Male histo

Question 1

Testis structure

Answer 1

Parenchyma and stroma
seminiferous tubules (exocrine) convoluted up to 1200 combined length of up to 400m
Leydig cells (endocrine) interstitium/stroma

Question 2

Spermatogenesis

Answer 2

Sparmatogenic/germ cell

1) capsule
2) spermatogonium 2n - divide into spermatogonia and spermatocytes
3) Spermatocyte
4) Early spermatic 1n
5) late spermatid

Sertoli cells (10%) - columnar nurse cells, non-proliferative

Question 3

Spermatogonium

Answer 3

cuboidal, dark nucleus

Question 4

Spermatocyte

Answer 4

large euchromatic nuclei

Question 5

Sertoli cell

Answer 5

euchromatic nuclei, columnar

Question 6

Spermatids

Answer 6

conical DNA heads

Question 7

Blood-testes barrier

Answer 7

tight junction separating spermatogonia and spermatocytes

protect from immunological reaction

Question 8

Spermatid maturation

Answer 8

Juxtanuclear golgi complex (synthesis of acrosome)
Centrioles
Mitochondria migration
Flagellum development
Elimination of residual cytoplasm
Spermatozoa (70 days) + maturation (12 days)

Question 9

Mature sperm structure

Answer 9

Head, neck, middle piece, tail
Nucleus covered by acrosome
Axoneme (9+2 microtubule) structure in tail
Dense fibers with mitochondrial sheath in middle piece

Question 10

Sertoli cell structure

Answer 10

Golgi, nucleus
SER, lipid droplet
abundant mitochondria

Question 11

Leydig cell structure

Answer 11

interstitium
endocrine - proximity to capillaries
lipid: foamy and washed out appearance
cholesterol --> testosterone
eccentric nucleus with prominent nucleoli (1 or 2)
Euchromatic nucleus
Tubulovesicular cristae of mitochondria

Question 12

Rete testes

Answer 12

storage and passage

simple cuboidal epithelium

Question 13

Epididymis

Answer 13

continuous duct
storage/maturation
fluid resorbed
spermatozoa mature, gain motility, gain fertilization capacity
passage takes ~12 days
duct surrounded by CT and smooth muscle

Question 14

Vas deferens

Answer 14

hollow tube, ~40 cm in length
passes through inguinal canal, eventually joining seminal vesicle at ejaculatory duct
pseudostratified epithelium
lamina propria rich in elastic fibers
triple layer muscular wall
sympathetic stimulation during ejactulation
secretory and absorptive functions

Question 15

Vas deferens cell structure

Answer 15

Apical stereocilia

with principal and basal cells

Question 16

Seminal vesicle

Answer 16

Produces 70% of the seminal fluid (semen)
Primary secretion: fructose - primary energy source for spermatozoa
pseudostratified to simple columnar epithelium
apical domes instead of stereocilia

Question 17

Prostate

Answer 17

collection of ~50 compound tubuloalveolar glands
unique fibromuscular stroma
15% of ejaculate - enzymes for liquefaction of semen
pseudostratified to simple columnar epithelium
with age, prostatic concretions visible

Question 18

chemicals mediating contraction of blood vessels

Answer 18

Noradrenaline
endothelins
angiotensin II
serotonin
prostagnoids
tumor necrosis factor alpha

Question 19

chemicals mediating relaxation of blood vessels

Answer 19

acetylcholine
dopamine
ATP
adenosine
VIp, related peptides
adrenomedullin, CGRP
prostanoids
endocannabinoids

Question 20

Penis compoentns

Answer 20

Tunica albuginea
Corpus cavernosum
corpus spongiosum

Question 21

Corpus cavernosum

Answer 21

vascular sinuses

with parasympathetic stimulation: dilation of helicine arteries

Question 22

Glands of Littre

Answer 22

synthesize mucus in penis

Question 23

Rete testis epithelium

Answer 23

simple cuboidal
no stereocilia
smooth muscle in stroma

Question 24

Epididymus epithelium

Answer 24

pseudostratified (basal + columnar principal cells)
tall
apical stereocilia
sm in stroma

Question 25

vas deferens epithelium

Answer 25

pseudostratified (basal + columnar principal cells) not as tall apical stereocilia triple layered smooth muscle

Question 26

Urethra epithelium

Answer 26

transitional > stratified columnar > stratified squamous no stereocilia corpus spongiosum - smooth muscle

Question 27

Seminiferous tubule epithelium

Answer 27

germinal epithelium spermatozoa at apical surface 10% ejaculate made here

Question 28

Seminal vesicle epithelium

Answer 28

pseudostratified - simple columnar domes instead of stereocilia 70% of ejaculate made here - fructose rich

Question 29

Prostate epithelium

Answer 29

pseudostratified to simple columnar no stereocilia 15% o ejaculate made here, with enzymes for semen liquefaction