The Male Genito-urinary System Flashcards
Androgens
Produced in the adrenal cortex from zona reticularis
- Testosterone
- Dihydrotestosterone
- formed from testosterone
- produced by 5-a-reductase
Maturation of sperm
*Hypothalamus
(GnRH)
*Pituary*
(LH) (FSH)
^^Leydig Seroteli^
Testosterone Spermatogenesis
Mature sperm
Where does the prodcution of sperm take place?
And what is the process of sperm maturation?
Sperm is produced in th eseminiferous tubules in the testes.
Spermatogonium (x1)
Prmry spermocyte (x1)
2ndry spermocyte (x2)
Spermatids (x4)
Spermatozoa (x4)
Impaired Spermatogenesis: Infertility
Male infertility is when < 20mil sperm/mL semen
(Normal: 50-150/mL)
Causes:
- ↑testicular temp
- undescended testes
- testicular infection (e.g adult onset mumps)
- ↓LH→↓testosterone for spermatogenesis
- genetic disorders
- abnormal #chromosoms→↓testosterone
Impaired spermatogenesis
Define non-motile sperm & non-viable sperm
Non-motile sperm:
- not able to propel within female reprod tract
Non-viable sperm:
- immature/malformed sperm
- unable to fertilize ovum
Erection
Vasodilatino fills spongy tissue with blood
(corpus cavernosum surrounds the cental arteries)
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is the impairment of ejaculation and/or erection
What are some causes of erectile dysfunction?
- Physiological and/or emotional/physchological problems
-
>40yo men: 50% physiological
- vascular/endocrine/neuro disorders
- chronic disease
- penile diseases and trauma
- iartrogenic (externally admin) eg drugs, surgery
-
younger men:
- psychological causes
What are some drugs that cause penile dysfunction?
- Antihypersensitives
- Antidepressants
- Antihistamines
- Tranquillisers
- Barbituarates
- Diuretics
- Narcotics
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
These inhibit desire & erections
Can cause sperm abonormalities
What are some penile disorders?
Inflammations
- Balanitis
- Balanoposthitis
- Peyronie’s disease (fibrous plaque forms on the corpus cavernosum - spongy tissue- causes penis to bend upwards when erect)
Penile cancer
Priapism
What are some testicular disorders?
Variocele
Hydrocele
Haematocele
Spermatocele
What is testiculat torison?
When the spermatic chord is twisted (arteries & veins)
- torison twists
- reduce/stoped circulation to testis
- scrotal swelling & pain
- most common in neonates & young adolescents
What is epididiymitis?
Testicular disorder: Inflammation of the epididymis
- STI - urethritis
- Non-STI - UTI or prostatitis
What is orchitis?
Testicular disoorder: Accute inflammation of testes
- usually from mumps
What is cryptorchidism?
Testicular disorder: Undescended testes
What is cancer of the testis?
Testicular disorder: Painless enlargment of the testis (usually RHS)
- most curable type of cancer
- 1% of cancers
- most common cancer in men 15-35
What is cancer?
Germline and somatic mutations
Inherited cancer:
- Germ-line
- Somatic mutations
Sporadic cancer:
- Double-somatic
- Single somatic
Describe the process of cancer formation
Multi-step process
Tumorogenic progression:
- normal+
- hyperplasia+
- dysplasia+
- invasive*
- metastatic*
*Malignant
<em>+</em>Benign
The prostate surrounds the urethra
(at base of penis, not at tip)
What happens in prostate cancer?
- Prostate enlargment → compressed urethra
- Causes alterations in urination
- weak stream
- urgency
- dysuria
- discharge
What different types of prostatis are there?
- Asymptomatic inflammatory
- Acute bacterial
- Chronic bacterial
- Chronic prostatis/pelvic pain syndrome
- inflammatory
- noninflammatory
What is BPH and how would you diagnose it?
(Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)
- Nodules compress urethra to a narrow slit
- Urine from bladder cannot enter urethra
Diagnosis:
- Physical examination
- ultrasound probe
- finger
What is prostate cancer?
- Common cancer amongst men
- generally older men
- associated w/Western culture
Diagnosis:
- history
- digital rectal examination
- transrectalultrasound
- prostate specific antigen (PSA)
Treatment:
- Surgical removal of prostate
- chemotherapy
- radiotherapy
- hormonal therapy
- testosterone inhibitors
- extremley important for metastatic disease
Which type of prostatitis is most common?
(a) Assymptomatic inflammatory
(b) Acute bacterial
(c) Chronic bacterial
(d) Pelvic pain syndrome
(Chronic) **Pelvic Pain Syndrome **(CPPS)
True or False:
Male reproductive hormones are regulated by the HPA axis? (Hypothalamic-Pituary-Adrenal axis)
False.
The regulation of reproductive hormones is accomplished by the HPG axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal). Gonads are sex organs.
Which testicular disorder would be the most likely to result from trauma to the scrotum?
(a) Varicocele
(b) Hematocele
(c) Spermatocele
(d) Testicular torsion
(b) Hematocele
Hematocele is characterized by the accumulation of blood in the tunica vaginalis, and may be caused by scrotal trauma.
Varicoceles are varicosities in veins supporting the testes.
Spermatoceles are cysts at the end of the epididymis.
Testicular torsion is caused by the twisting of the spermatic cord.
