The Reproductive System Flashcards
What is seminal fluid made of?
- Fructose
- Citric acid
- Bicarbonate
- Fibrinogen
- Fibrinolytic enzymes
What is the HPG axis?
hypothalamus
pituitary
Gonad organs axis
What is the spermatic cord?
-Formed at deep inguinal ring
-Contains several structures including:
Testicular artery
Pampiniform plexus (v)
Autonomic & GF nerves
Lymph vessels
Vas deferens
Do remember most of this diagram.
Y or N
What causes erection and what causes ejaculation?
- Erection due Parasympathetic stim
- Ejaculation due Sympathetic stim
Point and Shoot
What is the penis made of?
2 x Corpora Cavernosa
1 x Corpora Spongiosum
What is the male gonad?
the testes
What is the lymphatic drainage of the testes?
para-aortic lymph nodes
Are you happy with this diagram?
Y or N
What is the lymphatic drainage of the female reproductive tract?
Ovaries -> Para-aortic LNs
Uterus/Vagina -> Iliac, sacral, aortic and inguinal LNs
Are you happy with this diagram?
Y or N
Where are ovaries?
Ovaries inside peritoneal cavity (remainder outside)
What do fallopian tubes have?
cilia and spiral muscle
Where does fertilisation occur?
ampulla (wider part of Fallopian tube)
What supports the uterus?
Uterus supported by tone of pelvic floor (levator ani & coccygeus) and ligaments (broad, round, uterosacral)
Where is the endometrium shed and why?
shed at menses due to vasoconstriction of arterioles
What is 1cm lateral to cervix?
ureter
What areas are sterile of the female reproductive tract?
All areas superior to cervix are sterile (shedding, thick mucus, narrows, pH<4.5)
What are the functions of the gonads in both males and females?
Gametogenesis
Reproductive hormone production
Is a man always fertile?
yes, throughout his life
What are spermatogonia?
Undifferentiated male germ cell
Spermatogonia undergo spermatogenesis to form mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules of the testis
What happens to number of germ cells for both men and women across their lifetime?
What happens to spermatogonia throughout life?
- Gametogenesis begins at puberty
- Spermatogonia undergo differentiation and self-renewal -> pool available for subsequent spermatogenic cycles throughout life (continuous fertility)
How many mature sperm are formed per second?
-Produce ~1,500 mature sperm/second
What happens to oogonia throughout a woman’s life?
BEFORE BIRTH
-Multiplication of Oogonia to ~ 6 million/ovary
-Form 10 Oocytes within ovarian follicles (= primordial follicle) -These begin meiosis (halted in prophase)
-Some primordial follicles degenerate (atresia).
At birth ~2 million/ovary remain
PUBERTY
-By puberty <0.5 million/ovary remain (due further atresia)
What is gametogenesis for males?
spermatogenesis (produce mature spermatozoa)
How does spermatogenesis work?
Who determines the sex of a child?
Men
What is this?
seminiferous tubules
coiled tubes, the walls of which contain cells that produce sperm
Do you remember this diagram of the seminiferous tubules?
Y or N
What do sertoli cells do (google)?
support process of spermatogenesis
What are leydig cells (google)?
the primary source of testosterone or androgens in males
What are the reproductive hormones produced in the male gonads?
Androgens
-Testosterone
-Dihydrotestosterone
-Androstenedione
Inhibin + Activin
Oestrogens
-(from androgen aromatisation)
What does oestrogen do in males?
preserves role in bone mass and roles in sexual behaviours
What do activins and inhibins do?
inhibin inhibit FSH
activin activate FSH
What does FSH do in males (google)?
control production of sperm
What are sertoli cells?
Within seminiferous tubules
Have FSH receptors
FUNCTION:
- Support developing germ cells
- Assist movement of germ cells to tubular lumen
- Transfer nutrients from capillaries to developing germ cells
- Phagocytosis of damaged germ cells
- Hormone synthesis
- Inhibin & Activin (-ve or +ve on FSH)
- Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH)
- Androgen-Binding Protein (ABP)
What are leydig cells?
Between seminiferous tubules
Pale cytoplasm as cholesterol-rich
LH receptors
FUNCTION:
- Hormone synthesis…
On LH stimulation, secrete androgens: - Testosterone (oestrogens)
- Androstenedione
- Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) (can be aromatised to oestrogens)
What converts testosterone to oestrogen?
androgens and aromatisation
What is gametogenesis in females?
oogenesis (produce mature oocytes)