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Physiology > Reproductive > Flashcards

Reproductive Flashcards

1
Q

Spermatic cord

A
  • Cord-like structure that passes through a slit in abdomen down into the scrotal sac
  • it is a combination of the vas deferens, blood vessels and nerves
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2
Q

Why are testes housed outside the body?

A

To maintain temperature at 2C below the core body temperature, done so by cooling blood through countercurrent exchange system

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3
Q

Phases of testes descending

A
  • Happens in gestation period (when baby is still in uterus)
  • first phase: between 8 and 12 weeks. Testes move down towards inguinal canal
  • second phase: between 7 and 9 months, testes come to rest in scrotum
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4
Q

Where is the site of sperm production?

A

In the testes, in the seminiferous tubules

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5
Q

What do mumps virus do?

A
  • cause seminiferous tubules to become smaller
  • lumen becomes much bigger, and the spermatogenic cells look very small
  • it can effect the spermatogenesis process
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6
Q

Cells of the seminiferous tubules

A
  1. Leydig cells: found in the connective tissue. Also called interstitial cells. Produce testosterone hormone
  2. Sertoli cells: epithelial cells. Help sperm development
  3. Smooth muscle cells: just outside the basement membrane. Help move sperm forward by peristalsis
  4. Tight junctions: join epithelial cells. Do not allow harmful stuff that might harm growing sperm. Creates the basal (basement to tight junctions) and luminal (tight junctions to lumen) compartment
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7
Q

Functions of sertoli cells

A
  • help in sperm growth
  • secrete luminal fluid for sperm housing
  • secrete androgen-binding protein under the influence of FSH (works like a buffer with testosterone)
  • helps maintain androgens in lumen steady and high for optimal spermatogenesis
  • acts as target cells for FSH
  • secrete inhibin under direct control of FSH to regulate hypothalamic-pituitary axis
  • phagocytosis of old and damaged sperm
  • site of immunosuppression (blood-testis barrier)
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8
Q

What can progesterone be converted to?

A
  1. mineralcorrticoids
  2. glucocorticoids
  3. androgens
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9
Q

What converts testosterone to DHT?

A

5-alpha reductase

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10
Q

DHT

A
  • maintains other tissues or sexual characteristics
  • maintains the prostate gland and secondary male characteristics
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11
Q

What converts testosterone to estrogen?

A

Aromatase, which occurs in the liver, adipose tissue, brain, and testes

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12
Q

Andropause

A

when testosterone levels start decreasing at the age of around 40

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13
Q

The pulse generator

A

The pulsatile secretion of GnRH in males at the onset of puberty, which happens every 90 minutes. The GnRH acts on the gonadotropic cells of the anterior pituitary to cause pulsatile secretion of hormones

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14
Q

Where does formation of sperm begin?

A

At the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubule

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15
Q

How long does spermatogenesis take?

A

64 days

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16
Q

Spermiogenesis

A
  • last stage within spermatogenesis
  • spermatids mature into motile spermatozoa
  • takes 24 days
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17
Q

Inhibin in the male hormone axis

A

Released by sertoli cells. Peptide hormone that regulates at the level of the anterior pituitary to decrease FSH secretion

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18
Q

Androgen binding proteins

A
  • released by sertoli cells
  • binds to testosterone to keep concentration of testosterone high in the lumen of the seminiferous tubules and stimulate spermatogenesis
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19
Q

Where does seminal fluid come from?

A
  1. Seminal vesicles: provides the bulk of the volume. alkaline fluid with fructose, enzymes, and prostaglandins (cause contractions in female tract to move sperm forward)
  2. Prostate gland: help maintain health of sperm. Secrete PSA (enzyme) to breakdown protein in the seminal clot and make semen more fluid. Citrate to provide energy.
  3. Bulbourethral gland: secrete viscous fluid with mucus
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20
Q

What is released in erectile tissue upon parasympathetic stimulation?

A

Nitric Oxide (NO) to stimulate the production of cyclic GMP to cause vasodilation

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21
Q

What does viagra do in erectile dysfunction?

A

Acts as an inhibitor to phosphodiesterase, which prevents the breakdown of cGMP and therefore erection can stay longer

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22
Q

Capacitation

A
  • maturation of the sperm cell membrane in the female reproductive tract
  • removal of glycoprotein layer makes receptors available
  • cap is altered for acrosomal reaction to take place
  • tail movement changes from wave-like to whiplash: hyperactivity
23
Q

Acrosomal reaction

A
  • sperm must penetrate the zona pellucide of the female oocyte
  • the progressive fusion of the acrosomal membrane with the plasma membrane of the sperm to create openings/pores to release acrosomal enzymes via exocytosis
  • enzymes allow sperm to digest through the zona pellucida and allow fertilization to occur
24
Q

Ectopic pregnancy

A

when there is a problem in the oviduct and the cilia do not move properly, resulting in a fertilized egg stuck in the uterine tube

25
Q

cumulus oophorus

A

the bridge-like structure that connects the granulosa to the zona pellucida in the antrum

26
Q

What secrets androgens in females?

A

theca cells

27
Q

What converts androgens to estrogen in the grnulosa cells?

A

Aromatase

28
Q

Granulosa cells functions

A
  • secrete antral fluid
  • provide nutrients for developing oocyte
  • secrete paracrine factors for follicular development
  • secrete inhibin
  • secrete estrogen via aromatase
  • secrete substances that forms the zona pellucida
29
Q

Polyspermy

A

An egg that is fertilized by more than one sperm. Not favored to maintain 2n chromosomes

30
Q

Pronucleus

A

Either of a pair of a gametic nuclei before the fusion leads to the formation of the nucleus of the zygote

31
Q

How is polyspermy blocked?

A
  • changes in membrane potential
  • release of contents from cortical granules
  • enzymes enter and harden zona pellucida
  • enzymes inactivate sperm binding receptors
32
Q

Morula

A
  • contains many cells
  • zona pellucida is still in tact
  • it is produced from mitotic divisions from the zygote
  • early morula is known as cleavage
  • cells are totipotent
  • develop into the blastocyst
33
Q

Blastocyst

A
  • 4-5 days after fertilization
  • cells lose their totipotentiality and begin to differentiate
  • no zona pellucida
  • outer layer= trophoblast, which will become the placenta
  • inner cell mall will become embryo, and blastocoel is formed (fluid cavity)
34
Q

The two parts of the proliferation of the trophoblast cells

A
  1. syncytiotrophoblast/fused layer: some of the outer trophoblast cells enter deep into the endometrial layer and start dividing and become fused (form a syncytium = multiple nuclei but no cell membrane)
  2. Cytotrophoblast: trophoblast layer becomes the cytotrophoblast, which are cells that release or secrete the early hormones for the growing embryo
35
Q

Decidual response

A
  • when the fused syncytiotrophoblast layer is forming, all blood vessels that are around the endometrial layer start branching out and moving closer to the blastocyst
  • provide glycogen to the embryo
  • response of the endometrial tissue where there is the appearance of blood vessels and glycogen-secreting glands for the newly anchored or implanted blastocyst
36
Q

What does the placenta contain

A
  • amniotic cavity filled with amniotic fluid
  • amnion fused with the chorion (allow transfer of materials between maternal blood and fetal blood)
  • umbilical cord (contains 2 umbilical arteries [deoxygenated, nutrient depleted blood from fetus] and umbilical vein [oxygenated, nutrient rich to fetus])
37
Q

Functions of the placenta

A
  • temporary endocrine gland
  • an exchange tissue
  • filter/immunological barrier
38
Q

Role of hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophic hormone)

A
  • very sharp peak at about 2 months, then decreases and stays low, but never 0
  • it stimulates the release of hormones in females
  • helps maintain the corpus luteum in the early parts of pregnancy until the placenta is fully formed and takes over the role of the corpus luteum in secreting progesterone and estrogen
39
Q

Role of hPL (human placental lactogen)

A
  • similar profile to estrogen
  • growth hormone-like and anti-insulin like actions in the mother
  • will not allow glucose to be taken up into mother’s tissue in order to keep levels high for the fetus
40
Q

Hormones of the placenta

A
  1. hCG (chorionic gonadotropin)
  2. hPL (placental lactogen)
  3. Progesterone (to decrease uterine contractions and inhibit LH and FSH secretions from the anterior pituitary)
  4. Estrogen (causes growth of the myometrium and mammary ducts, also inhibits LH and FSH at the level of the anterior pituitary)
41
Q

Cervical ripening

A
  • process that prepares the tissue in such a way that the cervix becomes soft, making it easier for expansion during childbirth
  • due to prostaglandins and relaxin
42
Q

Glactopoiesis

A

process of maintenance of lactation while the mother is breast feeding, which requires prolactin

43
Q

What inhibits prolactin secretions?

A

Dopamine

44
Q

What determines the sex?

A

the presence or absence of testosterone and AMH (antimullerian hormone)

45
Q

XXY male

A
  • Klinefelter’s syndrome
  • infertile because spermatogenesis does not occur
46
Q

Lack of X chromosome in a female

A
  • Turner’s syndrome and streak ovaries
  • streaked ovaries which do not look round, but are a flattened structure
47
Q

DHT (dihydrotestosterone)

A
  • converted from testosterone
  • causes the masculinization of the male external genitalia
48
Q

What secretes Mullerian-inhibiting hormone? (MIH)

A

Fetal testes (sertoli cells)

49
Q

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

A
  • genetically female (XX), but phenotype is male
  • too much androgen production in the female stage causes the development of the male external appearance
  • low cortisol but too much adrenal corticoptropic hormone
  • infertile
50
Q

Androgen insensitivity syndrome

A
  • genotypically male (XY), but phenotype female
  • tissues in the body were unresponsive to testosterone
  • testes and develop and MIH is produced
  • Wolffian ducts are not responsive to testosterone and internal male genitalia does not develop
  • no internal duct system
  • testes do not descend
51
Q

What triggers the onset of puberty?

A

Increased secretion of GnRH which results in high LH and FSH from the anterior pituitary gland and more sex hormone

52
Q

Kissepeptin

A
  • A neuropeptide which acts on the cells that release GnRH in the hypothalamus
  • a cue triggers changes in the cells that cause the production of kisspeptin at the time of puberty
53
Q

What does leptin do for reproduction?

A

Acts in the hypothalamus to release kisspeptin, which is important for the regulation of the pulse generator

Physiology (6 decks)

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