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Male reproductive tract Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two roles of the reproductive system?

A

Reproduce

Production of reproductive hormones

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2
Q

What is involved in reproducing?

A

Produce gametes

Fertilisation & development of fetus

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3
Q

What is involved in production of reproductive hormones?

A

Development & function of reproductive system
Development of sex-specific body form
Normal sex specific behaviour

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4
Q

What is the role of gonads (testes)?

A

Produce sperm and hormones

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5
Q

What is the role of associated ducts?

A

Transport, store & mature sperm

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6
Q

What is the role of accessory glands?

A

Produce seminal fluid

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7
Q

What are the accessory glands?

A

Seminal glands
Prostate glands
Bulbo-urethral glands

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8
Q

What are the external genitals?

A

Penis

Scrotum

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9
Q

Describe the adult testis

A

Flattened egg shape- 4cm

In scrotum

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10
Q

Why are the testis in the scrotum

A

For temperature regulation

3 degrees celsius cooler than internal body temp

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11
Q

What are the endocrine functions of the testis

A

Produces hormones directly into blood stream

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12
Q

What are the exocrine functions of the testis?

A

Production and release of sperm, leave organ within ducts

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13
Q

How is the sac in the scrotum divided?

A

Divided internally by connective tissue septum

Externally by raphe/ridge

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14
Q

What is on the outer layer of the scrotum?

A

Skin, CT & smooth muscle

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15
Q

What is the base of the scrotum covered with?

A

Pubic hairs

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16
Q

Why is temperature regulation important in the scrotum?

A

Sperm needs to be 3 degrees celsius lower than internal body

If it’s too warm sperm can’t be produced efficiently and there is an increased mutation rate

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17
Q

How is temperature regulation controlled?

A

By muscles

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18
Q

Which smooth muscle controls temperature regulation?

A

Dartos- reduces scrotum size by firming up skin, sac less spacious spacious, pulls testes closer in

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19
Q

Which skeletal muscle controls temperature regulation?

A

Cremaster- pull testes nearer body, physically pulls testes closer to the body, less likely to loose heat

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20
Q

What makes up the testis?

A

Tunica albuginea

Tunica vaginalis

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21
Q

What is the tunica albuginea comprised of?

A

Septa subdivided into roughly 300 lobules
Lobules= 1-4 seminiferous tubules (roughly 0.5 km per testis)
Tubules empty into efferent ductules
Loose connective tissue surrounds tubules interstitium

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22
Q

What is the tunica vaginalis comprised of?

A

Closed sac of serous membrane

Serous fluid, visceral layer connecting to testes, parietal layer further out

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23
Q

What is the rete testis?

A

Connect efferent tubules to epididymis

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24
Q

What is interstium?

A

Loose connective tissue between seminiferous tubules (produce important hormones)

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25
What is spermatogenesis?
The process in which spermatozoa are produced from spermatogonial stem cells by way of mitosis and meiosis
26
What is the initial process in spermatogenesis?
The initial cells in this pathway are called spermatogonia, which yield primary spermatocytes by mitosis
27
How many sperm are produced everyday?
70-100 million
28
How long is the cycle of spermatogenesis?
64 days
29
How long throughout the males life does spermatogenesis occur?
puberty to death
30
What happens when sperm leave testis?
Not fully mature, sit in epididymis where they gain motility and are stored within epididymis
31
How long can sperm survive in the female environment?
48 hours
32
What is the commonest cancer in young men?
Testicular germ cell cancer
33
What does testicular germ cell cancer cause?
Reduced fertility
34
Where does the testis descent begin?
Near kidneys
35
Where do testis descend to?
Into the scrotum
36
When does testis descent begin?
7 month in utero
37
What does INSL3 hormone do?
Insulin-like 3 | Regulates growth and differentiation of gubernaculum, and thus mediating intra-abdominal testicular descent
38
What is descent controlled by?
Androgens- controlling own descent as they are released by testis
39
What can be the cause of abnormal descent?
2-4% cryptochidism (absence of one or both testes from the scrotum) 30% premature 70% spontaneous descent
40
What is the risk factor that comes with abnormal descent?
Testis cancer
41
What is the inguninal canal?
Bilateral passeageway at anterior abdominal wall between deep and superfifical inguinal rings
42
What does the ingunial canal contain?
Illioinguinal nerve Spermatic cord Arteries, nerves and veins Vas deferens
43
What is the Epididymis?
Coiled tube roughly 7m long Head, body and tail Lined by silia
44
What does the epididymis do?
Recycles damaged spematozoa | Stores and matures spermatozoa (12-16 days)
45
What is the ductus (vas) deferens?
Strong muscular tube- seminal vesicle join to form seminal fluid
46
Where does the ductus deferens come from?
Ascends from epidiymis, through inguinal canal, to pelvis, roughly 30cm long
47
What does the ductus deferens do?
Enlargens post- ampulla- joins seminal vesicle duct= ejaculatory duct
48
Where does ductus deferens empty?
Into prostatic urethra- important for fluid to form with sperm (join here)
49
What happens to the ductus deferens during a vasectomy?
Cut and Ligated
50
What are seminal vesicles?
Paired glands Post/inf to urinary bladder Roughly 5 cm Smooth muscle wall- contract
51
What do seminal vesicles do?
Produces & stores semen: Contributes 60% volume Fructose (sugar) & prostaglandins (hormone) Alkaline secretion- vagina acidic, neutralises and allows sperm to survive
52
Where and what is the size of the prostate gland?
Walnut size- roughly 3-4 cm diameter Inferior to bladder Surrounds prostatic urethra
53
What type of gland is the prostate gland?
``` Smooth muscle gland Smooth muscle contraction Produces semen (30%) Secretions- slightly alkaline Prostate- specific antigen ```
54
What infections can occur in the prostate gland?
Infections: • Protatitis • Benign hyperplasia • Prostate cancer Urethra comes through middle of prostate gland Smooth muscle for contraction Aging- prostate swells can cause cancer in males or can stop men being able to urinate
55
How much semen do men have?
2-5ml
56
How much sperm is in a ml of semen?
50-150 million
57
What issues may men that have less than 20 million sperm have?
Struggle to conceive, sub fertile
58
Where does fluid in semen come from?
Accessory glands (95% volume) Basic pH Fructose, nutrients and liquid to swim
59
What is ejaculation?
Expulsion from urethra | Peristaltic contraction of smooth muscles in ducts, glands, pelvic floor & base of penis
60
What is the dual function of the urethra in males?
Urinary | Reproductive
61
What is the length of the urethra?
20cm long, 3 segments
62
What are the 3 segments of the urethra?
Prostatic urethra Membranous urethra Spongy (penile) urethra
63
Describe the prostatic urethra
Receives ejaculatory & prostatic ducts
64
Describe the membranous urethra
Shortest
65
Describe the spongy (penile) urethra
Through corpus spongiosum to external orifice | Receives bulbourethral gland ducts
66
What does the root and the bulb of the penis do?
Connects penis to pelvic bone
67
What does the shaft of the penis do?
Columns of erectile tissue Blood sinuses Corpus spongiosum-ventral Cavernose (paired)- dorsolateral
68
What does the glans of the penis do?
Prepuce/foreskin- circumcision
69
What disrupt the endocrine system in male reproduction?
Chemicals in the environment | Can affect reproductive development in utero
70
What are the effects of a disrupted endocrine system?
Structure of testes and also fertility Structure of the penis Risk of testicular cancer Testis descent

Human Form and Function (10 decks)

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