Module 4 - Reproductive Flashcards
In which region of the fallopian tube does fertilisation typically take place
Ampulla
Where does sperm capacitation take place
Isthmus
What volume of fluid in the seminal flour is produced by the prostate gland
It produces 25% of fluid volume is the seminal fluid, with majority coming from the secretory glands.
What is the role of the prostate gland in relation to ejaculation
The prostate gland produces proteases to fluidise the ejaculate, which enhances sperm motility and creates anti microbial
True or False: The corpus spongiosum is erectile tissues within the penis that becomes engorged with blood, allowing an erection to occur
False - it is the corpora cavernosa that contain the erectile tissue.
The urethra would be squashed if it were the corpus spongiosum
What is the cortical reaction
The cortical reaction is when increased calcium ions trigger exocytosis of cortical granules within the oocyte, hardening the zona pellucida.
What is the central control of reproduction?
hypothalamus and pituitary - affect the gonads (testes and ovaries) and other reproductive organs.
Spermiogenesis is the process by which
spermatids differentiate into spermatozoa.
What are THREE (3) common causes of female infertility requiring assisted reproductive
technology (ART)?
Ovulatory Disorders
Tubal Factor Infertility
Age-Related Infertility
What is it NOT possible to ‘fix’ with ART?
Genetic Disorders
Severe Uterine Abnormalities
Advanced Age-Related Decline in Egg Quality
Irreversible Damage to Reproductive Organs
How is follicle growth and recruitment regulated hormonally?
Hormonal regulation of follicle growth and recruitment involves hormones such as FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone).
What are the key processes involved in oogenesis and folliculogenesis?
Oogenesis and folliculogenesis are the processes of egg cell development within follicles. Oogenesis involves meiosis.
What is the role of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis in the female reproductive system?
The HPG axis controls the release of hormones that regulate reproduction by controlling the uterine and ovarian cycles.
In females, the positive feedback loop between estrogen and luteinizing hormone help to prepare the follicle in the ovary and the uterus for ovulation and implantation.
What is the ovarian cycle?
The ovarian cycle is the series of events that occur in the ovaries, including follicle development, ovulation, and corpus luteum formation.
Explain the 2-cell 2-gonadotropin hypothesis.
The 2-cell 2-gonadotropin hypothesis describes how two types of cells in the ovary produce hormones (estrogen and progesterone) under the influence of two gonadotropin hormones (FSH and LH).
What is the menstrual cycle?
The menstrual cycle is a monthly series of changes in a woman’s body that involves the shedding of the uterine lining (menstruation) and preparation for potential pregnancy.
Name the organs and tubules in the male reproductive system.
The male reproductive system includes organs such as the testes, epididymis, vas deferens, and accessory glands like the prostate gland.
What is the structure and function of the scrotum?
The scrotum is a pouch of skin that houses the testes and helps regulate their temperature for optimal sperm production.
Name the major compartments and cells of the testis and describe their functions.
The testis has compartments called seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissue. The seminiferous tubules contain cells that support spermatogenesis, while interstitial tissue produces testosterone.
What is spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis?
Spermatogenesis is the process of sperm cell production, while spermiogenesis is the transformation of immature sperm cells into mature, functional sperm.
Explain the role of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis in males.
The HPG axis regulates the production of testosterone in males, which is essential for various male reproductive functions.
How does testosterone levels change throughout the life-course in males?
Testosterone levels generally peak during adolescence and early adulthood and gradually decline with age.
What are the major functions of male hormones in the body?
Male hormones, primarily testosterone, play a crucial role in regulating secondary sexual characteristics, maintaining reproductive function, and influencing various physiological processes in the body.
What are the two main types of ovarian follicles?
A follicle with a single layer of cuboidal granulosa cells is called a **primary follicle. **
A follicle with more than one layer of granulosa cells is called a secondary follicle
What are the functional units of the ovary
The functional units of the ovary are known as ovarian follicles
Ovarian follicles are the basic structural and functional units of the female reproductive system and play a crucial role in the production and maturation of ova (eggs). Each ovarian follicle consists of different cell layers surrounding an immature egg cell, or oocyte.
What does “Gamete transport” refer to?
Gamete transport is the process of getting the sperm and egg together.
What is the role of the oviduct in oocyte transport?
The oviduct plays a crucial role in the transport of oocytes (egg cells) from the ovary to the uterus.
What happens during sperm maturation and transport in the male reproductive tract?
Sperm maturation and transport in the male reproductive tract involve the development and movement of sperm cells as they prepare for fertilization.
What are accessory glands, and what is the significance of seminal plasma?
Accessory glands are glands that produce seminal plasma, which is the fluid that carries and nourishes sperm during ejaculation.
Describe the anatomy of the penis.
The penis is the male reproductive organ consisting of the root, body, and glans. It has a cylindrical shape and is involved in the delivery of sperm during intercourse.
What occurs during sperm maturation and transport in the mal reproductive tract?
The sperm move into the epididymis, where they complete their development. The sperm then move to the vas deferens (VAS DEF-uh-runz), or sperm duct. The seminal vesicles and prostate gland make a whitish fluid called seminal fluid, which mixes with sperm to form semen when a male is sexually stimulated.
What is sperm capacitation?
Sperm capacitation is the process by which sperm become capable of fertilizing an egg.
What is the acrosome reaction?
The acrosome reaction is the release of enzymes from the sperm’s acrosome to penetrate the egg’s protective layers.
What is fertilization?
Fertilization is the process in which a sperm cell combines with an egg cell, resulting in the formation of a zygote, which has the full complement of genetic material.
What is pre-implantation embryo development?
Pre-implantation embryo development is the stage during which the fertilized egg (zygote) undergoes multiple cell divisions and develops into a multicellular embryo before implantation in the uterus.
What is the process of implantation of the blastocyst?
Implantation of the blastocyst is the attachment and embedding of the developing embryo (blastocyst) into the uterine lining, where it establishes a connection for nourishment and further development.
EXAM QUESTION: What is the purpose of administering a daily injection of FSH for 8 to 10 days, followed by an injection of LH, in a treatment schedule for in vitro fertilization (IVF), considering the actions of gonadotropins on follicle cells to regulate ovarian function?
- FSH is for growth of follicles; acts on granulosa cells to drive conversion of androgens to estrogens which drives proliferation of the granulosa cells
- Injection of LH provides LH surge that triggers resumption of meiosis
As sperm is transported out of the seminiferous tubules in the testis, the next tubules it enters
on its way to the epididymis are the
Efferent ductules.
The cells of the blastocyst that will eventually form the placenta are the
Trophoblast cells
What is the fundamental genetic outcome of meiosis in both spermatogenesis and oogenesis, and how does it relate to the chromosome number in gametes
Meiosis halves the number of chromosomes present in the gametes.
Both spermatogenesis (in males) and oogenesis (in females) involve meiosis, which reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in haploid gametes.
