Reproductive System

Question 1

What are the general functions (2) of the reproductive system?

Answer 1

• production of gametes (eggs and sperm)
• production of sex hormones (works with the endocrine system)

meiosis and mitosis occur in the germ cells of the ovaries & the testis and mitosis also occurs in somatic cells of ovaries and testis

Question 2

Male Reproductive System

Name the order of the sperm pathway and function of each part.

Answer 2

1. S-eminiferous tubules: development of sperm
2. E-pididymis- storage and maturation of sperm
3. V-as deferens- transport of sperm (snipped during vasectomy)
4. E-jaculatory Ducts
5. N-nothing
6. U-rethra
7. P-enis

Question 3

• What are the components of semen?/ What is present in each or is characteristic or purpose of each type of fluid?
• what component of semen makes up most of it?
• Is semen net acid or alkaline?

Answer 3

• seminal vesicle fluid (most of semen)- alkaline to neutralize the vaginal acidity ; sticky proteins to help sperm stick to cervix ; nourishes the sperm with fructose so that it can live up to 5 days in the female reproductive tract; prostaglandins to aid with sperm motility and fertility/ viability
• prostate gland fluid: milky white fluid with proteins and enzymes that activates the sperm mobility; also alkaline to neutralize vaginal acidity
• bulbourethral gland fluid (cowper’s glands): allakine PRE-EJACULATE that neutralizes urethral acidity from urine so that sperm can survive through urethra.
• sperm: male gamete

alkaline

Question 4

Where does the sperm develop?

Answer 4

seminiferous tubules of the testis

Question 5

• What is the gonad of the male reproductive system?
• What does this gonad do?

Answer 5

• testis
• produces sperm in sertoli cells and male sex hormones (ie. testosterone) in leydig cells

Question 6

The testis is ____ the body cavity for ideal sperm development.

Answer 6

• outside

Question 7

What does the male urethra carry?

Answer 7

sperm + urine

Question 8

What is the function of the penis?

Answer 8

copulation and sperm delivery

Question 9

• Where is the testis housed?
• How does the structure aid in sperm development?

Answer 9

• scrotum
• it maintains lower temperatures for ideal sperm development

Question 10

With age, the prostate gland can____ and cause _____ or in general can cause _____

Explain the 2nd blank.

Answer 10

• enlarge
• BPH
• prostatic cancer (BUT IS NOT metastatic usually)

BPH closes the urethra even when there is a need to pee= causes lots of pain.

Question 11

When ejaculation is about to occur, how do we make sure urine does not come out of the urethra?

Answer 11

the prostate gland contracts to close the bladder urethra

Question 12

• What is the female gonad?
• What are the major functions of this gonad (2)?

Answer 12

• ovaries
• produces eggs and female sex hormones (ie. estrogen in ovarian follicle granulosa cells); corpus luteum also make progesterone

Question 13

• Where is the normal site of fertilization? General place and more specific area of the general place.
• What are 2 other names for this structure?
• What is fertilization?

Answer 13

• fallopian tube (ampulla)
• uterine tube or oviduct
• when sperm and egg meet and make a fertilized egg aka a zygote

Question 14

Ferilization occurs within ____ hours of ovulation.

Answer 14

24

Question 15

• Where does a ferilized egg normally implant?
• Where does fertilized egg abnormally implant? What type of pregnancy is that?

Answer 15

• uterus endometrium
• fallopian tube; ectopic pregnancy, which is a medically emergency bc the fallopian tube can rupture and the mother can bleed to death.

Question 16

How many layers is the uterus? What are they?

Answer 16

• 3
• endometrium and myometrium and perimetrium

Question 17

What is endometriosis?

Answer 17

endometrial tissue grows outside of uterus, on fallopian tubes, or ovaries ; it is very painful and makes it more difficult to get pregnant

Question 18

What causes ovarian cysts?

Answer 18

hormone imbalances, ovulated egg, egg that never ovulated

PCOS increases risk of ovarian cysts

Question 19

• cervix connects the ____ to the _____
• What does the cervix secrete? What is the purpose of that substance?

Answer 19

• uterus ; vagina
• mucus plug so sperm and pathogens can’t enter when not the time

Question 20

What is the erectile tissue in man and women?

Answer 20

• man: corpus cavernosum
• woman: clitorus

Question 21

What structure is around the Labia minora and what is its function?

Answer 21

bartholin glands- secrete lubricating fluid for the vagina

Question 22

Explain the autonomic control of the reproductive system (parasympathetic and sympathetic)

Which part does ED drugs target?

Answer 22

• parasympathetic aka “point” - leads to erection via the dilation of the blood vessels in the erectile tissue (corpus cavernosum or clitorus)
• sympathetic aka “shoot” - leads to orgasm and ejaculation
• parasympathetic NS

Question 23

Explain steps from oogenesis all the way to potential egg implantation

Answer 23

1. FSH stimulates follicular maturation as well as oocyte aka egg production/ development (oogenesis) in the ovaries and also stimulates aromatase production in the granulosa cells of the dominant follicle (aromatase purpose is to able to aromatize androgens made by thecal cells of the follicle intro estradiol)
2. LH stimulates the thecal cells of the dominant follicle to make androgens (ie. testosterone), do indirectly aids in estrogen production
3. With the help of FSH and LH, one dominant follicle starts secreting estrogen
4. The estrogen causes the endometrium to thiccen to replenish the endometrium that was shed during menstruation and also matures the egg.
5. LH surge stimulates ovulation, which is the release of an egg, from just 1 of the ovaries, into the fallopian tube. (1bb if 1 egg meet 1 sperm; fraternal twins if 2 eggs meet 1 sperm; identical twins if 1 egg meets 1 sperm but then splits early on) where egg and potentially meet with a sperm and create a ferilized egg aka zygote
6. Corpus Lutuem aka the empty follicle is left behind in the ovaries and starts to make progesterone
7. **Progesterone **signals the endometrium to get juicy (by growing spiral arteries) to support the thick endometrium to get it ready for potential implantation of fertilized egg
8. If no implantation, LH decline and NO hCG –> corpus lutuem degenerates into corpus albicans –> no progesterone or estrogen to maintain endometrium –> the endometrium sheds (stratum functionalis of endometrium) and even the egg (size of ink dot) and commences the menstrual cycle.
9. If implantation occurs, process of fetal development commences (hCG, the analogue of LH, rescues corpus luteum to keep making progesterone (and estrogen). (placenta eventually takes over corpus lutuem function and makes estrogen and progesterone)

Question 24

What does LH do:
* in males?
* in females?

Answer 24

• males: promotes testis leydig cells to make testosterone
• females: aids in facilitating estrogen production by ovarian follicles granulosa cells ; LH surge causes ovulation, which is the release of an egg from the ovary to the fallopian tube to allow fertilization to potentially commence

Question 25

What does FSH do: * in men? * in women?

Answer 25

* men: **stimulates spermatogenesis** from sertoli cells of testis [**testosterone** does this as well] * female: stimualtes **follicular maturation as well oogenesis (oocyte aka egg production/development)** in the ovaries; follicles and then dominant follicle eventually starts **secreting estrogen**, which does **egg maturation** into ovum and thickens endometirum.

Question 26

* Where are LH and FSH released from? * What hormone stimulates the release of LH and FSH? What structure is that said hormone released from?

Answer 26

* anterior pituitary * GnRH ; hypothalamus

Question 27

* What is made by the corpus luteum? * What is the function of that hormone?

Answer 27

* progesterone * signals the **endometrium to get juicy** (by growing spiral arteries) to support the thick endometrium to get it ready for **potential implantation of fertilized egg**

Question 28

* What is hormone is secreted by the dominant follicle? * What is the function of said hormone?

Answer 28

* estrogen * **THICCENs** the endometrium

Question 29

What is the dominant hormone during the * follicular phase? * luteal phase?

Answer 29

* estrogen * progesterone | these phases are part of the **ovarian cycle**

Question 30

If one is pregnant, estrogen and progesterone levels [____] as compared to someone who is not, whose levels would [______] , leading to PMS

Answer 30

* stay stable (and rise through pregnancy) to support the endometrium through CL and then later the placenta * decrease and no longer support the endometrium

Question 31

What hormones develop secondary sex characteristics during puberty for * men? * women? What are the secondary sex characteristic changes for man and women?

Answer 31

* testosterone- hairy, voice changes, muscle mass increases * estrogen- breast changes, pelvic changes, start of period.

Question 32

# Process of Fetal Developement Explain the steps of fetal development

Answer 32

1. sperm (23 chromosomes) + egg (23 chromosomes) --> **fertilized egg** aka zygote (46 chromosomes) 2. zygote undergoes rounds of **cell division** (**mitosis**) --> **blastocyst ** as it's moving down fallopian tube 3. blastocyst **implants** into **uterine endometrium ** 4. if it is a successful implantation, trophoblast differentiates into cytotrophoblast and synciotrophoblast, which makes betahcg to save CL to continue to make progesterone and estrogen to keep endometrium alive until placenta takes over, blastocyst develops into an embryo and a **placenta** forms for gas and nutrient exchange between the mother and fetus 5. After about **40 weeks** (after last menstrual period) (or 38 weeks post ferilization), the fetus is ready to be birthed and oxytocin release stimulates **uterus contraction and the fetus is pushed out**.

Question 33

Where does meiosis and mitosis occur in the reproductive system?

Answer 33

germ cells of the ovaries and testis can do mitosis and meiosis (meiosis makes gametes aka sex cells) * ovaries germ cells are done with mitosis in the womb but some testis germ cells are potentially still doing mitosis somatic cells of ovaries and testis can ONLY do mitosis

Question 34

* Blastocyst has an ____ cell mass and an ___ cell mass * What are the names of the cell mass layers?/ What do the layers give rise to?

Answer 34

* inner ; outer * inner: embryoblast- gives rise to embryo body; outer: trophoblast- gives rise to **embryogenic part of placenta** | maternal part of placenta= decidua (a specialized layer of endometrium)

Question 35

* How is pregnancy detected? * What structure makes this substance?

Answer 35

* hcg levels * made by synctiotrophoblast layer that came from trophoblast layer of blastocyst differentiating into that as well as cytotrophoblast layer.

Question 36

What does hcg do?

Answer 36

saves the corpus luteum and prevents it from degrading so that it continues to make progesterone and estrogen until the placenta can take over. (but estrogen climbs in pregnancy but progesterone does decline) to keep the endometrium intact, which houses the embryo

Question 37

# After birth: Lactation * What substance stimulates milk production after birth? * Where is this substance released from * Where is milk coming from?

Answer 37

* prolactin * pituitary gland * mammary glands of mom * note: during pregnancy, the prolactin effect is actually inhibtied by progesterone and estrogen

Question 38

# After birth: Lactation What stimualtes actual milk ejection?

Answer 38

suckling stimulates oxytocin release, which contracts the smooth muscle around the mammary gland cells.

Question 39

The fallopian tube is lined with what type of epithelium?

Answer 39

simple columnar | also has beating cilia to move the potential ferilized egg along

Question 40

What can cause an ectopic pregnany?

Answer 40

infections (ie. PID, STIs) that can scar the fallopian tube and prevent the oocyte from passing through.