Practical 4 - Repro Flashcards
What are the functions of the female reproductive system?
maturation and transportation of oocytes
site of fertilization and development of an embryo/fetus
produce milk and various hormones
What are the components of the female reproductive system? Are the ovaries endocrine or exocrine?
ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, external genitalia, mammary glands
ovaries are endocrine (estrogen and progesterone) and exocrine (ova)
What is the location of the uterus in relation to the bladder?
posterior and superior to the bladder
What is the role of the vagina?
receive penis and semen during intercourse
What is the role of the uterus?
house a developing fetus
What are the regions/features of the uterine tube?
isthmus - narrow portion that opens into the uterus
ampulla - middle region that is the place of fertilization
infundibulum - distal, funel shaped portion
fimbriae - finger-like projections at the distal end of the uterine tubes the sweep the ovulated oocyte into the uterine tube
Describe the regions of the uterus.
fundus - round, dome shaped top
body - begins below the uterine tubes and narrows as you move inferiorly
uterine cavity - space within the uterus that can house a fetus
cervix - narrowed region between the uterus and vagina
cervical canal - the space in between the internal and external os
What is anteflexion?
the forward curving position of the uterus
What are the layers of the uterus wall from superficial to deep?
endometrium (stratum functionalis and stratum basalis)
myometrium
perimetrium
Describe the endometrium.
vascular, glandular layer that changes thickness in response to hormones and is where an embryo gets implanted
Describe the functions of the endometrium during menstruation.
stratum functionalis is shed, stratum basalis forms the new functionalis layer
Describe the myometrium.
thickest layer, 3 smooth muscle sublayers (oblique, circular, and longitudinal)
Describe the perimetrium.
thin, part of the visceral peritoneum
What is this a slide of?
Uterus
What is this a slide of? Describe the histology.
Vagina
stratified squamous epithelium with a lamina propria layer underneath
What does the broad ligament do?
sheet like peritoneum that holds the ovaries and uterine tubes in place
What do the ovarian ligaments do?
hold the ovaries to the uterus
What do the suspensory ligaments do?
hold the ovaries to the pelvic wall
What do the round ligaments do?
connect uterus to labia majora
What do the cardinal ligaments do?
hold cervix to pelvic wall
What do the uterosacral ligaments do?
hold the uterus to the sacrum
What is the collective name for the female external genitalia?
the vulva, or pudendum
What is the mons pubis?
adipose tissue covering the pubic symphysis
What are the labia majora and labia minora?
majora - thick folds of skin and adipose tissue
minora - thin folds medial to the labia major, also form the prepuce/hood over the clitoris anteriorly
What is the clitoris?
the primary center of sexual stimulation
What is the vaginal orifice?
the opening to the vagina
What are the accessory glands of the female reproductive system?
the greater vestibular glands - located on each side of the vagina, secrete fluid into the lower vagina for lubrication
the paraurethral glands - located near the external urethral orifice, secrete fluid into the vestibule
What is the hymen?
a thin membrane that covers the vaginal orifice
What is the vestibule?
area enclosed by the labia minora, where the vaginal and urethral orifices are found
What are the external structures of the breast?
areola - darkened area surrounding the nipple
nipple - contains lactiferous duct (channel for milk to flow out)
What are the internal structures of the breast?
alveoli - milk producing glands/alveoli
lobules - clusters of milk-producing glands
lobe - several lobules that are drained by a single mammary duct
What is the path of milk from alveoli out of the breast?
alveoli (within a lobule within a lobe)
mammary duct
lactiferous sinus
lactiferous duct
nipple
Oocytes are released…
once a month during ovulation during the reproductive years, from puberty (~8-13) to menopause (~51)
Describe the types of follicles in the ovary.
primordial follicle - small, close to ovary surface, visible nucleus
primary follicle - 1 layer of cuboidal cells
secondary follicle - 2-3 layers of cuboidal cells
tertiary follicle - multiple layers of cuboidal cells, small antrum
mature/Graafian follicle - lots of layers of cuboidal cells, large antrum that takes up >50% of the follicle
What is the space of fluid in a mature follicle called?
the antrum
What are barrier methods of contraception?
male and female condoms, cervical cap/diaphragm, contraceptive sponge
What does spermicide do?
kills sperm, but should always be used with another form of contraceptive and can alter the vaginal microflora increasing risk of infection
How do hormonal methods of contraception work?
high levels of estrogen and progesterone activate negative feedback on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to stop producing LH and FSH, which leads to no ovulation
What are short-acting hormonal methods of birth control?
birth control pill, patch, vaginal ring, or hormonal injection
What are the LARC (long-acting reversible methods) contraceptives?
copper IUD, hormonal IUD, implant
What are the permanent methods of contraception?
vasectomy, tubal ligation, or hysterectomy
How does the emergency contraceptive pill work?
release a high dose of progestin
What are the functions of the male reproductive system?
produce, store and transport sperm
testes produce androgens (testosterone)
Are the testes endocrine or exocrine, and what are the products?
endocrine - testosterone
exocrine - seminal fluid containing sperm
What is the scrotum?
sac of loose skin, muscle, and fibrous connective tissue containing the testes
What is the penis?
a copulatory organ used to deposit semen into the vagina
What are the layers of the testes, from superficial to deep?
scrotum, dartos muscle, external spermatic fascia, cremaster muscle, internal spermatic fascia, tunica vaginalis, and tunica albuginea
What makes up the spermatic cord?
cremaster muscle, nerves, testicular artery, pampiniform plexus, lymphatic vessels, and ductus deferens
What temperature does sperm production occur at? How is that temperature controlled?
35 C
contraction and relaxation of the cremaster muscle -
moves testes close/farther from the body
contraction and relaxation of dartos muscle -
wrinkle the scrotum to reduce surface area and conserve heat
pampiniform plexus -
absorb heat from the testicular artery before the blood reaches the testes
Where is the epididymis located?
on top of the testicle, above the tunica albuginea but below the tunica vaginalis
Describe the flow of sperm.
testes:
- seminiferous tubules (where sperm are produced)
- rete testis
- efferent ductules
epididymis:
- duct of the epididymis (where sperm are stored and mature)
ductus deferens / vas deferens
ampulla of the vas deferens
ejaculatory duct
urethra:
- prostatic urethra
- membranous urethra
- spongy urethra
What are the male accessory glands?
seminal vesicles (2), prostate gland (1), and bulbourethral/Cowper’s glands (2)
What is the role of the seminal vesicles?
contains fructose (energy for sperm) and prostaglandins (aid in sperm transport)
produces 65% of semen
What is the role of the prostate gland?
contains proteolytic fluid that activates sperm
produces 25% of semen
What is the role of the bulbourethral/Cowper’s glands?
produce mucus to lubricate the urethra and glans penis
produces 10% of semen
What is semen?
fluid from the glands that generally contains sperm and is slightly alkaline to neutralize acidity of the urethra and vagina
What are the external structures of the penis?
prepuce - foreskin
shaft - elongated externally visible portion
glans - expanded head at the distal end
What are the internal structures of the penis?
3 cylinders of erectile tissue: 2 corpus cavernosa, 1 corpus spongiosum
they fill with blood during arousal causing enlargement (vasodilation) and erection
What “channel” is found within the corpus cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum?
cavernosa - artery of the penis
spongiosum - urethra
When viewing the histology slides of the epididymis and the seminiferous tubules, how can you tell the difference?
epididymis - pseudostratified ciliated columnar, nuclei all towards the outside edge (more organized), and the center contains cilia
seminiferous tubules - more rounded cells, disorganized (nuclei everywhere), and the center contains the sperm tails
What is the progression of spermatocytes from edges of seminiferous tubules towards the center?
spermatogonium
primary spermatocyte
secondary spermatocyte
spermatid
spermatozoa
When viewing a seminiferous tubule histology slide, what do the triangle structures contain?
interstitial endocrine cells (Leydig cells) that produce testosterone
What is located in the epididymis? What is the role of the cilia?
spermatozoa (mature sperm)
cilia check sperm quality (they are not sperm tails)
What is meiosis?
production of gametes (sex cells)
2 rounds of division
reduce the chromosome number by half (producing haploid daughters)
What is a spermatogonia/oogonia?
cell with 46 chromosomes (diploid)
What is a zygote?
a single diploid cells (46 chromosomes) produced after the combination of an oocyte and spermatozoa
Meiosis in females is all about —— while meiosis in males is about —–
quality, quantity
Describe oogenesis in females
oogonium with 2 single strands is released from the ovary, DNA is copied to produce 2 Xs (primary oocyte)
Meiosis 1 - during ovulation, split into two producing a polar body and a secondary oocyte (haploid)
sperm fertilizes the secondary oocyte, adding another strand
Meiosis 2 - cell splits into a polar body with 1 strand and a zygote with 2 strands
Describe spermatogenesis in males
spermatogonium with 2 strands, DNA is copied to produce 2 Xs (primary spermatocyte)
Meiosis 1 - split into two identical hapolid cells, each with 1 H (secondary spermatocytes)
Meiosis 2 - each haploid splits into 2 cells (4 total) with 1 strand each called spermatids
Spermatids undergo spermiogenesis to become spermatozoa in the membrane of the seminiferous tubule
What is the difference between spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis?
spermatogenesis - male gamete formation from a spermatogonium to spermatocyte (aka DNA stuff and meiosis)
spermiogenesis - last part of spermatogenesis where the spermatid gains a tail and loses extra cytoplasm to become a mature sperm cell (just a transformation, not a division)
What is a homologous structure? What are the homologous structures of the reproductive system?
develop differently in males and females but originate from the same embryonic tissues
ovaries = testes
clitoris = glans penis
greater vestibular glands = bulbourethral glands
paraurethral glands = prostate gland
