Reproductive System Flashcards
In males, the primary sex organs are the…
testes
What are the accessory reproductive organs of the male?
ducts, accessory glands
What is the male organ of copulation?
the penis
Major functions of the male and female reproductive systems
produce sex cells (gametes) and sex hormones
- primary sex organs are the gonads, which produce the primary sex cells (gametes)
Where are the testes?
within the scrotum
What is the scrotum?
an outgrowth of the abdominal wall that holds the testes
Why are the testes located in the scrotum?
it keeps them cooler than the core body temperature
Each testis is attached to a _________ _____, containing the vas (ductus) deferens, testicular artery, and pampiniform plexus of veins
spermatic cord
The structures of the spermatic cord pass through the…
inguinal canal
The testicular arteries, which arise from the _________ ______, deliver arterial blood to the testes
abdominal aorta
What drains venous blood from the testis to the testicular vein?
the pampiniform plexus
The right testicular vein empties into the….
inferior vena cava
The left testicular vein empties into the…
left renal vein
What helps cool the testes by drawing heat from the testicular artery?
the pampiniform plexus
This muscle, located on the surface of the testis and spermatic cord, also helps to regulate the temperature of the testes by contracting and relaxing.
cremaster muscle
What structure carries sperm cells into thet pelvis to be added to seminal secretions (from seminal vesicle and prostate gland) at the time of ejaculation?
the vas (ductus) deferens
What artery courses over the left renal vein?
superior mesenteric artery
What happens if there is increased pressure on the left renal vein?
pressure increased in the left testicular vein
What happens if pressure in the left testicular vein increases?
the pampiniform plexus of veins can form varicosities = variococele
Testes develop from __________ tissue in the posterior abdominal wall, next to the mesonephros
gonadal
When the mesonephros degenerate, testes acquire the…
mesonephric ducts
________ is a cord of tissue that guides the testes down through the inguinal canal and into the scrotum
gubernaculum
The mesonephric duct gives rise to…
efferent ductules, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles
The passage of the gonads through the inguinal canal makes males more susceptible to…
inguinal herniation
Testes
the male gonads
Function of the testes
produce the male gametes (sperm cells) and sex hormones
What encapsulates the testes?
a whitish tunica albugenia
Testes are filled with highly coiled tubules called…
seminiferous tubules
Sperm cells develop within the __________ ________ during spermatogenesis
seminiferous tubules
Once developed, sperm cells move into the…
rete testis
From the rete testis, sperm cells move through the….
efferent ductules
From the efferent ductules, sperm cells move to the…
epididymis (to learn how to achieve full motility: “swim school”)
What is the anatomical position of the penis?
when it is erect
- facing stomach = dorsal/posterior
- facing testes = anterior/ventral
Spermatogenesis
process of sperm cell development within the seminiferous tubules
When does spermatogenesis begin?
at the time of puberty, when the hypothalamus produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone
What is the goal of spermatogenesis?
reduce the chromosome number of the sperm cells to 23 (haploid) so that they can combine with 23 chromosomes from an egg to produce a cell with 46 chromosomes (diploid)