Unit Two: Reproductive System Flashcards
What are the gonads?
The reproductive organs that produce gametes and hormones.
What are the gametes of males and of females?
- Testes. 2. Ovaries.
What is the function of the testes?
To produce the male gametes.
What is the inguinal canal?
A passageway through the abdominal musculature. The narrow canals linking the scrotal chambers with the peritoneal cavity.
What does each spermatic cord consist of?
Layers of fascia and muscle enclosing the ductus deferens and the blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic vessels that supply the testes.
Why are inguinal hernias common in males?
Because the inguinal canals create weak spots in the abdominal walls that remain throughout life.
Why are inguinal hernias not as common in females?
Because the inguinal canals are very small containing only the ilio-inguinal nerves and the round ligaments of the uterus. Thus, the abdominal wall is nearly intact.
What is the raphe of the scrotum?
A raised thickening in the scrotal surface that separates the scrotum in two.
What does each testis occupy?
Its own scrotal cavity.
What is the tunica vaginalis? What is the function?
A serous membrane, lines the scrotal cavity and reduces friction between the opposing parietal (outer) layer and visceral (inner) layer.
What are the two layers of muscles in the scrotum?
- Dartos. 2. Cremaster.
What does the scrotum consist of? (2)
- Thin layer of skin. 2. The underlying superficial fascial.
What is the function of the dartos muscle?
Resting muscle tone in the dartos muscle elevates the testes and causes wrinkling of the scrotal surface.
What is the function of the cremaster muscle?
Contraction of the cremaster, controlled by the cremasteric reflex, tenses the scrotum and pulls the testes closer to the body.
When does contraction of the cremaster muscle occur?
Contraction occurs during sexual arousal and in response to temperature changes.
What muscle regulates the temperature of the testes and how?
The cremaster muscle. It contracts to pull testes closer to increase temperature and relaxes to move testes away from the body to reduce temperature.
What supplies the blood of the scrotum? (3)
- Internal pudendal arteries. 2. External pudendal arteries. 3. Inferior epigastric arteries.
What is the tunica albuginea?
A dense layer of fibrous connective tissue that surrounds the testis and is covered by the tunica vaginalis.
What is the function of the mediastium of the testes?
It supports the blood vessels and lymphatics supplying the testis and the ducts that collect and transport sperm into the epididymis.
What are the septa testis?
Fibrous partitions formed by the collagen fibers of the tunica albuginea, which converge toward the mediastinum of the testis.
What do the septa testis partition the testis into?
Compartments called lobules.
What are distributes among the lobules?
Tightly coiled seminiferous tubules.
What occurs within the seminiferous tubules?
Sperm production.
What is each seminiferous tubule connected to?
A single straight tubule that enters the mediastium of the testes.
What are the rete testes?
A maze of passageways formed by extensively interconnected straight tubules within the mediastinum.
What connects the rete testis to the epididymis?
Efferent ductules.
What is the function of interstitial endocrine cells (Leydig cells) do?
Produce androgens, the dominant male sex hormones.
What are the three distinct regions of a sperm cell?
- Head. 2. Middle Piece. 3. Tail.
What transports sperm into the epididymis?
Fluid currents within the straight tubule and rete testis.
Describe the epithelium of the epididymis.
Pseudostratified columnar epithelium with long stereocilia.
What is the start of the reproductive tract?
The epididymis.
Where is the epididymis?
The posterior border of each testis.
What are the three subdivisions of the epididymis?
- Head. 2. Body. 3. Tail.
What does the head of the epididymis do?
Receives sperm via the efferent duct of the mediastinum of the testis.
What does the tail of the epididymis do?
It is the main storage site for sperm.
What are the three major functions of the epididymis?
- Monitors and adjusts the composition of the fluid produced by the seminiferous tubules. 2. Recycles damaged sperm. 3. Stores spermatozoa and facilitates their functional maturation.
How does sperm get pushed toward the ductus deferens?
Through rhythmic contractions of the stereocilia, and peristaltic contractions of the smooth muscle of the epididymis.
What is the ampulla of the ductus deferens?
The enlarged portion of the ductus deferens.
What are the functions of the ductus deferens? (2)
- Transporting sperm. 2. Storing sperm.
What does each ampulla of the ductus deferens join with?
An excretory duct of the seminal gland.
What marks the start of the ejaculatory duct?
The excretory duct of the seminal gland.
What is the function of the ejaculatory duct?
To connect the ductus deferens with the prostatic urethra.
Where is the urethra?
From the tip of the urinary bladder to the tip of the penis.
What three regions are the urethra divided into?
- Prostatic. 2. Membranous. 3. Spongy.
What is different about the male urethra from the female urethra?
The male urethra is used both for reproduction and excretion.
What is the function of the seminal glands, or vesicles?
They contribute about 60% of the volume of semen.
Where is seminal fluid discharged into during ejaculation? What are the contractions controlled by?
The ductus deferens. They are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.
What is the function of the prostate?
To produce prostatic fluid.
What is the purpose of prostatic fluid?
To nourish and prevent sperm coagulation in the vagina.
What ejects prostatic fluid into the prostatic urethra?
Peristaltic contractions of the muscular wall.
What is the function of the Bulbo-urethral Glands?
To secrete a thick, sticky, alkaline mucus that neutralizes any urinary acids that may remain in the urethra and lubricates the tip of the penis.
What does semen contain? (3)
Sperm, seminal fluid, and various enzymes.
What are the three regions of the penis?
- Root. 2. Body (shaft). 3. Glans penis.
What does the body of the penis consist of?
Three parallel cylindrical columns of erectile tissue.
What is erectile tissue composed of?
A maze of vascular channels incompletely separated by partitions of elastic connective tissue and smooth muscle fibers.
Describe how an erection is related to the erectile tissue.
In the resting state, the arterial branches are constricted and the muscular partitions are tense.
What surrounds the spongy urethra?
The corpus spongiosum, which is a mass of erectile tissue.
What expands to form the glans of the penis?
The corpus spongiosum.
What forms the crus of the penis?
The corpora cavernosa.
What is the thickened, proximal end of the corpus spongiosum?
The bulb of the penis.
What is the prepuce?
The foreskin, surrounding the tip of the penis.
What secrete smegma?
The preputial glands in the skin of the neck of the glans and the inner surface of the foreskin.
What are the functions of the pampiniform plexus of the testicular vein? (2)
- Venous return from the testes. 2. Temperature regulation.
What is a varicocele?
An abnormal enlargement of the pampiniform plexus of the testicular vein.
Where do oocytes go after after forming in the ovaries?
They travel along the uterine tubes where fertilization may occur.
What is the broad ligament?
A large mesentery enclosing the ovaries, uterine tubes, and uterus.
What is the mesosalpinx? What is it attached to?
The free edge of the broad ligament attached to each uterine tube.
What is the function of the mesovarium?
To support and stabilize the position of each ovary.
What is the recto-uterine pouch?
The pocket formed between the posterior wall of the uterus and the anterior surface of the colon.
What is the vesico-uterine pouch?
The pocket between the anterior wall of the uterus and the posterior wall of the urinary bladder.
What do the ovaries do?
Produce oocytes and secrete hormones.
Do the ovaries have a peritoneal covering?
No.
What does the suspensory ligament contain? (2)
The major blood vessels of the ovary: the ovarian artery and ovarian vein
Where are the major blood vessels of the ovary connected to the ovary?
At the ovarian hilum, where the ovary attaches to the mesovarium.
What are the five regions of the uterine tubes?
- Fimbriae. 2. Infundibulum. 3. Ampulla. 4. Isthmus. 5. The short uterine part.
What is the fimbriae?
Numerous fingerlike projections that drape over the ovary surface.
What is the infundibulum?
The end closest to the ovary that forms an expanded funnel.
Describe the epithelium of the uterine tubes.
Both ciliated and nonciliated simple columnar cells.
What result in the movement of materials along the uterine walls?
A combination of ciliary movement and peristaltic contractions in the walls of the uterine tube.
Describe the innervation involved in ovulation.
A few hours before ovulation, sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves from the hypogastric plexus “turn on” this beating pattern.
What is the function of the uterus? (3)
To provide physical protection, nutritional support, and waste removal for the developing embryo (weeks 1–8) and fetus (week 9 to delivery).
What helps expel the fetus at the time of birth?
Contractions in the muscular uterine wall.
What is the normal position of the uterus called?
Anteflexion.
In addition to the broad ligament, what three pairs of suspensory ligaments stabilize the uterus?
- Uterosacral. 2. Round. 3. Cardinal.
What is the function of the uterosacral ligament?
It keeps the body of the uterus from moving inferiorly and anteriorly.
What is the function of the round ligament?
Primarily restrict posterior movement of the uterus.
What is the function of the cardinal ligament?
Prevent inferior movement of the uterus.
What is the fundus of the body of the uterus attached to?
The uterine tubes.
What is the cervix?
The inferior portion extending from the isthmus to the vagina.
What is the external os?
The external opening of the uterus.
What does the external os lead to?
The cervical canal.
What does the cervical canal lead to?
The uterine cavity at the internal os.
What are the two muscular layers of the uterine wall?
- Myometrium. 2. Endometrium.
What is the incomplete serosal layer of the uterine wall called?
Perimetrium.
What supplies blood to the uterus?
The uterine arteries.
What are the two layers of the endometrium?
- Inner functional layer. 2. Outer basil layer.
What does the inner functional layer of the endometrium contain? What does it contribute to?
- Most of the uterine glands. 2. It contributes most of the endometrial thickness.
What does the basil layer of the endometrium attach the endometrium to? What does it contain?
- Myometrium. 2. It contains the terminal branches of the tubular glands.
What is the vaginal fornix?
A shallow recess surrounding the cervical protrusion.
What are the walls of the vagina moistened by?
Secretions of the cervical glands and by the movement of water across the permeable membrane.
What is the bulb of the vestibule?
A mass of erectile tissue on each side of the vaginal entrance.
What constricts the entrance of the vagina?
The two bulbospongiosus muscles.
What is the vaginal lumen lined by?
Mucosal stratified squamous epithelium that in a relaxed state form rugae.
What is the vulva?
The region enclosing the female external genitalia.
What is the clitoris?
A small erectile organ of the female that is the developmental equivalent of the male penis.
What is the function of the greater vestibular glands?
To discharge secretions into the vestibule near the posterolateral margins of the vaginal entrance during arousal.
What is milk secreted by?
The mammary gland in each breast.
What do the breasts lie in?
The subcutaneous tissue of the pectoral fat pad deep to the skin.
What is the nipple?
An elevated epithelial projection on the surface of the breast, containing the openings of the lactiferous sinuses.
What results in the granular texture on the areolar tissue?
Large sebaceous glands in the underlying dermis.
What do the apocrine glandular tissue consist of?
A number of separate lobes, each containing several secretory lobules.
What is the lactiferous sinus?
An expanded portion of a lactiferous duct adjacent to the nipple of a breast.
What are the suspensory ligaments of the breast?
Dense connective tissue surrounds the duct system and forms partitions that extend between the lobes and lobules.
What do ducts leaving the lobules converge to give rise to?
Lactiferous ducts.
What epithelium covers the surface of each ovary?
A single layer of cuboidal epithelium called the germinal epithelium.
Where are gametes produced in the ovary?
In the cortex.
Where is the site of both oocyte growth and oogenesis?
Ovarian follicles.
