Reproductive System Flashcards
What are the primary reproductive organs that produce gametes? What are female and male gametes?
Male: testes produce sperm
Female: Ovaries produce oocytes (eggs)
Where is the scrotum? What does it contain?
Pouch outside the body; contains the testis and epididymis
What do the testis do?
Produce Sperm
What does the Epididymis do?
Sperm storage and maturation
What does the dartos muscle do? What kind of muscle?
Smooth muscle that wrinkles scrotal skin to increase thickness for warmth
What does the cremastor muscle do? What kind of muscle?
Bands of skeletal muscle that elevated testes for warmth
What does the pampiniform plexus do?
Venous network that absorbs heat from arterial blood supply to testis
What are the layers of the scrotum? What is each made of?
Tunica: has both parietal and visceral layers
Tunica albuginea: fibrous capsule that directly surrounds testes
What do the testes descend through?
Inguinal canal
What does the tunica albuginea form? What does that form and what does it contain?
Septa; Forms lobules that contain the seminiferous tubules that produce sperm
What is the Rete testis?
Network/Pathway for sperm from seminiferous tubules to epididymis
What is spermatogenesis? What is oogenesis?
Sperm formation; process of egg formation
What are the different regions of the epididymis? What does each do?
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
What is the passage way of sperm?
With ejaculation sperm travels from the epididmyis to the van deferens
What is the spermatic cord?
Tube of fascia that contains blood vessels, nerves, and van deferens
What is a vesctomy?
Van deferens is cut and each end is tied off or cauterized
What is semen made of?
Sperm + seminal fluid
What does the seminal vesicle do? What are its characteristics?
Seminal vesicle produces seminal fluid; joins with van deferens and empties into ejaculatory duct.; rich in fructose and prostaglandins
What does the prostate gland do?
Enhances sperm motility; has enzymes that help liquify ejaculated sperm
What does the bulbourethral gland do?
Secretes alkaline fluid that helps neutralize acidic urine and lubricates urethra
What are the 3 segments of the male urethra?
Prostatic urethra, membranous/intermediate urethra, spongy urethra
What is the penis made of?
Erectile tissue: smooth muscle and connective tissue surrounded by dense CT, vascular spaces fill with blood
What is the corpus cavernosum and the corpus spongiosum?
Corpus Cavernosum: 2 large primary erectile bodies
Corpus Spongiosum: 1 small, keeps urethra open during ejaculation
What is the glans penis?
Extension of corpus spongiosum at end of penis
What is the vulva? What parts does it contain?
Vulve= external genitalis; contains the labia majora, labia minora, & clitoris
What are mammary glands? What are they made of?
Breasts; made of lobes, which are made of smaller lobules & alveoli
What produces milk? Where does it drain?
Cells of alveoli produce milk; lobules are drained by lactiferous ducts into lactiferous sinuses and empty via nipple
What is the ovarian cycle/ovulation? What causes it?
Ovary releases an oocyte ~28 days; due to luteinizing hormone (LH) surge
What is the corpus luteum?
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
What is the uterine tube? What is it made of? What does it contain?
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
What happens in the uterus?
Site of implantation & embryonic development
What are the layers of the uterine wall? What are they made of?
Perimetrium: outer layer, serous membrane
Myometrium: Smooth muscle
Endometrium: inner lining, simple columnar epithelium
What is the difference between the functional and basal layer of the endometrium?
Functional layer thickens and sheds, basal layer does not shed
What are the 3 phases of the menstrual cycle? What happens in each?
- Menstrual Phase: the functional layer sheds, new oocyte start developing
- Proliferative Phase: the functional layer starts to rebuild, oocyte released
- Secretory Phase: Endometrium increases nutrients to prepare for possible implantation, corpus luteum release hormones
What is the cervix? What is the vagina? What is it lined with?
Cervix: lower portion of uterus that opens into vagina
Vagina: External opening of female reproductive system, lined with strat. squamous
