Reproductive Physiology

Question 1

at what gestational week do the testes develop

Answer 1

week 6 or 7

Question 2

at what gestational week do the ovaries develop

Answer 2

week 9

Question 3

what three cell types do the testes have?

Answer 3

germ cells (produce spermatogonia), Sertoli cells (synthesize antimullerian hormone), Leydig cells (synthesize testosterone)

Question 4

what three cell types do the ovaries have?

Answer 4

germ cells (produce oogonia), theca cells, granulosa cells

Question 5

oocytes (oogonia surrounded by theca and granulosa cells) remain arrested in what phase until ovulation?

Answer 5

prophase 1 of meiosis

Question 6

theca cells synthesize…

Answer 6

progesterone and

Question 7

what two hormones determine differentiation to male phenotypic sex

Answer 7

antimullerian hormone and testosterone

Question 8

what hormone mediates growth and development of external male genitalia

Answer 8

DHT (dihydrotestosterone)

Question 9

what is capacitation?

Answer 9

about 4-6 hours after ejaculation into the female reproductive track, sperm undergo capacitation so that they can penetrate the ovum. Inhibitory factors from the seminal fluid are washed away, cholesterol is withdrawn from the membrane, surface proteins are redistributed and an influx of calcium increases motility

Question 10

what is the acrosomal reaction?

Answer 10

the acrosomal membrane fuses with the outer sperm membrane so that proteolytic enzymes can easily pass through when the sperm fertilizes the egg

Question 11

what converts testosterone to DHT?

Answer 11

5 alpha reductase