplasm and look after sperm before it leaves to epididymis
State the action of leydig cells
- Sit outside of tubules and involved in synthesis of testosterone
- Full of lipid cells and lipid modification
Describe the blood supply to and from testes
- As testes descend from abdomen, they take blood supply with them
- Left and right testicular artery directly from abdominal aorta
- Venous drainage runs parallel to artery
- Right testicular vein drains into vena cava and left testicular vein drains into left renal vein
Describe the lymph drainage of the testes and scrotum
- Lymphatic drainage - drain into abdominal aortic region
- Lymph nodes of scrotum skin in the inguinal ligaments in the groin
- Large lymph nodes in groin most likely signals scrotum problem rather than testes problem
Describe the structure of the spermatic cord
- 3 fascia layers - internal, cremasteric, external
- 3 arteries - testicular artery, artery to vas, cremasteric artery
- 3 veins - testicular vein, vein to vas, cremasteric vein
- 3 nerves - ilioinguinal nerve, nerve to cremaster, sympathetic system
- Sympathetic system causes ejaculation
- Parasympathetic system causes erection (point and shoot)
- Sympathetic system causes ejaculation
State the arrangement of ureter and vas deferens
- Ureter passes underneath vas deferens
- Water passes under bridge
Where is a vasectomy done
- Vasectomy - clamp and cut vas deferens
- Done through scrotum and pull out spermatic cord
- Takes months for all sperm to be cleared below the vasectomy point
- Have to wait before unprotected sex
Explain testicular torsion
- Twisting of testes from spermatic cord
- Risk losing testes and becoming infertile if missed early on
- Twists on its blood supply
- Veins first get occluded as lower pressure which increases pressure in testes
- This increase pressure in twisted area leading to compartment syndrome in testes
- Fixed by opening scrotum and twisting testes back and suture testes to scrotum wall
Can testes switch sides
Scrotal septum prevents testes from switching sides
What is benign prostatic hypertrophy
- Transitional zone enlarges leading to compression of urethra
- Prostate grows bigger in response to androgens - prostate grows bigger over time
Where does prostatic cancer normally occur
- Cancer normally occurs in peripheral zone (rather than transitional zone in BPH)
- Doesnt normally cause urinary problems
- Can be examined from back as peripheral zone next to rectum
What is the most difficult to get past in catheterisation
- Urogenital diaphragm is a layer of pelvis on the pelvic floor
- Narrowest part of urethra
- In catheterisation, urogenital diaphragm most difficult spot to get past into the bladder
Briefly state the structure of the erectile tissue
- Urethra travels through corpus spongiosum (bottom round tissue)
- Corpus cavernosum are paired and main erectile tissue
- Mainly connected to pelvic
- White coating surrounding called tunica albuginea
- Tunica albuginea has longitudinal and circumferential fibres to create erection
State the blood supply to penis
Internal pudendal artery from the internal iliac artery
What can happen in rupture of tunica albuginea
- Rupture of tunica albuginea occurs in penile fracture
- Causes haematoma (huge swelling at base of penis)
