Reproductive Physiology Flashcards by Janelle Lussier

what are the mature gonads?

male testes

female ovaries

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what is gametogenesis?

production of gametes (sperm and ova)

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what are the sex hormones?

male - testosterone

female - estrogen and progesterone

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what is the reproductive tract?

system of specialized ducts that transport or house gametes after they are produced

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what are the accessory sex glands?

empty supportive secretions into reproductive tract (incl. breasts)

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what are secondary sexual characteristics?

external characteristics not directly involved in reproduction that distinguish male and female (body shape, hair, etc)

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what is the function of the male reproductive tract?

production and delivery of sperm to female

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what is the function of the testes?

produce sperm

located in scrotum

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what are the male accessory glands? what is their function?

seminal vesicles
prostate gland
bulbo-urethral glands
fcn: provide bulk of semen

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what is the function of the penis?

deposit sperm into the female

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what are structures of the male reproductive tract?

epididymis
vas deferens
ejaculatory tract

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what is the function of the female reproductive tract? (4pts)

1) production of ova (oogenesis)
2) reception of sperm
3) transport of sperm and ovum to fertilization site to produce an embryo and resulting pregnancy
4) partuition and lactation

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what is the function of the oviduct?

pick up ova at ovulation and fertilization site

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what is the function of the uterus?

to slowly murder women from the inside out

maintain fetus during pregnancy and expelling fetus

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what is the function of the vagina?

connects uterus to the outside world

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what is the function of the cervix?

lower portion serving as a pathway for sperm and delivery of baby from uterus

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what is the hymen?

thin mucus membrane that is disrupted after first sexy time

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what are the labia minora/majora?

skin folds around openings

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what is the clitoris?

located in the anterior labia minora

for sexual satisfaction only

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what are the 3 components of the vulva?

labia minora
labia majora
clitoris

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what are the reproductive cells?

haploid cells created by meiosis

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what are the two sex chromosomes? what pair indicates female and male?

X chromosome and Y chromosome

female: XX
male: XY

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what is the end result for gametogenesis?

production of 4 daughter cells with half a set of genetic information

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what is the main contributor to genetic diversity?

over 8 million chromosome combos are possible also due to crossing over of genes

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what are the 3 levels of sexual differentiation?

genetic gonadal phenotypic

what is genetic sexual differentiation?

depends on combo of sex chromosomes at conception

what is gonadal sexual differentiation?

do they have testes are ovaries

what is phenotypic sexual differentiation?

anatomical sex determined by gonads

when does gonadal specificity appear in pregnancy?

7th week

what causes the gonadal tissue to turn into testes?

sex-determining region of the Y chromosome (SRY)

what does the external genitalia of a fetus consist of before sexual differentiation?

genital tubercle paired urethral folds surrounding urethral groove genital (labioscrotal) swellings

what does the genital tubercle develop into?

penis glans or clitoris

what do the paired urethral folds develop into?

labia minora

what do the genital (labioscrotal) swellings develop into?

scrotum or labia majora

what determines the development of the male or female reproductive tract?

presence or absence of testosterone and Mullerian-inhibiting factor (secreted by testes)

what happens if there is an absence of testosterone and mullerian-inhibiting factor?

mullerian ducts develop (wolffian ducts degenerate) and female reproductive system/external genitalia (including the labia and clitoris) start to develop

when do the testes descend to the scrotum by?

the 7th month of gestation

what type of cell in the testes produces the sperm?

leydig cells

where are the leydig cells located?

in connective tissue between seminiferous tubules

what is testosterone derived from?

cholesterol

what are the 5 categories of testosterone effects?

1) reproductive system before birth 2) sex-specific tissues after birth 3) other reproductive related effects 4) secondary sexual characteristics 5) non-reproductive actions

what effects does testosterone have on the reproductive system before birth?

masculinize male reproductive tract and external genitalia | promote testes descent to scrotum

what effects does testosterone have on sex-specfic tissues after birth?

promote growth and maturation of reproductive system at puberty spermatogenesis

what other reproductive-related effects does testosterone have?

develop sex drive at puberty | control gonadotropin hormone secretion

what effects does testosterone have on secondary sexual characteristics?

male hair growth pattern thicken vocal cords to deepen voice promote muscle growth

what effects does testosterone have on non-reproductive actions?

exert protein anabolic effect promote bone growth at puberty close epiphyseal plates after being converted to estrogen by aromatose may induce aggressive behaviour

what is spermatogenesis?

creation of specialized, mobile sperm

what is the difference between spermatogonia and spermatozoa?

spermatogonia is diploid and divides by meiosis into spermatozoa, which is haploid

what are the 3 major stages of spermatogenesis?

1) mitotic proliferation 2) meiosis c) packaging

what occurs during the mitotic proliferation stage of spermatogenesis?

production of 4 identical primary spermatocytes

what occurs during the meiosis stage of spermatogenesis?

1 primary spermatocyte is converted to 2 secondary spermatocytes (first meiotic division) which become 4 spermatids via second meiotic division total: 16 spermatids per 1 spermatogonium

what occurs during the packaging stage of spermatogenesis?

spermiogenesis

what cell supports and nourishes the spermatozoan? where is it located?

sertoli cells | in seminiferous tubules

what are the 4 components of a spermatozoan?

head acrosome midpiece tail

what is the sperm head?

primarily DNA containing nucleus

what is the acrosome? what is it formed from?

enzyme filled vesicle that caps off the tip of the head | formed by ER and golgi complex

what is the function of the acrosome?

used to penetrate ovum via enzymes

what is the midpiece of the sperm?

where mitochondria are concentrated to provide sperm energy

what is the function of the sperm tail?

provides mobility

What are the functions of sertoli cells? (5pts)

1) form blood-testes barrier 2) provide nourishment 3) secrete seminiferous tubule fluid which flushes released sperm from tubule into epididymis for storage and additional processing 4) secrete androgen-binding protein 5) site of action to control spermatogenesis

how do the sertoli cells control spermatogenesis?

release inhibin which acts in negative feedback fashion to regulate FSH secretion

what is the function of the epididymis and vas deferens?

store and concentrate sperm | increase sperm mobility and fertility prior to ejaculation

what is ejaculation?

semen containing sperm is expelled from the tip of the penis

what is secreted by the seminal vesicles that is found in semen?

prostaglandins | fibrinogen

what is the function of prostaglandins in the semen?

enhance sperm transport (promote smooth muscle motility in males and females)

what is the function of the prostate gland?

contributes alkaline fluid that neutralizes acidic vaginal secretions and provides clotting enzymes/fibrinolysin

what is the function of the bulbourethral glands?

release lubricating mucus

what are the two hormones secreted by the anterior pituitary that control sexual characteristics?

``` luteinizing hormone (LH) follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) ```

what is the function of LH? which cells does it act on?

controls testosterone levels | acts on the Leydig cells

what stimulates LH and FSH secretion?

GnRH from hypothalamus

what cells does FSH act on?

Sertoli cells

what is the feedback loop involving LH, FSH, testosterone, and GnRH?

testosterone decreases GnRH release, leading to decreased LH and FSH

what are the 4 phases of coitus?

excitment phase plateau phase orgasmic phase resolution phase

what happens during the excitement phase?

erection | heightened sexual awareness

what happens during the plateau phase?

increased HR, BP, respiratory rate, and muscle tension

what happens during the orgasmic phase (males)?

ejaculation and intense physical pleasure

what occurs during the resolution phase (males)?

return to prearousal state

what is different about the orgasmic phase for females?

no ejaculation | do not become refractory afterwards (as in can have another orgasmic phase)

what is different about the resolution phase for females?

pelvic vasocongestion and systemic manifestations gradually subside