reproductive system Flashcards
what is the perineum?
the diamond-shaped space between the thighs, divided into two triangles:
- urogenital triangle from the public symphysis to the ischial tuberosities. contains the urethral and vaginal orifices
- anal triangle is bound by the ischial tuberosities and coccyx. contains the anus
two triangles are divides by imaginary lines between the ischial tuberosities
what are the sex organs? (male and female)
- general: genitalia
- primary sex organs: gonads–>produce gametes (eggs and sperm)
- primary male sex organs: testes (produce sperm)
- primary female sex organs: ovaries (produce eggs)
- overall function of the reproductive system: produce offspring
what are the external genetalia (male and female)
- male: penis and scrotum
- female: vulva (mons pubis, labia, clitoris, structures associated with vestibule)
what are the gonads and the hormones they release?
gonads function as endocrine glands (produce hormones) that develop and maintain sex organs and influence sexual function
- ovaries: estrogen and progesterone
- testes: testosterone
how do sex organs develop (in utero)?
- male and female homologues are structures that developed from same embryological structures
- sex differentiation begins in utero around week 7. fully differentiated by week 20
what are homologues in sex organs?
- labia majora = scrotum
- labia minora = scrotal midline
- glans clitoris = glans penis
- bulb of vestibule = corpus spongiosum
- corpora cavernosa = corpora cavernosa
- ovaries = testes
what are the muscles of the pelvic floor?
- bulbospongiosus muscle covers corpus spongiosum (male) and bulb of vestibule (female). bulb of vestibule = corpus spongiosum
- ischiocavernosus muscle covers corpora cavernosa (male and female)
what is the function of the female reproductive system?
- produce gametes
- support developing embryo and fetus
what are the ovaries?
- the ovaries are lateral to the uterus
- held in place by mesentaries and ligaments, including suspensory ligament and ovarian ligament
- all of these structures are within the broad ligament (peritoneum that hangs over uterus)
- suspensory ligament attaches ovary to pelvic wall; ovarian ligament attaches ovary to uterus
what are the ovaries? x2
- most external layer of the ovary is the tunia albuginea
- ovary subdivides into cortex and medulla
- cortex hold gametes (oocytes)
- each oocyte is held within an ovarian follicle
- medulla is loose connective tissue filled with blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic vessels
what are the uterine tubes?
- also called fallopian tubes or oviducts. the uterine tubes begin at the infundibulum (receives the egg) and ends at the uterus
- ciliated fimbriae surround infundibulum and help egg to pass into uterine tube/oviduct
- just medial infundibulum is expansions called the ampulla
- medial portion of uterine tube/oviducts (next to uterus) is the isthmus
how does ovulation work with the uterine tubes?
- ovulated egg is released into peritoneal cavity, close to but NOT directly into the infundibulum
- infundibulum bends over ovary and fimbriae sweep ovarian surface. this produces currents in peritoneal fluid that help bring egg into uterine tube
- cilia and smooth muscle assist movement towards uterus
what is the uterus?
- located in pelvic cavity, anterior to rectum. held in place by broad ligament and round ligament. hollow, thick-walled, pear-shaped
- main portion is body. rounded top is fundus
- narrow region of inferior to body is isthmus
- neck of uterus is cervis- crevix holds uterus closed during pregnacy. inferior opening of cervix is external os. inferior to cervix is vagina
what are the walls of the uterus called (superficial to deep)
- perimetrium
- myometrium
- endometrium
what is the perimetrium?
outer serous membrane, continuous with broad ligament
what is the myometrium?
smooth muscle layer, pushes fetus out during childbirth
what is the endometrium?
lining of the uterus. composed of simple columnar tissue. nourishes fetus during development during development or is shed during menstruation
what is the vagina?
thin-walled tube, inferior to uterus, anterior to rectum, posterior to urethra and bladder. made up of stratified sqamous epithelium, has an acidic environment. receives penis/semen during intercourse, aka the birth canal as it is very distensible, allowing baby to be pushed out and allows the penis
what are the external gentalia of the vagina?
- clitoris: analogous to the penis in males, contains erectile tissue including corpus cavernosa
- labia majora: homologous to scrotum
- labia minora encloses vestibule that houses the vaginal and urethral openings
- vestibular glands: secrete mucus when sexually aroused
what are mammary glands?
- pigmented skin around the nipple is called the areola
- technically the only part of the integument: modified sweat glands
- present in males and females, functional only in females
- divided into lobes and smaller lobules
- lobules: contain alveoli that produce milk
- lobules and alveoli do not develop until pregancy
what is the pathway that breastmilk follos through the mammary glands?
- milk is secreted into larger and larger ducts
- reach the lactiferous ducts at the nipple
- enlarged region where milk accumulated during nursing is the lactiferous sinus
when do mammary ducts and breast enlargement develop?
during puberty
what are the parts of the male pelvis?
- testes
- epididymus
- ductus deferenes
- ejaculatory duct
- urethra
- seminal vesicle
- prostate gland
- bulbourethral glands
what is the scrotum?
- houses the testes
- divided into two parts by a septum
- maintains temperature of testes to allow sperm development
- two structures in the spermatic cord also allow for temperature regulation
what is the cremaster muscle?
muscle that elevates or lowers the penis
which structure cools blood before it enters the testes?
pampiniform plexus (vein plexus)
what is the spermatic cord?
- made up of the ductus deferenes, cremaster muscle, fascia, testicular vessels, and nerves
- extends from the scrotum to inguinal canal
- medial opening = superficial inguinal ring
- deep inguinal ring: where ductus deferens and testicular vessels enter abdomen (area is susceptible to hernias)
how do the testes descend?
- gubernaculum extends from caudal end of developing testes through body wall and into skin of the future scrotum
- testes follow this path
- spermatic cord follows the testes
what are testes?
- inside the scrotum, surrounded by a tunical vaginalis
- deep to tunica vaginalis is the fibrous tunica albuginea
- testes are divided into 250-300 lobules containing seminiforous tubules
- seminiforous tubules converge and sperm travels to rete testes
- rete testes leads to epididymis
what are seminiforous tubules?
located within the testes. contain support cells (sertoli cells) and dividing germ cells (future sperm)
what is the epididymis?
- site of sperm maturation and storage: protein secretions nourish sperm and help maturation.
- ejaculation: smooth muscle in wall of the epididymis contract, expel sperm into ductus deferens
what is the ductus deferens?
- transports sperm during ejaculation
- extends from epididymis into pelvic cavity
- travels through spermatic cord, superior, and then posterior to bladder
- joins ducts of seminal gland to produce an ejaculatory duct, then passes into the prostate and into urethra
what is a vastectomy?
- male form of birth control
- ductus deferences is cut and tied off
what is a tubal ligation?
- female form of permanent birth control
- fallopian tubes are cut and tied off
what is the male urethra?
- in males, urethra carries both urine and sperm. there are three parts:
+ prostatic urethra, surrounded by prostate
+ membranous urethra, surrounded by urogenital diaphragm
+ spongy urethra; located within the penis
what are the accessory glands?
- seminal vesicles (posterior to bladder) produce portion of seminal fluid. join with ductus deferens to form ejaculatory duct
- prostate (inferior to bladder) also produces some of seminal fluid. holds prostatic urethra
- secretions from seminal, prostate, and bulbourethral glands + sperm cells = semen
what is the penis?
- delivers sperm into the femal reproductive tract
- the root of the penis is the base= where it attaches to the pelvis. the body is the free portion
- the glans penis is the enlarged end
- skin covering the penis is loose. where it extends around the glans is prepuce (foreskin)
what is erectile tissue?
- penis is composed of erectile tissues. erectile tissue is spongy connective tissue with vascular spaces
- corpora canvernosa makes crura found in root, also found in body
- corpus spongiosum is found in bulb within root of penis, body of penis, and the glans
what is an erection?
- filling of the erectile bodies with blood (parasympathetic control)
- during sexual stimulation, arteries dilate and blood and blood flow increases
- expand and compress veins that normally drain them, this maintains erection
- ejaculation under sympathetic control: smooth muscle contraction squeezes semen to urethra
