Reproductive System

Question 1

What are the primary reproductive organs that produce gametes? What are female and male gametes?

Answer 1

Male: testes produce sperm
Female: Ovaries produce oocytes (eggs)

Question 2

Where is the scrotum? What does it contain?

Answer 2

Pouch outside the body; contains the testis and epididymis

Question 3

What do the testis do?

Answer 3

Produce Sperm

Question 4

What does the Epididymis do?

Answer 4

Sperm storage and maturation

Question 5

What does the dartos muscle do? What kind of muscle?

Answer 5

Smooth muscle that wrinkles scrotal skin to increase thickness for warmth

Question 6

What does the cremastor muscle do? What kind of muscle?

Answer 6

Bands of skeletal muscle that elevated testes for warmth

Question 7

What does the pampiniform plexus do?

Answer 7

Venous network that absorbs heat from arterial blood supply to testis

Question 8

What are the layers of the scrotum? What is each made of?

Answer 8

Tunica: has both parietal and visceral layers

Tunica albuginea: fibrous capsule that directly surrounds testes

Question 9

What do the testes descend through?

Answer 9

Inguinal canal

Question 10

What does the tunica albuginea form? What does that form and what does it contain?

Answer 10

Septa; Forms lobules that contain the seminiferous tubules that produce sperm

Question 11

What is the Rete testis?

Answer 11

Network/Pathway for sperm from seminiferous tubules to epididymis

Question 12

What is spermatogenesis? What is oogenesis?

Answer 12

Sperm formation; process of egg formation

Question 13

What are the different regions of the epididymis? What does each do?

Answer 13

Head: Immotile sperm enter efferent ductules from rete testis
Body: Sperm mature here
Tail: Sperm are stored here prior to ejaculation, or are broken down and reabsorbed

Question 14

What is the passage way of sperm?

Answer 14

With ejaculation sperm travels from the epididmyis to the van deferens

Question 15

What is the spermatic cord?

Answer 15

Tube of fascia that contains blood vessels, nerves, and van deferens

Question 16

What is a vesctomy?

Answer 16

Van deferens is cut and each end is tied off or cauterized

Question 17

What is semen made of?

Answer 17

Sperm + seminal fluid

Question 18

What does the seminal vesicle do? What are its characteristics?

Answer 18

Seminal vesicle produces seminal fluid; joins with van deferens and empties into ejaculatory duct.; rich in fructose and prostaglandins

Question 19

What does the prostate gland do?

Answer 19

Enhances sperm motility; has enzymes that help liquify ejaculated sperm

Question 20

What does the bulbourethral gland do?

Answer 20

Secretes alkaline fluid that helps neutralize acidic urine and lubricates urethra

Question 21

What are the 3 segments of the male urethra?

Answer 21

Prostatic urethra, membranous/intermediate urethra, spongy urethra

Question 22

What is the penis made of?

Answer 22

Erectile tissue: smooth muscle and connective tissue surrounded by dense CT, vascular spaces fill with blood

Question 23

What is the corpus cavernosum and the corpus spongiosum?

Answer 23

Corpus Cavernosum: 2 large primary erectile bodies

Corpus Spongiosum: 1 small, keeps urethra open during ejaculation

Question 24

What is the glans penis?

Answer 24

Extension of corpus spongiosum at end of penis

Question 25

What is the vulva? What parts does it contain?

Answer 25

Vulve= external genitalis; contains the labia majora, labia minora, & clitoris

Question 26

What are mammary glands? What are they made of?

Answer 26

Breasts; made of lobes, which are made of smaller lobules & alveoli

Question 27

What produces milk? Where does it drain?

Answer 27

Cells of alveoli produce milk; lobules are drained by lactiferous ducts into lactiferous sinuses and empty via nipple

Question 28

What is the ovarian cycle/ovulation? What causes it?

Answer 28

Ovary releases an oocyte ~28 days; due to luteinizing hormone (LH) surge

Question 29

What is the corpus luteum?

Answer 29

Empty follicle that releases progesterone and estrogens to signal uterus to prepare for possible fertilized egg, will break down at the end of cycle if implantation does not happen

Question 30

What is the uterine tube? What is it made of? What does it contain?

Answer 30

Carries oocute from ovary to uterus, site of fertilization; lined with ciliated columnar epithelium; fimbriae: finger like structure that create a current to draw oocyte up into the tube

Question 31

What happens in the uterus?

Answer 31

Site of implantation & embryonic development

Question 32

What are the layers of the uterine wall? What are they made of?

Answer 32

Perimetrium: outer layer, serous membrane
Myometrium: Smooth muscle
Endometrium: inner lining, simple columnar epithelium

Question 33

What is the difference between the functional and basal layer of the endometrium?

Answer 33

Functional layer thickens and sheds, basal layer does not shed

Question 34

What are the 3 phases of the menstrual cycle? What happens in each?

Answer 34

1. Menstrual Phase: the functional layer sheds, new oocyte start developing
2. Proliferative Phase: the functional layer starts to rebuild, oocyte released
3. Secretory Phase: Endometrium increases nutrients to prepare for possible implantation, corpus luteum release hormones

Question 35

What is the cervix? What is the vagina? What is it lined with?

Answer 35

Cervix: lower portion of uterus that opens into vagina
Vagina: External opening of female reproductive system, lined with strat. squamous