Reproductive System Flashcards
What are the testis surrounded by?
Tunica vaginalis.
What muscle does scrotum contain?
Dartos muscle.
What cells in the testes produce testosterone?
Leydig cells.
Explain the importance of the seminiferous tubules?
- Produce sperm.
2. Contains Sertoli cells.
What are the different stages in follicle development?
- Primordial.
- Primary.
- Secondary.
- Tertiary.
- Graafian.
What areas of hypothalamus are involved in secretion of GnRH?
- Preoptic nucleus.
2. Supraoptic nucleus.
Where is GnRH secreted into and to where?
Hypophyseal portal system to the anterior pituitary gonadotrobes.
What do the gonadotrobes in the hypophyseal portal circulation secrete?
- FSH.
2. LH.
What are the main hormones secreted from the ovaries?
- Progesterone.
2. Oestradiol.
What is the main hormone secreted from the testes?
Testosterone.
State the three vital molecules produced by Theca cells.
- Pregnenolone.
- Androstenedione.
- Testosterone.
State the important substances produced by granulosa cells?
- Pregnenolone.
2. Oestradiol
How is estradiol produced in granulosa cells?
- Aromatase enzyme activated.
- Progesterone production in theca cells converted into androstenedione.
- Androstenedione and testosterone are used to produce estradiol.
When in gestation does oocyte number peak?
- Roughly 20 weeks.
2. After this the number will fall until exhaustion.
Describe the process of spermatogenesis.
- Spermatogonia.
- Primary spermatocytes.
- Secondary spermatocytes.
- Spermatids.
- Spermatozoa.
- Regulated by testosterone.
Effects of oestrogen.
- Increase bone mass.
- Increase progesterone production.
- Increase clotting factors in liver.
- Increase steroid binding proteins.
- Increase uterine growth.
- Increase fallopian tube growth.
- Increase breast growth.
- Increase LH receptors on granulosa cells.
How is oestrogen and progesterone secretion regulated?
- Interrelated feedback loops.
- Mid-cycle shift from negative to positive feedback.
- Involves an up regulation of receptors such as GnRH as oestrogen/progesterone levels increase.
What are the effects of progesterone?
- Increase breast development.
- Decrease milk production.
- Decrease uterine growth.
- Increase internal temperature.
What are the effects of testosterone?
- Increase bone mass.
- Increase muscle growth.
- Increase testes growth.
- Increase prostate growth.
- Increase growth of hair.
- Increase spermatogenesis.
- Increase sebaceous gland size and secretion.
What divides the two phases in the ovarian cycle?
- Ovulation.
2. Menses
What happens in follicular phase?
- Production of mature Graafian follicles.
2. Secondary oocytes.
What happens in the luteal phase?
- Corpus luteum secretion of oestrogen and progesterone.
When does corpus lute degrade if no fertilisation occurs?
- 10-12 days.
What are the three phases in the endometrial cycle?
- Proliferative.
- Secretory.
- Menstruation.
