The Male Reproductive System Flashcards by Jennica Quast

What is the function of the testes? How much sperm do they produce per day?

Manufacturing and assembly
1 to 25 billion sperm/day for both testes

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What are the main function of the head and body of the epididymis?

Finishing shops
- Sperm undergo changes to become fertile –> capacitation

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What are the 3 sections of the epididymis?

Caput (head)
Corpus (body)
Cuada (tail)

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What is the function of the tail of the epidiymis?

Warehouse and shipping center
Storage of fertile spermatozoa before ejaculation

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What is the pathway that sperm take after sexual excitement?

Sperm are shipped:

Epididymal duct –> ductus deferense –> pelvic urethra

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What are the functions of the accessory sex glands?

Final alterations and packaging

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What is seminal plasma?

Fluid from the tail of the epididymis and accessory sex glands

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What are the 6 basic components of the male reproductive system?

Spermatic cord
Scrotum
Testis
Excurrent duct system
Accessory sex glands
Penis and muscles for protrusion, erection, and ejaculation

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What is the function of the spermatic cord? Where is it located?

Suspends testis in the scrotum

Extends from inguinal ring –> dorsal pole of testis

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What are the 4 components houses by the spermatic cord?

testicular vasculature, lymphatics and nerves
ductus deferens
cremaster muscle
pampiniform plexus

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What is the function of the testicular vasculature, lymphatics and nerves?

Connect to body

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What is the function of the ductus deferens?

Sperm transport

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What is the function of the cremaster muscle?

Supports testes

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What is the function of the pampiniform plexus?

Heat exchanger –> specialized vasculature network

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What is the pampiniform plexus and its function? Why is this important?

Intertwined artery and vein –> temperature control of the testis

Important for successful manufacture of spermatozoa - “spermatogensis”

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Where are the uncoiled and coiled spermatic artery and spermatic vein located?

Uncoiled –> in body and dorsal portion of the spermatic cord

Coiled –> ventral portion of spermatic cord - close to testis

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What do the spermatic artery and spermatic vein form?

Forms countercurrent heat exchanger
Heat transfer - warm blood of body (spermatic artery) –> cooler blood leaving surface of the testis (spermatic vein)
From heat loss on surface of the scrotum
Also forms pulse pressure eliminator –> blood entering the testis is “pulseless”

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What does close proximity of spermatic artery and vein allow?

Allows testosterone exchange
Recirculated back to testis by spermatic artery

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What is the function of the cremaster muscle? Where is is located? What kind of muscle is it made of?

Suspends testis and aids in testicular temperature control
Follows length of spermatic cord
Striated muscle

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What does contraction and relaxation of the cremaster muscle trigger?

Triggers “pumping action” on pampiniform plexus
- Facilitates blood flow
- Enhances cooling efficiency

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What is the scrotum and what does it do?

2 lobes sack –> acts as a thermosensor, radiator, and protective sac

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What are the 4 layers of the scrotum?

skin
tunica dartos
scrotal fascia
parietal tunica vaginalis

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What is the skin layer of the scrotum? What is its function?

Many sweat glands which are innervated with sympathetic nerves

In event of increased body or scrotal temperature, hypothalamus triggers activation of sweat glands –> cool scrotum and testes by evaporating heat

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What is the scrotal skin? What does it do in the ram?

Many thermosensitive nerves

Neural pathway between scrotum and respiratory system in brain
Heat up scrotum in ram –> increased respiratory rate and “panting”

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What happens when fat accumulated in the scrotum?

High nutrient diets --> can interfere with thermoregulation (decrease fertility)

What is the tunica dartos? What does its degree of contraction depend on?

Mesh-like smooth muscle layer beneath the scrotal skin Degree of contraction dependent on scrotal skin temperature

What kind of muscle is the tunica dartos? Why is this important to its function?

Smooth muscle --> can maintain sustained contractions - under control of androgens

What are the testes?

Primary reproductive organs

What are the 3 things that the testes primarily produce?

- Spermatozoa - Hormones and proteins - Fluids

What are the hormones and proteins the testes produce?

testosterone, inhibin, estrogen, and proteins for spermatozoal function

What is the purpose of the fluids that the testes produce? Where does it originate from?

-Originates from seminiferous tubules Serves as vehicle for spermatozoa transport and helps move sperm out of the testes

What are the 4 components of the testis?

- Testicular capsule - Perenchyma - Mediastinum - Rete tubules

What is the testicular layer?

2 layered covering of testis

What are the 2 layers of the testicular capsule?

- Visceral tunica vaginalis - Tunica albuginea

What is the tunica albuginea?

Connective tissue capsule --> sends finger-like projections into the mediastinum

What kind of muscle does the tunica albuginea have? What is its function?

Contains smooth muscle - contraction and relaxation --> Facilitates sperm movement through the rete tubules and efferent ducts

What is the parenchyma?

Cellular mass of a gland or organ that is supported by a network of connective tissue

What are the components of testicular parenchyma?

- Seminiferous tubules --> tubular component - Leydig cells --> interstitial components (produce testosterone) - Capillaries - Lymphatic vesses - Connective tissue

What does the tubular compartment consist of?

Seminiferous tubules and everything inside of them

What are the seminiferous tubules?

- microscopic --> form highly convoluted loops - ends join with rete tubules - each loop has convoluted end and straight portion - spermatogenesis --> convoluted portion

What are the components of the tubular compartment?

- seminiferous epithelium - Sertoli cells - developing germ cells - peritubular cells

What are the seminiferous tubules?

basal and adluminal compartment

What do the sertoli cells secrete?

fluid for sperm transport

What is the peritubular cell function?

contractile for sperm transport

What are sertoli cells?

Cellular "governors" of spermatogenesis ' Contain receptors for FSH, testosterone, and other hormones and secrete many factors

What are the factors of the sertoli cells?

- Androgen binding protein - Sulfated glycoproteins - Transferrin - Inhibin

What is the function of androgen binding protein?

Testosterone transport

What is the function of the sulfated glycoproteins?

Fertility acquisition

What is the function of transferrin?

Suppresses FSH

What are sertoli cells attached by?

Specialized junctions - tight junctions

What do sertoli cells separate?

Basal and adluminal compartments

What does the basal compartment contain?

Spermatogonia and early primary spermocytes

What does the adluminal compartment contain?

Primary and secondary spermatocytes, spermatids -- borders lumen

What is the mediastinum? What is its function?

Central connective tissue core --> houses rete tubules (or testes) Prevents collapse or compression of duct system within testis

What is the function of the rete tubules?

sperm transport

What is the excurrent duct system composed of?

- efferent ducts - epididymis (epididymal duct) - ductus (vas) deferens

What is seminal plasma?

liquid, non-cellular portion of semen -- not required for fertility

What is important about seminal plasma?

Important in natural insemination --> provide fluid for sperm transport

How fertile is sperm from tail of epididymis?

Just as fertile as ejaculated sperm

What do accessory sex glands secrete?

substances into pelvic urethra

What is seminal plasma produced by?

- epididymis - ampulla - vesicular glands (seminal vesicles) - prostate gland

What is the ampulla in males?

enlargement of the ductus deferens -- hard to see in boar Increased mucosal portion

What is the vesicular gland?

Large proportion of of ejaculate in boar and bull

What shapes are the vesicular glands in bull, ram, boar, and stallion?

Bull and ram --> lobulated Boar --> well-developed -- produces viscous, milky component of seminal plasma Stallion --> elongated, hollow patches

Where is the prostate gland located?

between bladder and pelvic urethra

What are the 2 structural forms of the prostate gland?

Corpus prostate --> heart-shaped or H-shaped Disseminate prostate --> urethral gland

What animals have a corpus prostate?

Boar --> heart-shaped Stallion --> H-shaped

What kind of animals have a disseminate prostate?

Ram --> entirely disseminate Boar --> major portion of the prostate gland Bull --> 2 forms -- corpus prostate near neck of bladder

What shape is the bulbourethral gland (Cowper's gland) and what is it made up of?

Small and ovoid Dense, connective tissue

What is ram, bull, and stallion cowper's gland like?

small and buried under bulbospongiosus muscle

What is the boar cowper's gland like?

Large and fibrous --> produce gel portion of semen

What is the penis?

Copulatory organ

What is the penis composed of?

- a base - a shaft - the glans penis

What does the shaft in bull, boar, and ran species contain?

Contains sigmoid flexure --> s-shaped configuration

What maintains sigmoid flexure?

Retractor penis muscle

What does the shaft contain?

Corpus cavernosum --> spongy, erectile tissue Corpus spongiosum --> spongy, erectile tissue near penile urethra

What is the glans penis?

Specialized distal end -- many sensory nerves

What are the muscles associated with pelvic urethra and penis?

- urethralis - bulbospongiosus - ischiocavernosus - retractor penis