Reproductive system Flashcards
What does the female reproductive system consist of?
Vulva
Vagina
Uterus
Uterine (fallopian) tubes
Ovaries
What does the male reproductive system consist of?
Testes
Epididymis
Vas deferens
Prostate
Seminak vesicles
Penis
What is the male gonad?
Testes
What is the female gonad?
Ovaries
Where do the gonads originate in both genders?
The abdominal cavity
What separates the pelvis from the abdominal cavity?
The pelvic inlet
Different name for the pelvic inlet
Superior aperture of the pelvis
What defines the pelvic inlet?
The pelvic brim:
Arcuate and pectoral lines
Upper margin of the pubic symphysis
What is the pelvic brim?
The prominence of the sacrum
What is the pelvic outlet?
Plane of the inferior aperture
What defines the pelvic outlet?
The pubic arch
Ichial tuberosities
Inferior margin of the acrotuberous ligament
Tip of the coccyx
Can pelvic inlet and pelvic brim be used interchangeably?
Yes
Major difference between male and female pelvis?
Subpubic angle
Which gender has the wider subpubic angle?
Female
Which is the main muscle that forms the pelvic floor?
Levator ani
Which 3 muscles make up lelevator ani?
Puborectalis (most medial)
Pubococcygeus
Iliococcygeus
What kind of muscle is found in the pelvic floor?
Skeletal, voluntary muscle
2 hiatus found in the muscles of the pelvic floor
Urogenital hiatus
Rectal hiatus
Where does the iliococcygeus originate?
On thickening of the obturator fascia called tendinous arch of the levator anni
Where does the piriformis muscle insert?
Trochanter of the femur
Where does the piriformis exit the pelvis?
Through the greater sciatic foramen
What does the pelvic diaphragm support?
Pelvic viscera
2 muscles of the pelvic diaphragm
Levator ani
Coccygeus
2 muscles of the pelvic wall
Piriformis
Obturator interns
Deepest layer of the pelvic floor
Obturator interns
Levator ani
Piriformis
Coccygeus
Which margin of the deep transverse perineal and superficial transverse perineal is free?
Posterior margin
Is there space between the layers of muscle of the pelvic floor?
Yes
Middle layer of the pelvic floor
Deep transverse perineal
Superficial layer of the pelvic floor
Superficial transverse perineal
Ischiocavernosus
What is the name of the fascia that covers the deep transverse perineal muscle?
Perineal membrane
Different name for ischioanal fossa
Deep pouch
What is the border of the deep pouch?
Medially: Levator ani
Inferiorly: Deep transverse perineal
Laterally: Obturator intemus
Is the deep pouch found in both genders?
Yes
Are the borders of the deep pouch the same in both genders?
Yes
What is found in the Alcock canal
Pudendal nerve
Internal pudendal artery
Internal pudendal vein
Pudendal canal
How many triangles of the perineum?
2 in both genders
Name of the 2 triangles of the perineum
Urogenital triangle
Anal triangle
What does the peritoneum cover in the female?
The anterior surface of the bladder, the uterus, upper part of the vagina and reflects on the anterior surface of the rectum
How many peritoneal pouches in the female?
2
How many peritoneal pouches in the male?
1
What doe the uterine tubes surround?
The ovaries
What is the deepest part of the peritoneal cavity in the female?
The rectouterine pouch
Where is the uterus in non-pregnant women?
Below the pelvic inlet
What part of the uterus is the fundus?
The convex part
What is the broad ligament made of?
The folding of the peritoneum around the uterus
3 parts of the broad ligament
An upper mesosalpinx
A posterior mesovarium
An inferior mesometrium
What does the round ligament pass through?
The inguinal canal
What kind of organ is the uterus?
Empty organ
What is the mucosa layer of the uterus called?
Endometrium
What is the muscular layer of the uterus called?
Myomentrium
What is the serosa of the uterus called?
Perimetrium
What kind of epithelium is the endometrium?
Simple columnar epithelium
What is the superficial 2/3 of the endometrium called?
Stratum functionalis (functional endometrium)
What is the basal 1/3 of the endometrium called?
Stratum basalis
What part of the endometrium is in direct relations with the myometrium?
Stratum basalis
What part of the endometrium is shed during menstruation?
Stratum functionalis (functional endometrium)
When during the uterine cycle is re-epithelialization complete?
5-6 days after the start of menstruation
What does the cervix consist of?
Fibroelastic connective tissue and relatively little smooth muscle
What does the endocervix face?
The cervical canal
What does the enctocervix face?
The lumen of the vagina
2 parts of the cervix
Endocervix
Endocervix
Does the mucosa of the cervix shed during menstruation?
No
Does the cervix change with age?
Yes
What causes ectropion?
Estrogen
Different name for uterine tubes?
Fallopian tubes
Salpings
4 parts of the uterine tubes
Uterine part/ intramural part
Istmus
Ampulla
Infundibulum
What is the widest part of the uterine tubes?
Infundibulum and ampulla
Where in the uterine tubes does the fertilisation typically take place?
In the lumen
What are the fimbriae in the uterine tube?
Numerous mucosal finger.like folds
What is the fimbriae attached to the ovary called?
Ovarian fimbria
How many fimbriae attach to the ovaries?
1
What is part of the lower genital tract in females?
Vulva
Vagina
What is part of the upper tract in females?
Uterus
Uterine tubes
Ovaries
What embryological structure forms the fallopian tubes?
Mesonephric duct
What does the urogenital sinus develop into?
Prostate gland and distal part of vagina
What kind of malformation of the vagina is the most common?
Septate
Different name for the prominence of the sacrum
Promontorium of the sacrum
Name of the plane where the foetus passes during labor
Plane of pelvic outlet
Where do all 3 muscles of the elevator ani insert?
Anococcygeal ligament
Which pelvic floor muscles differs slightly in the 2 genders?
Deep transverse perineal
What is the difference in the deep transverse perineal in the 2 genders?
In the female there are 2 hiatus where in the male there is only 1
Does the ischiocavernosus muscle differ in the 2 genders?
Yes
Does the bulbospongiosus muscle differ in the 2 genders?
Yes
Is the anus found in the same perineal triangle in both genders?
Yes the posterior
Different name for the rectouterine pouch?
Pouch of Douglas
What does the ischioanal fossa consist of?
Adipose tissue
Which is the deepest peritoneal reces/pouch in the female?
Rectouterine pouch
Name of the 2 angles the position of the uterus can be described in terms of
Felxion
Version
What is the flexion? (female)
Angle between the longitudinal cervical axis and the longitudinal uterine axis
What is the version? (female)
Angle between the longitudinal cervical axis and the longitudinal vaginal axis
What is the normal position to flexion? (female)
Anteflexion
What is the normal position to version? (female)
Anteversion
4 parts of the uterus
Fundus
Body
Isthmus
Cervix
Where do the lateral folds/broad ligaments extend?
On each side from the uterus to the lateral pelvic walls
What do the broad ligaments become continuous with when they reach the lateral pelvic wall?
The peritoneum
Which border of the broad ligaments is free?
The upper border
Which border of the broad ligament is continuous with the peritoneum?
Lower border
What is found at the upper free border of the broad ligaments?
The uterine tubes
What does the round ligament reach when passing through the inguinal canal?
Labia majora
Which ligaments support the uterus and prevent uterine prolapse?
The deep pelvic ligaments
Which 2 ligaments support and help maintain the positions of the cervix and vagina in the pelvis?
Uterosacral ligaments
Paracolpium
Different name for Cardinal ligament? (female)
Transverse cervical ligament
Does the endometrial of the vagina contain glands?
Yes
Does the endometrium of the vagina differ in characteristics differ in the Body/fundus and cervix?
Yes
Does the myometrium contain blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerves?
Yes
What is the serosa of the vagina composed of?
Peritoneum
How many layers of smooth muscle in the myometrium?
3
What happens to the uterine glands during uterine cycle?
They change shape
Does the uterine glands reach the myometrium?
Yes
What is the epithelium of the endometrium like before puberty?
Ciliated and cuboidal
What are the uterine glands composed of?
Columnar cells
What does the columnar cells of the uterine glands secrete?
Glycoproteins and glycogen
What are the uterine glands like?
Tortuous and branched
What is predecidualization in the uterine cycle?
Stromal cells near terminal spiral arteries showing an increase in cytoplasm and surrounding extracellular matrix
What is the myometrium like at the uterine midlevel and fundus?
Dense and thick
What is the myometrium like at the tubal orifices?
Thin
Which muscle layer of the myometrium plays a central role during labour?
Intermediate (vascular) layer
Which muscle layer of the myometrium is the thickest?
Intermediate layer
Which muscle layer of the myometrium is the stabilisation?
External layer
What part of the cervical storm is essential to the stretching capacity of the cervix during childbirth?
The elastin component
Does the cervix have spiral arteries?
No
What is the ectocervix covered by?
Non-keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium
When is ectropion visible?
After puberty
Where is the junction between the endocervical and ectocervix endothelium located before puberty?
At the external os
What happens to the cervix during puberty?
It opens due to the rising levels of oestrogen
What does the opening of the cervix do to the endocervical epithelium?
It exposes it onto the ectocervix
What is the ectropion?
The area of columnar cells (originating from the endocervix) on the ectocervix
Rea and raw in appearance
Different name for ectropion
Cervical erosion
What happens after puberty when the ectropion is exposed to the acidic environment of the vagina?
The columnar cells transform through squamous metaplasia into stratified squamous epithelium
What does the ostia of the fallopian tubes open into?
The uterine cavity
Different name for the uterine cavity
Uterine os
Where does the uterine tube pass in relations to the uterus?
Laterally and superiorly
How does the ovarian fimbria differ from the other fimbria?
It is longer and more deeply grooved than the others
Where is the ovarian fimbria typically applied?
The tubal pole of the ovary
Where are the longitudinal folds of the uterine tubes most pronounced?
Distally at the infundibulum
What is the mucosa thrown into in the uterine tubes?
Longitudinal folds
What does the mucosa of the uterine tubes mainly consist of?
Single-layered tall, columnar epithelium
Mainly ciliated cells and secretory cells
What changes the activities of the ciliated and secretory cells of the uterine tubes?
Stage in the menstrual cycle and age
When are the secretory cells of the uterine tubes most active?
Around the time of ovulation
When do the ciliated cells of the uterine tubes increase in height and develop more cilia?
In the oetrogenic first half of the menstrual cycle
What is the role of the cilia in the uterine tubes?
Wafting the oocyte from the open-ended infundibulum towards the uterus
When does the epithelium of the uterine tube regress in height?
Towards the end of the cycle and postmenopausally (when the ciliated cells are reduced in number)
How many layers of smooth muscles in the uterine tube?
2
Name of the layers of the uterine tube muscles
Inner circular/spiral layer
Outer/longitudinal layer (thinner)
What does the contractile activity of the smooth muscle of the uterine tube produce?
Peristaltic movements
What does the peristaltic movements of the uterine tube assist?
Propulsion of the gametes and the fertilised ovum
What are the uterine tubes covered by externally?
Highly vascular serosa
What suspends the ovaries in the pelvic cavity?
A double fold of peritoneum
Name of the peritoneum that suspends the ovaries
Mesovarium
Where does the lateral surface of the ovary contact the parietal peritoneum?
In the ovarian fossa
What is found behind the ovarian fossa?
Retroperitoneal structures (ureter, internal iliac vessels, obturator vessels and nerve, origin of uterine artery)
What does the medial surface of the ovaries face?
Uterus and uterine vessels in the broad ligament
What is the name of the peritoneal recess on the medial surface of the ovaries?
Ovarian bursa
Which surface of the ovaries contains the mesovarium?
The anterior
Which border of the ovaries is free?
The posterior
What happens to the size of the ovaries during pregnancy?
They more than double
What happens to the size of the ovaries during menopause?
They reduce
What is the ovaries covered by?
Single layer of cuboidal epithelium
Name of the epithelium of the ovaries
Germinal epithelium
What is found beneath the epithelium of the ovaries?
A tough collagenous coat called tunica albuginea
Which part of the ovaries contains the ovarian follicles?
The cortex
Which part of the ovaries receives the ovarian vessels and nerves at the hilum?
The medulla
What happens to the ovarian cortex after puberty?
It forms the major part of the ovary (from 35% before)
What are follicles and other structures derived from the ovaries embedded in?
A dense stroma
What is the stroma of the follicles composed of?
Meshwork of think collagen fibers and fusiform fibroblast-like cells and stratal cells
What do stroll cells give rise to?
The theca layers of maturing ovarian follicles
What does the tecal interna become in the corpus luteum?
Steroid-secreting
Is the the medulla of the ovaries highly vascular?
Yes
What does the ovarian medulla contain?
Veins and spiral arteries
Where do the veins and spiral arteries enter the ovarian medulla?
The hilum
4 stages of the ovarian follicles
Primordial follicles
Primary follicles
Secondary (antral) follicles
Tertiary (Graafian) folic
What is found in the superior fold of the ovary?
Ovarian suspensory ligament
Ovarian artery and vein
What is found in the inferior fold of the ovary?
Proper ovarian ligament
Is the surface of the ovaries shiny and smooth?
No because they are covered by German epithelium and not peritoneal
What do primordial follicles consist of?
Primary oocytes surrounded by a single layer of flat follicular cells
What is the first sign of primary follicles?
A change from single layered flattened to multilayered cuboidal
Name of the cavity in secondary follicles? (ovaries)
Antrum
Name of the mature follicle ready for ovulation
Tertiary follicle
Different name for tertiary follicle
Graafian
How many secondary follicles?
Many
How many tertiary follicles?
1
Which follicle becomes the Graafian follicles?
Follicle with highest number of receptors for FSH
Different name for corpus luteum
Yellow body
When does the function of the corpus luteum stop?
12-14 days after ovulation
What I the name of what the cops luteum turns into?
Corpus albicans
Different name for corpus albicans
White body
3 parts of blood supply to the vagina
Superior: viganial branches of uterine artery
Vaginal artery originating directly from internal illial artery
Distal: internal pudendal artery
What does the ovarian branch of the uterine artery follow?
Ovarian ligament
In which gender is the rectovesical pouch?
Males
Where doe male and female gonads originates?
Mesoderm
Does the prostate come from the wolffish duct system?
No
Where do the testes pass through to reach the scrotum?
Inguinal canal
What pulls down the testes to reach the scrotum?
Gubernaculum testis
Why do the testes shift during the fatal period?
Because spermatogenesis requires a lower body temperature than 37c*
Where does the spermatic cord extend?
From the deep inguinal ring to the posterior aspect of the testis
What suspends the testis?
Spermatic cords
What covers the anterior, medial and lateral surface of the testis?
Visceral layer of the serial tunica vaginalis
What does the septa of testis divide it into?
Lobules
How many lobules per testis?
Approx. 250
What does spermatogonia divide into?
Primary spermatocytes
What connects Sertoli cells?
Thight junctions
What does the epididymis consists of?
A single 6 m long coiled duct
Name of the duct in the epididymis
Epididymal duct
What kind of gland is the prostate?
Exocrine
What kind of organ is the prostate?
Solid
What does the prostate release its secrete into?
The ureter
5 zones of the prostate
Central zone
Peripheral zone
Anterior zone
Periurethral zone
Transition zone
Different name for seminal vesicles
Seminal glands
Which zone makes up the majority of the prostate?
Peripheral zone
Name of the functional unit of the prostate gland
Acini
What number of chromosomes do primordial follicles contain?
Diploid numbers
When do primordial follicles get arrested at the diplotene stage of mitotic prophase?
Before birth
What kind of cells do primary follicles consist of?
Granulosa cells
Thick basal lamina of stromal cells
What kind of cells are theca interna and granuloma cells?
Endocrine cells
What is the liquid in the cavities between the granulosa cells called? (secondary follicles)
Liquor folliculi
In the secondary follicles, what does the thickened granulosa layer form when enveloping the oocyte?
Cumulus oophorus
What happens to the theca interna when the follicles mature?
It becomes more prominent and the cells get more rounded
What happens to the follicles that don’t become the tertiary follicle?
They become atretic
What happens to the primary oocyte when the follicle becomes tertiary?
It completes its first meiotic division
When does the primary oocyte produce when undergoing its first meiotic division?
Secondary oocyte
Is the secondary oocyte haploid or diploid?
Haploid
Where does the follicle move after becoming a tertiary follicle?
To the superficial cortex, making the ovary bulge
What does the remainder of the follicle become after ovulation?
Corpus luteum
Which cells form most of the corpus luteum?
Granulosa lutein cells
What does granulosa lutein cells secrete?
Progesterone and oestradiol
What does theca lutein cells express receptors for?
Human chronic gonadotrophin (hCG)
What happens to the corpus luteum if there is no fertilisation?
It functions for 12-14 days and then atrophies
What kind of degeneration does lutein cells undergo when no fertilisation takes place?
Fatty degeneration, autolysis
What are lutein cells replaces by when no fertilisation takes place?
Fibrous tissue
When does the implantation of the blastocyst into the uterine endometrium usually begin when fertilisation occurs?
7 days later
What does the embryonic trophoblast produce?
hCG (human chronic gonadotrophin)
What stimulates the corpus luteum of menstruation to grow and become a corpus luteum of pregnancy?
hCG
What does the uterine and vaginal arteries branch off of?
The anterior division of the internal iliac artery
3 branches of the uterine artery
Round ligament
Tubal
Ovarian
Are there anastomosis in the vessels that vascularise the uterine tube and the ovary?
Yes
Where does the ovarian artery originate from?
The abdominal aorta
What kind of vessels does the suspensory ligament of the ovary contain?
Ovarian vessels
Which nervous system controls the female reproductive system?
Autonomous (sympathetic and parasympathetic)
Where are the testes and epididymis located?
Lodged in the scrotum
What surrounds the besties?
Peritoneal serosa
Aponeurosis of transversus muscle
Aponeurosis of external olique
What is fascia spermatic interna ?
The aponeurosis of transverse muscle
What is fascia spermatica externa ?
The aponeurossi of external oblique
What is the median umbilical fold made of?
Fibrous tissue
Which testis is usually lower?
The left
Which aspect does the spermatic cord attach to?
The posterior aspect
Are the surface of the testis convex or concave?
Convex
What covers the testis?
The visceral layer of the serosal tunica vaginalis
Which aspect of the testis is only partly covered by serosa?
The posterior aspect
What adjoins the lateral parts of the serosa?
The epididymis
What is the tunica vaginalis the lower end of?
The peritoneal processus vaginalis
What is the testis reflected from and onto?
The testis onto the internal surface of the scrotum
What happens to the tunica vaginalis posterolaterally?
Passes to the medial aspect of the epididymis
What is found between the 2 layers of the tunica vaginalis?
A thin film of fluid
What is the tunica albuginea made os?
Interlacing bundles of collagen fibers
Where are the lobules of the testis largest and longest?
In the centre
What does lobule contain?
1-4 convuluted seminiferous tubules
What surrounds each seminiferous tubule in the testis?
A basal lamina
What rests on the basil lamina of the seminiferous tubules?
Complex, stratified seminiferous epithelium containing spermatogenic cells and supportive sertoli cells
When active, what does the spermatogenic cells include? (4)
Basally situated spermatogonia
Spermatocytes
Spermatid
Mature spermatozoa
Are secondary spermatocytes haploid or diploid?
Haploid
What does secondary spermocytes rapidly undergo?
Meiotic division
What are Sertoli cells?
The supporting non-spermatogenic cells of the seminiferous tubules
How many of the Sertoli cells contact the basal lamina?
All of them
What are Sertoli cells joined by?
Thight junctions
What is the blood testis barrier?
Diffusion barrier between the extra tubular and intratubular compartment formed by the thighs junctions of the sertoli cells
Where is the epididymis located in relations to the testis?
Posteriorly and slightly lateral
Different name for spermatic duct
Vas deferens
What are the efferent ductules of the testis lined by?
Ciliated columnar epithelium
What are the ductules of the testis surrounded by external to the epithelium?
Thin circular coat of smooth muscle
What makes up the head of the epididymis?
The conical lobules formed by the large and convoluted ends of the ductules
What makes up the duct of the epididymis?
Epithelium
Basal membrane
Muscular wall
2 main cell types of the epithelium of the epididymis
Principal cells
Basal cells
What is the name of the microvilli found in principal cells
Stereocilia
What does the stereo cilia do?
Resorb approx. 90% of the fluid from testicular secretion
Secrete glycoproteins
Which cells are thought to be precursor cells to the principal cells?
Basal cells
Does the prostate have a true fibrous capsule?
No, it is enclosed by visceral fascia
What is the prostate divided into?
Lobules?
What divides the prostate into lobules?
Numerous fibromuscular septa which originate from the fascia
Where are the openings of the ejaculatory ducts?
Seminal colliculus in the prostatic urethra
What is the prostate transversed by?
The urethra and ejaculatory ducts
Is the prostate paired or unpaired?
Unpaired
Where is the prostate located?
Below the funds of the bladder
Which zone of the prostate is gland-free?
Anterior zone
What do acini open into?
Elongated canals which from main ducts
What are acini separated by?
Loose connective tissue
Where do prostatic ducts mainly open into?
The floor of the prostatic urethra
Are prostatic secretions acidic or basic?
Slightly acidic
Where are the seminal vesicles located?
Between the bladder and rectum
How many seminal vesicles in a man?
2
What does the seminal vesicles join?
The vas deferens
What does the seminal vesicles form with the vas deferens?
The ejaculatory duct
What separate the seminal vesicles and the rectum?
Denonvillier’s fascia
How much does the seminal vesicles contribute to the seminal fluid?
85%
What does the tunica vasculosa contain?
A nexus of blood vessels and delicate loose connective tissue
Is there a venous plexus in the sub peritoneal in men?
Yes
Which nervous system controls the male reproductive system?
Autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic)
