Male Reproductive Tract Flashcards
Name the male reproductive anatomy associated with being the “High Speed Manufacturing” unit
The testes
Name the portion of the male reproductive anatomy associated with being a “finishing shop”
Head and body of the epididymis
Name the part of the male reproductive anatomy associated with being “warehouse and shipping”
The tail of the epididymis
Name the portion of the male reproductive anatomy associated with being “final alterations and packing”
The accessory sex glands
The “delivery system” of the male reproductive anatomy is what?
The penis
Name the six basic components of the male reproductive tract
- Spermatic cord
- Scrotum
- Testes
- Excurrent duct system
- Accessory sex glands
- Penis and muscles
Name the four layers of the scrotum
- Skin
- Tunica dartos
- Scrotal fascia
- Parietal vaginal tunic
What are the functions of the spermatic cord?
- Provide vascular, lymphatic, and neural connection to the body
- Provide heat exchange
- To house the cremaster muscle, ductus deferens, and pampiniform plexus
What is the spermatozoal production in mammals, for both testes in a normal male, per day? Per second?
1-25 billion per day, or 35k-200k spermatozoa per second
The testicular capsule is composed of what two layers?
- The visceral vaginal tunic
- Tunica albuginea (connective tissue capsule)
The interior surfaces of the tunica albuginea and the surfaces of the septal divisions forming the lobules (within the testis) are called what?
The tunica vasculosa
Where, specifically, are rete tubules located within the testis?
Within the mediastinum
What is the name of the tiny channels through which spermatozoa are transported out of the testis?
Rete tubules
What is the name of the highly convoluted loops found within the parenchyma of the testis?
Seminiferous tubules
What are the two portions of the seminiferous tubules?
- The convoluted portion, “tubulus contortus”
- The straight portion, “rectus” (joins the rete tubule)
Where does spermatogenis primarily take place?
In the tubulus contortus of the seminiferous tubules, within the parenchyma of the testis
What are the two layers of the seminiferous tubule and what is the tubule surrounded by?
The two layers are the 1. Basement membrane, and 2. Seminiferous (germinal) epithelium.
The tubule is surrounded by contractile peritubular cells.
The testicular parenchyma consists of what?
- Seminiferous tubules
- Interstitial cells of Leydig
- Capillaries
- Lymphatic vessels
- Connective tissues
The four compartments of the testis are (from deep to superficial)?
- Interstitial compartment
- Basal compartment
- Deep adluminal compartment
- Peripheral adluminal compartment
Describe what happens in the basal compartment, in regards to spermatogenisis
Formation of spermatozoa in the seminiferous epithelium starts near the basement membrane.
This is where a SPERMATOGONIUM DIVIDES to form other spermatogonia and eventually PRIMARY SPERMATOCYTES.
Describe what happens within the deep adluminal compartment of the testis, in regards to spermatogenesis. How did they get there from the basal compartment?
Primary spermatocytes move to the deep adluminal compartment from the basal compartment through the TIGHT JUNCTIONS between SERTOLI CELLS.
The primary spermatocytes divides to form SECONDARY SPERMATOCYTES and then SPHERICAL SPERMATIDS.