The Reproductive System Flashcards
What are two functions of the male and female reproductive system?
- Production of gametes in the gonads
2. Steroidogenesis in the gonads
What are male gametes?
Sperm
What are female gametes?
Eggs
What is spermatogenesis?
Production of mature sperm
What is oogenesis?
Production of mature eggs
Male reproductive system…
A device for producing and delivering sperm to the female.
Female reproductive system….
A device for producing eggs and receiving sperm from the male.
What are two steroid hormones of steroidogenesis?
- Androgens (testosterone)
2. Estrogen
What are the gonads for each sex?
Testes or Ovaries
What are the primary sex organs?
Gonads (testes, ovaries)
What are the secondary sex organs for males?
1.
2.
3.
- Glands
- Ducts
- Penis
What are the secondary female sex organs?
1.
2.
3.
- Uterine tubes
- Uterus
- Vagina
What are secondary sex characteristics?
Features that develop at puberty.
Gonads develop when?
At 6 weeks gestation.
What two ducts exist during process of sex differentiation?
- Wolffian duct (Male)
2. Müllerian duct (Female)
What dictates differentiation in regards to the wolffian ducts and the Müllerian ducts?
One set of ducts develops while the other degenerates. (This dictates sex)
What does the SRY gene do? (sex-determining region of Y gene)
In males, SRY codes for a protein that causes testes to develop and secrete testosterone and Anti-müllerian hormone that favors degeneration of female systems.
How do females develop?
Absence of male hormones and inhibiting factors due to NO SRY GENE
What happens to the mullerian duct if SRY gene is present?
Mullerian duct disappears
What happens to the wolffian ducts if the SRY gene is absent?
The wolffian ducts disappear
What is the skin pouch holding the testes?
Scrotum
What is the bundle of structures from inguinal canal leading into scrotum?
Spermatic cord
Why is testicular thermoregulation necessary?
Sperm are produced at 2-3ºC below core body temperature
Segments of internal oblique muscle that pull testes closer to the body are called what?
Segments of internal oblique muscle that pull testes closer to the body are called what?
Smooth muscle; wrinkles skin of the scrotum to reduce heat loss is called what?
Dartos Muscle
Veins ascending near testicular artery are called?
Pampiniform plexus
What does countercurrent heat exchange do?
Cools arterial blood entering the testes
What are the paired oval glands residing in the scrotum?
Testes
Testes develop by the ________ and descend down through the _________ _______ to the scrotal sac.
Kidney
Inguinal Canal
What are the two functions of the testes?
- Produce sperm
2. Produce and secrete steroid hormones
What is the serous membrane that covers the testes?
Tunica vaginalis
What is the white fibrous capsule that covers the testes and penetrates inward to compartmentalize the testes into different lobule?
Tunica Albuginea
Each testis have around how many lobules?
200 - 300
What does each lobule contain in the testes?
2-3 seminiferous tubules
What are the two compartments of the testes?
- Seminiferous tubules
2. Interstitial space
What are germ cells in the testes?
Maturing sperm
What are sertoli cells in the testes?
Nurse cells that support maturing germ cells.
Where does spermatogenesis occur?
Seminiferous tubules
What is the connective tisue filled space outside of and betwen the seminiferous tubules?
Interstitial Space
What cells are found in the interstitial space?
Leydig cells
Where does steroidogenesis occur?
Interstitial space
What two structures make up the head of spermatozoon?
- Nucleus
2. Acrosome
What does the nucleus of spermatozoon contain?
Haploid set of chromosomes
What does the acrosome of spermatozoon contain?
Enzymes that will penetrate the egg
What two parts make up the tail of the spermatozoon?
- Midpiece
2. Flagellum
What does the midpiece of spermatozoon contain?
Mitochondria (produce ATP for flagellar movement)
What does the flagellum of spermatozoon do?
Propels sperm 1 - 4 mm per minute
What secretes Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone?
Hypothalamus
What does Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone stimulate?
Gonadotropin Hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary
What hormone stimulates spermatogenesis?
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
What hormone stimulates Leydig cells to produce testosterone?
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
From the semiferous tubules, what path does sperm take?
Straight tubules > Rete Testes > Efferent Ducts > Epididymus
Comma shaped structure with an internal ductus epididymis?
Epididymus
What is the site of final sperm maturation?
Epididymus
What propels sperm toward the vas deferens during sexual arousal?
Peristaltic contractions
What muscular tube carries sperm from the epididymus of the testes?
Ductus (vas) Deferens
The vas deferens enlarges as the ampulla and joins the seminal vesicles to make what?
The ejaculatory duct
What does the ejaculatory duct do?
Dumps semen into the urethra
What produces the liquid portion of semen?
Accessory glands
Paired glands located at the posterior inferior surface of the bladder?
Seminal Vesicles
What do the seminal vesicles produce?
viscous milky fluid (70% of fluid semen)
What is the golf ball sized gland inferior to the bladder?
Prostate