Physiology: Male and Female Flashcards

1
Q

What are the components of female reproductive physiology?

A
  • HPO axis
  • ovarian cycle
  • menstrual cycle
  • hormones
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2
Q

What is GnRH?

A

Gonadotrophin releasing hormone

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3
Q

What are the female gonadotrophins?

A

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone)

LH (luteinising hormone)

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4
Q

What steroid hormones are involved in the female reproductive system

A
  • oestrogen (Oestroadiol, oestrone, oestriol)
  • progesterone
  • testosterone
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5
Q

What is the Hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis?

A
  • Hypothalamus releases GnRH which acts on pituitary gland
  • Pituitary gland release FSH and LH which act on the ovaries
  • Ovaries release ova , progesterone and oestrogen
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6
Q

What are the 2 functions of the ovary?

A

Production of eggs and production of steroid hormones

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7
Q

What type of feedback does oestrogen have on the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus?

A
  • negative for most of the cycle

- positive (day 12-14) in response to LH surge

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8
Q

How is a new cycle started?

A

FSH and LH initiate the growth of new ovarian follicles, beginning a new cycle

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9
Q

What is the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle concerned with?

A

Follicular growth

- the development of a single follicle for egg release

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10
Q

What is the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle concerned with?

A

maturation of the corpus luteum

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11
Q

What does the corpus luteum produce?

A

progesterone

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12
Q

What effect does progesterone have on the uterus?

A

causes pregnancy changes to occur such as thickening of the wall of the uterus

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13
Q

What are the phases of the menstrual cycle?

A
  • menstrual phase (0-4)
  • proliferative phase (4-14)
  • secretory phase (14-26)
  • premenstrual phase(26-28)
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14
Q

When in the menstrual cycle do hormones level drop?

A

Around day 26 if no pregnancy is detected

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15
Q

What are the stages of oogenesis?

A
  • oogonium forms primary oocyte
  • undergoes 1st meiotic division to form secondary oocyte and polar body
  • secondary oocyte undergoes 2nd meiotic division to form ovum and polar body
  • ovum becomes mature egg cell
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16
Q

What are oogonium?

A

stem cells in the ovary

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17
Q

What happens to oogonium?

A

they undergo mitotic division to produce primary oocytes which is completed at or shortly after birth.

18
Q

At what stage is meiosis arrested?

A

It starts but is arrested in the prophase

19
Q

What happens to the primary oocytes during the ovarian cycle?

A

hormone responsive and complete first meiotic division releasing a haploid secondary oocyte at ovulation. extra genetic material is released as the first polar body

20
Q

When do secondary oocytes under go the second meiotic division?

A

When they are fertilised by a sperm to form the mature ovum and second polar body

21
Q

How does age affect female fertility?

A
  • Most fertile at birth
  • Fertility steadily declines until 37 (end of fertility)
  • Irregular cycles occur until the menopause (average age 51)
22
Q

What are the components of male reproductive physiology?

A
  • Testis
  • Sperm production
  • Sperm travel pathway
  • Hormones
23
Q

What are the male reproductive hormones?

A
  • GnRH (hypothalamus)
  • Gonadotrophins: FSH and LH (pituitary)
  • Testosterone (testis)
24
Q

What is the site of sperm production?

A

Seminiferous tubules

25
Q

What produces sperm?

A

Germ cells (spermatogonia)

26
Q

What do the sertoli cells do?

A
  • Support sperm producing cell

- Produce inhibin

27
Q

What produces testosterone?

A

Interistitial cells of Leydig in the testis

28
Q

What hormone controls the Leydig cells?

A

LH

29
Q

What hormone controls the spermatogonia in the ST?

A

FSH

30
Q

What does FSH activity lead to?

A

Spermatogenesis

31
Q

What does LH activity lead to?

A

Release of testosterone

32
Q

What does testosterone do?

A
  • Responsible for secondary male sex characteristics

- Acts on seroli cells

33
Q

Describe the travel of sperm?

A
  • Sperm produced in the testis
  • Aggregate in the epididymis
  • Travel through vas deferens
  • Semen (from seminal vesicles and prostate) mixes in with sperm
  • Sperm and semen travel through the urethra and are ejaculated out the penis
34
Q

What is the lifespan of spermatozoa?

A
  • Produced from puberty throughout life
  • About 30 million produced per day
  • 60-75 days for sperm production
  • 10-14 days for transport to epididymis
  • 20-100 million released per millilitre of ejaculate
35
Q

What factors affect oogenesis/spermatogenesis?

A

Problem with the hormonal control (genetic, tumours, medications, functional)

Problem at the site of production(genetic, cancer treatment induced, surgery, trauma, infections

36
Q

What are the higher control centres involved in the reproductive function of the gonads?

A

Hypothalamus and pituitary through the production of GnRH and FSH and LH

37
Q

What do FSH and LH signal in the female?

A

Follicular development, maturation and ovum release as a part of ovarian cycle and menstrual cycle is coordinated in preparation for a pregnancy each cycle.

38
Q

What role do FSH and LH play in the male?

A

Control continuous sperm and testosterone production from the testicles .

39
Q

Where does fertilisation of the egg take place?

A

Fallopian tube

40
Q

What must be true of the sperm travel pathway for ejaculation to occur?

A

Must be intact and functioning

41
Q

What is the main factor affecting female fertility?

A

Increasing age

42
Q

Describe spermatogenesis?

A
  • Spermatogonium undergoes mitosis to produce primary spermatocyte
  • Primary spermatocyte undergoes 1st meiotic division to produce 2 secondary spermatocytes
  • They undergo the 2nd meiotic division to produce 4 spermatids
  • They undergo spermiogenesis to become mature sperm cells