male reproductive system Flashcards
auxiliary genital glands
prostate
seminal vesicles
bulbourethral glands (cowper)
Prostate
muscular and glandular component
inferior aspect: apex: lies adjacent to the urogential diaphragm
stroma: contains prostatic epithelial glands
- drain into excretory ducts, open on the floor of urethra
produces fluid that supports sperm
acts as valve for bladder
seminal vesicles
paired organs next to prostate under the base of the bladder
secrete fluid important for survival of sperm
bulbourethral glands (cowper)
each side of the membranous urethra within the urogential diaphragm
- release a mucoid secretion into urethra
scrotum
septum of CT divides sac into 2 compartments
- each contains a male gonad/testis with associated epididymis, lower end of vas deferens, and lower portion of spermatic cord.
- supports testes, regulates temp
testes
sperm production
covered in thick fascial layer: tunica albuginea
- invaginates posteriorly to form mediastinum testis
– send fibrous septa into each testis that separate it into different lobulues
lobulues of testes
contain 1-4 seminiferous tubules
seminiferous tubules
spermatozoa production occurs within epithelial lining seminiferous cells - sertoli cells (supporting) - spermatogenic cells converge on mediastinum testis connected by straight efferent ducts drain into head of epididymis
leydig cells
between seminiferous tubules and embedded in CT are interstitial
- produce and secrete testosterone
Epididymis
tightly coiled tube that lies along the top of and behind each testis
divided into 3 parts
- head: upper pole of testes
- body: posterior to testes
- tail: attatche dto inferior pole of testes
forms continuous tube that serves as conduit for maturing spermatozoa
Vas deferens
As tail of epididymis leaves testicular attachment it increased in diameter and becomes a thick, muscular tube
- follows an extraperitoneal course and passes caudally and laterally along pelvic wall
- terminated in a dilated ampulla that courses underneath the base of prostate.
ejaculatory duct
duct of seminal vesicles joins with duct of ampulla to form this
3 erectile bodies of penis
corpus cavernosum
- 2 paired on sides
corpus spongiosum
- contains urethra
3 segments of penis
root
- proximal ends of cavernosa which attach to pelvis bone and proximal end of spongiosum which connects to undersurface of urogenital diaphragm.
shaft/body
- connects 3 erectile bodies
glans
- forms distal segment of corpus spongiosum
tunica albuginea of penis
encloses each corpus in fascial sheath
- then surrounded by thick fibrous envelope: fascia of Buck.
hypothalmic-pituitary-testicular axis
hypothalamus
- GnRH (+ and -) acts upon pituitary
pituitary
- LH (+) and FSH (+) acts upon testis
Testis
- leydig cells
– testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol (- feedback to pituitary and hypothalamus)
-sertoli cells
– inhibin (- feedback on pituitary) activin (+ feedback on pituitary)
-germ cells
secretions from leydig cells and sertoli cells work on target organs.
acrosomal granule
spermatogenesis
- becomes acrosomal vesicle, cap, then acrosome
- attaches to nucleus of sperm to serve as the head and protector.
mitochondria of sperm
pack tightly into middle piece
transport of sperm
- released from sertoli/ spermatogenic cells into seminiferous tubules
- deposited into rete tesits
- collecting chamber for all seminiferous tubules
- travel through efferent ductule into epididymus
- vas deferens
- terminal portion of vas deferens: ampulla
- ejaculation ducts
- ejaculation accelerates passage of spermatozoa through vas deferens and distal end of epididymis.
capaciation
multiple changes that activate sperm and enhance ability to participate in fertilization
- 1-10 hour period once introduced into vagina
capaciation and utrerus and fallopian tubes
wash away various inhibitory factors that suppressed sperm activity in male genital ducts
- membrane of sperm head inc. permeability to Ca
- increase powerful whiplike motion of tail
- help with enzyme release when penetration ovum
