The Reproductive System Flashcards
What is the function of the reproductive system?
The male’s testes make sperm cells, and the seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis provide a delivery system for the sperm. The female’s overies make the eggs, and the uterine (Fallopian) tubes, uterus, and vagina provide places to receive the sperm, fertilize the egg, incubate the developing offspring, and deliver the baby.
What does the male reproductive system consists of?
Testes, ducts, accessory glands, supporting structures
What are testes?
Produce sperm and sex hormones
What are ducts?
Store & transport sperm
What are accessory glands?
Secrete seminal fluid
What are the supporting structures?
Scrotum- houses testes
Penis- transfers sperm
What is the scrotum?
Suspended outside of abdominopelvic cavity
–correct temp for normal sperm development (2-3º lower than body temp)
What divides the scrotum?
Scrotal septum divides scrtum into two componants
What are the two muscles in the scrotum?
Muscles that contract when its cold to move the testes closer to the body, and help regulate testicular temperature for normal sperm production: Cremaster muscle (skeletal muscle) Dartos muscle (smooth muscle)
Since the testes have endo & exocrine functions what do they do for the testes?
Endocrine: male androgens: testosterone
Exocrine: produce and release sperm (spermatogenesis)
What are the three tunics/layers of the testes?
Tunica albuginea
Innermost layer, extends into testes
Tunica vaginalis
An extension of the peritoneum
Spermatic fascia
Outermost layer
What is spermatogenesis?
Process by which sperm are produce:
Seminiferous tubules located in lobules
Straight tubules
Rete testes
Efferent ducts
Epididymis
Draw out the Male Duct System
Ducts of Testes–>
Epididymis–>
Vas Deferens–>
Seminal
vesicle duct –> Ejaculatory duct
–> Urethra
What does the spermatic cord contain?
Contains: artery vein lymph vessels nerves vas deferens a cremaster muscle
Enters pelvic cavity through inguinal canals
What do the accessory glands contain?
Seminal vesicles:
posterior to bladder
Adds alkaline fluid through seminal ducts. Sperm would be adversely affected without it- vagina is acidic environment (60% of semen volume)
Prostate gland:
proteolytic enzymes increasing sperm motility, viability. Slightly acidic (25%)
Bulbourethral (Cowper’s) glands:
Smallest, paired, near membranous urethra. Alkaline (15%)
What is the function of the penis?
Medial and anterior to scrotum and testes
Composed of: body, root, glans penis
Body composed of 3 cylinder structures: 2 corpora cavernosa and a corpus spongiosum. The glans penis is an extension of the latter.
Urethra located posteriorly in the corpus spongiosum
Prepuce- foreskin
What is spermatogenesis?
creation of sperm
What is spermiogenesis?
maturation of sperm
What is leydig cells?
Interstitial spaces contain Leydig cells, which produce testosterone
What is sertoli cells?
surround cells undergoing spermatogenesis
What is spermatozoa?
Sperm are also called “sperm cells”
What does the female reproductive system consist of?
Ovaries, uterine (fallopian) tubes, uterus, vagina, external genitalia, mammary glands
What are overies?
Produce oocytes and sex hormones
What are Uterine (fallopian) tubes?
Transport oocytes
What is a uterus?
Protects & nourishes developing embryo
What is the function of the vagina?
Receives sperm
What is the function of the mammary glands?
Nourish infant
Since the overies have exo and endocrine functions, what are their purpose?
Endocrine: sex hormones: estrogen and progesterone
Exocrine: produce and release oocytes
What are the functions of the uterine (fallopian) tubes?
Paired tubes that curve around the ovaries to receive and transport oocyte
3 regions: infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus
Finger-like projections called fimbriae
Fertilization usually occurs in the ampulla
Lumen of tubes lined with ciliated columnar epithelia
Fertlized ovum (zygote) moved through tubes by beating of cilia and peristalsis
What is the function of the uterus?
3 regions: fundus, body, cervix (int/ext os)
Thick-walled organ with 3 layers:
Endometrium
Thin inner layer: Stratum functionalis, stratum basalis
Myometrium
Thick middle layer: Circular, longitudinal, oblique
Perimetrium
Thin outermost layer: same as visceral peritoneum
What are the four ligaments in the female reprouductive system?
Ovarian (ovary to uterus)
Broad (secures ovaries and uterine tubes)
Suspensory (ovary to pelvic wall, surrounds ovarian artery and vein)
Round (between layers of broad ligaments, attach uterus to labia majora )
They hold structures in place as well as make sure uterus is in anteflexion
What is the function of the external female geneitalia (Vulva)?
- Mons pubis, labia minor and majora, clitoris and vestibule
- -Labia majora-pubic hair, labia minora- no pubic hair
- -Clitoris- cylindrical erectile tissue
- -Prepuce- covers clitoris like a hood
- -Vestibule- medial to the labia minora, contains:
- —Ext urethral orifice
- —Vaginal orifice
- —Hymen
- —Openings of glands that secrete mucous
What is the function of the mammary glands?
Anterior to pectoralis major and serratus anterior muscles
Secrete milk for offspring
External structures: areola, nipple, lactiferous duct openings
Internal: alveoli, lobules, lobes, mammary ducts, lactiferous sinuses, lactiferous ducts, and adipose tissue
Alveoli in clusters- lobules. Several lobules = one lobe
Secrete milk by apocrine secretion
Alveoli –> mammary ducts–> lactiferous sinuses–> lactiferous ducts –> milk ejected from body
What is oogenesis?
formation of an egg (a haploid ova)
In women, meiotic division results in 1 usable cell
3 regions of ovary: germinal epithelium, cortex, medulla
What is a follicle?
the housing of the oocyte
What is an oocyte?
egg cell
Typically 1 oocyte per month in one of the ovaries
Know difference between “secondary oocyte” and “secondary follicle,” “primary oocyte,” “primary follicle,” etc.
What is a follicular cell?
secrete estrogen
What is a corpus luteum?
secrete progesterone
In the histology of uterus, what does the statum funtionalis do and stratum basalis?
Stratum functionalis: formed by epithelial layer and endometrial glands
Each month, estrogen and progesterone stimulate stratum functionalis to increase in size
If implantation does not occur, stratum functionalis is sloughed off during menstruation
The stratum basalis gives rise to new stratum functionalis
What is the developmental analogies?
The Y chromosome leads to developmental changes. Without these signals the default is to grow female genatalia.
Therefore there are structural analogies between males and females
