Reproductive System - I Flashcards
describe how the reproductive system differs between males and females
Gonads - organs were gametes (sex cells) are produced
- testes - spermatozoa (male)
- ovary - oocytes (female)
Genitalia allow for coitus - so that gametes can fuse to form an embryo (fertilisation)
describe the features of the pelvis
- bony basin between trunk and the lower limbs
- hip bones + sacrum + coccyx
- pelvic inlet is open
- pelvic outlet is closed by muscles
- inlet is always bigger than outlet
- outlet is inferior part, inlet is superior part
what are the two pelvis subdivisions?
False/greater pelvis
- superior region
- above pelvic inlet
- contains part of the GI tract
True/lesser pelvis
- inferior region
- between inlet and outlet
- contains internal reproductive organs
what are the differences between the male and female pelvis?
Male:
- narrower subpubic angle
- narrower and taller
- heart shaped inlet
- curved coccyx
Female:
- broader subpubic angle
- broader and shallower
- oval inlet
- straighter coccyx (so a baby can get out)
describe the pelvic floor (pelvic diaphragm)
- closes over pelvic outlet
- pelvic diaphragm is made of two muscles
- levator ani
- coccygeus - openings in pelvic floor
- urethra
- anal canal
- vagina (females)
Urogenital triangle - urethral opening; external genitalia
Anal triangle - anal canal and fat tissue
describe the male perineum
- region inferior to the pelvic floor and between upper region of the thighs
- includes genitalia and anus
- two triangular divisions:
- anterior: urogenital triangle (urethral opening, external genetalia)
- posterior: anal triangle (anal canal and fat)
describe the structure and function of the male reproductive system
Function:
- to produce spermatozoa (sperm/male gamete)
- transport spermatozoa into the female reproductive tract
Made up of:
- testes (male gonad)
- reproductive tract
- accessory structures and glands
what is the male reproductive tract and what does it include?
it is the path that sperm travels along
includes:
- testes (where spermatozoa are found)
- epididymis (where the sperm maturates, continuous with ductus deferens)
- ductus (vas) deferens (widens into ampulla, which goes into the ejactulatory duct)
- ejaculatory duct
- urethra (three sections)
what does the scrotum contain?
Scrotum is the shape of a sac and is divided into two sections
- Two testes (sing. testis)
- Two epididymides (sing. epididymis)
- Two spermatic cords (with parts of ductus deferens)
describe the testes
- produce sperm
- lie in scrotum - outside the body
- surrounded by dense fibrous capsule: the tunica albuginea
- have seminiferous tubules (functional unit of the testes) which are where spermatozoa are produced. divided into lobules where the tunica albuginea comes between and forms a septum.
describe the seminiferous tubules
- testes have lobules containing seminiferous tubules
- tubules join to form rete testis
- join to form efferent ductules leading to epididymis
- lobes are separated by tunica albuginea
- interstitial endocrine (Leydig) cells produce testosterone
- nurse (sertoli) cells produce inhibin (nurse cells also important for helping the spermatozoa develop)
- spermatogenic cells: spermatogonia and spermatozoa at various stages of development
- as the spermatozoa get developed they get pushed towards the lumen of the lumen for when they are ready to get released
describe the epididymis
- head, body, tail (no specific place where these change)
- sperm enter from seminiferous tubules and exit via ductus deferens
- site of sperm maturation
- by the time the sperm leave and get into the ductus deferens they are able to do motility but they are carried up the ductus deferens by fluid, and its when they come into contact with the seminal fluid that they do motility
describe the ductus deferens
- also known as ‘vas deferens’
- continues from epididymis
- starts in spermatic cord (which runs through the inguinal canal - space in abdomen for things to run through)
- covered by smooth muscle
- runs posterior to the urinary bladder
- dilates to form the ampulla
describe the ejaculatory ducts
- formed by the union of the duct from the seminal vesicle and the ampulla
- opens in the prosthetic urethra
describe the male urethra
- two functions: urination and ejaculation
- epithelium changes (transitional, columnar, stratified squamous)
- three sections (prosthetic urethra, membranous urethra, penile/spongy urethra)
