Reproduction Flashcards
male reproductive organs/gonad
testes
female reproductive organ/gonad
ovaries
gametogenesis
process by which sperm or ova are produced
gametes have an endocrine role, what are the ones involved in males and females?
males: testosterone
estrogens and progesterones in females
what is the role of reproductive tracts
house and transport gametes
males: vasdeferens
females: fallopian tubes
accessory sex glands
male: seminal vesicles, prostate, bulbourethral (cowper’s) glands,
female: bartholin’s glands, clitoris, breasts
where is sperm made
within the testes
-seminiferous tubules
testes development
- testes develop from the gonadal ridge during development
- descend through the inguinal canal usually complete before 7 months gestation
what is cryptorchidism
when the testes don’t descend, staying up in the abdomen (one or both)
-this can lead to infertility
why do testes lie on the external side of the body?
testes are approx. 3 degrees lower than the rest of the body
- this cooler temperature allows for better development of sperm (in humans)
- other mammalian species are different
- this temperature leads to improved mitochondrial development and better proliferation
- better chance to fertilization
seminiferous tubule structure
- immature spermatogonium on the outside, as you get closer to the inside, more mature sperm
- leydig cells sit on the outiside and sertoli cells sit on the inside
____ cells lie within the basal lamina of the seminiferous tubules and release endocrine messages that direct development of spermatogonium into mature sperm
myoid
what is the role of the basal lamina in the seminiferous tubules of the testes?
acts like a blood brain barrier (with tight junctions) that serves as a defense mechanism for preventing messages that shouldn’t be there
-particularly stops the immune system from getting there and destroying chances for reproduction
androgens are important for the development of sperm
true or false?
true
males continue to produce sperm throughout their life. What is ADAM’s syndrome?
androgen deficiency aging males
-with age, males slow down (because androgens are important for the development of sperm)
where are leydig cells found?
they lie within the interstitium between seminiferous tubules
what does testosterone do?
- influence the reproductive system prior to birth
- influence sex-specific tissues after birth (requires LH stimulus)
- additional reproductive effects
- development of secondary sexual characteristics
- non-reproductive actions (ex: link in terms of aggression and testosterone levels)
biological effects of testicular androgens
prepubertal:
- accessory sex glands - wolffian duct differentiation and growth
- external genitalia - growth and differentiation (scrotum and penis)
pubertal:
- skeleton and muscle - masculine physique, epiphyseal closure
- vocal cords - voice deepening
- skin - facial hair growth and/pr cranial hair loss
- testis - sertoli cell maturation and androgen binding protein synthesis
- external genitalia - penile and scrotal growth
- accessory sex glands - prostate, seminal vesicle and bulbourethral growth
- CNS - libido
- hypothalamus/pituitary - inhibition of LH secretion (negative feedback)
spermatogonia
-undifferentiated germ cells containing a diploid complement of 23 pairs of chromosomes (1 paternal and 1 maternal)
spermatozoa
fully differentiated sperm cells containing a random haploid set of 23 chromosomes
what are the 3 key steps in the process of spermatogonia turning into spermatozoa. what happens if something goes wrong during this process?
mitotic proliferation, meiosis, and packaging
-sertoli cells scavenge redundant material from these cells, so if something goes wrong they usually catch it
males produce up to _____ sperm cells on daily basis, a lot of energy is required for this.
200 million
spermatid development
- meiotic division and the development of the secondary spermatocyte crossing over occurs between paired chromosomes
- the cytoplasm of spermatids is always joined until complete differentiation and sperm development has occurred
- half the spermatids have an X and half have a Y
why is it that the cytoplasm of spermatids is always joined until complete differentiation and sperm development has occurred?
the X chromosome contains essential elements for spermatogenesis
- they have to be joined until this differentiation is complete because of the genes on the X chromosomes
- Y would die without X
what are the 4 main parts of the sperm
1) head - nucleus with DNA
2) acrosome - enzymes
3) mid-piece - mitochondria rich
4) tail - swimming
6 roles of sertoli cells
1) protect sperm cells
2) feed sperm cells
3) remove unwanted material (when there are malfunctions)
4) secrete seminiferous tubule fluid (high in K+)
5) ABP secretion (does not dissolve readily in water
6) endocrine feedback regulation - inhibin
what is the male reproductive endocrine axis called
hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis
___ targets sertoli cells primarily and ___ targets leydig cells
FSH, LH
______ initiates the production of gonadotrophic hormones (FSH and LH)
GnRH (from the hypothalamus)
LH and FSH from anterior pituitary
______ will feedback to the anterior pituitary and negatively affects the release of LH and FSH
testosterone
____ converts androgens to estrogens
aromatase
there are no ____ receptors on male germ cells, this is why estrogen is more present in females
androgen
testosterone can bind to estrogen receptors
true or false?
false, testosterone will not bind to estrogen receptors but may be converted to a weaker androgen that could bind to estrogen receptors
epididymis (male reproductive tract)
- prior to arriving in the epidydimis, sperm are noon-motile and infertile
- this concentrates sperm through reabsorption of seminiferous fluid, also protects sperm with defensin
-at the onset of capacitation, sperm obtain the ability to fertilize the egg and become somewhat mobile in the epidydimis (this is completed in the female reproductive tract)
how long do sperm last in the vas (ductus) deferens?
storage site can be days in length, longer the storage, less fertile the sperm is likely to be
the ______ empties into the ejaculatory duct
seminal vesicles
-this contains fructose, prostoglandins (50% of the seminal fluid), fibrinogen
male reproductive tract accessory glands: contents of the prostate
-alkaline fluid, clotting enzymes and fibrinogen
male reproductive tract accessry glands: contents of th bulbourethral gland
-mucus like substance
the male sexual act happens in 4 principle phases in humans, what are these phases?
1) excitement: arousal and erection
2) plateau phase: continued arousal includes increased heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, respiration rate and muscle tension
3) orgasmic phase: ejaculation and muscle contraction combined with intense physical pleasure
4) resolution phase: return to pre-arousal state (long in males, short in females)
thoughts about sex or _____ stimuli target higher brain centers, this goes down the descending autonomic pathways (______ stimulation, ____ inhibition), this causes penile arterioles to _______ which causes an erection
erotic, parasympathetic, sympathetic, vasodilate
tactile stimulus can also trigger this (mechanoreceptors)
-this follows sensory neurons to the spinal cord and goes up the ascending sensory pathway back to the brain
erection reflex
- stimulation of mechanoreceptors in the gland penis
- parasympathetic supply to bulbourethral and urethral glands (mucus and lubrication)
- parasympathetic supply to penile arterioles (penile arteriole dilate, erection, compresses veins)
explain how viagra works
- sildenafil (active ingredient)
- nitric oxide is released in response to PNS stimulation
- NO acts through an enzyme linked receptor pathway (second messenger is cGMP)
- cGMP initiates the PKG pathway (stimulates SR Ca++ ATPase)
- actin myosin filament interaction is no longer contracting
- cGMP is degraded by the cellular enzyme phosphodiesterase 5 (target site of viagra)
sooooo, sildenafil promotes longer cGMP life
the ejaculation process happens in 2 phases, what are these phases?
1) emission phase: few seconds prior to ejaculation
- sperm moves from vasdeferens to urethra (semen = 10% of total volume)
2) ejaculation: average volume in humans is about 3 ml - can have a substantial range
- average sperm count approx 66 million/ml
what is the criteria for clinically infertile males?
when sperm count is less than 20 million/ml
why is the female reproductive system more complicated than the male reproductive system?
more complex because it’s not just about gametogenesis - gestation, pregnancy, birth
what are the 2 critical differences in gametogenesis in males and females?
- in females, the number of available gametes is set at birth (conventional view)
- female reproductive potential ceases in middle age (menopause) - males get andropause but this does not lead to cessation
what is the equivalent of the labia major, minor, and clitoris in the male reproductive system?
labia major = scrotum, labia minor = penal shaft, clitoris = penal head/foreskin
oogenesis
- all available gametes usually produced by the fifth month of gestation (cerca 6-6 million) - oogonia but only about 2 million primary oocytes survive at birth
- meiotic division begins just before birth but is not completed - primary oocytes
- maintained in a state of meiotic arrest until puberty
- all primary oocytes are surrounded by a single cell layer known as the zona pellucida
- the primary follicle encompasses the primary oocyte a single layer of granulosa cells the thecal cells separated by a basement
how long does the ovarian cycle last
28 days (ish)
what are the 3 phases of the ovarian cycle?
1) follicular phase - preparation of oocyte
2) ovulation - release of secondary oocyte
3) the luteal (postovulatory) ohase: preparation of reproductive tract for pregnancy by hormones from the corpus luteum
the ovarian cycle is interrupted by which 3 things?
- pregnancy
- menopause
- nutritional balance, training (amenorrhea)
what is estrous
the window where females are fertile - some animals, this can last only days in the year
-during this time there is a massive surge in LH that promote ovulation
lipostat hypothesis
delay in puberty in females
what is the uterine cycle? (3 main components)
1) menses - beginning of the follicular phase
2) proliferative phase - latter part of the follicular phase (additional endometrial lining laid down)
3) secretory phase - after ovulation during the luteal phase
the uterine cycle is interrupted by which three things?
- pregnancy
- menopause
- nutritional balance - training (amenorrhea)