MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM Flashcards
What is the pelvic diaphragm? Purpose? Location? Subdivisions?
It is a sheet of muscle. It has 3 purposes:
1. Acts as a support structure to hold urogenital viscera above, located in the abdomen
2. Acts as an attachment point for external genitalia
It is subdivided into 2 triangles: Urogenital and anal
3. Separates the pelvis from the perineum
What passes through the two triangles of the pelvis diaphragm?
Urogenital: Urethra, connected to the bladder (men and women) and vagina (women)
Anal: Rectum/ GI tract
What is the perineum? Location relative to other structures?
Perineum is a SPACE. This is where our external genitalia lay.
What muscles dominate the pelvic diaphragm? Function of each?
Group: Levator Ani. They LIFT the rectum (elevates it)
Composed of: Puborectalis, Pubococcygeus, Iliococcygeus
Puborectalis is important for acting as faecal continence; it wraps around the rectum and makes a KINK in it, so that it prevents us from shitting
What are the names of the openings found in the pelvic diaphragm? Location?
The pelvic diaphragm has the levator ani group muscles. They contain the two openings: Anal aperture and urogenital hiatus. Anal is more posterior than urogenital.
Describe the location and function of the puborectalis muscle
It is located most medially in the pelvic diaphragm. It is the innermost muscle of the levator ani muscle group. It wraps around the anal aperture, so it provides faecal continence by putting a “kink” in the rectum. This way, we don’t shit ourselves. Relaxation of this muscle is needed to poop.
What marks the transition between the rectum and the anus? Where?
Anorectal joint; found within the puborectalis muscle.
What is the perineal membrane? Where is it located?
The perineal membrane is located anteriorly to the pelvic diaphragm, spanning over the UROGENITAL TRIANGLE. It has openings for the urethra and vagina.
What is between the perineal membrane and perineal diaphragm? Function?
The perineal POUCH; here, there are skeletal muscles that may act as sphincters for the urethra and some glands. Also a place where neurovascular supply of penis sits.
How big is the perineal pouch? Location? Composition?
Perineal pouch is quite small; it is enclosed by the urogenital hiatus above it. It is composed by transverse muscles and skeletal muscles as sphincters
Describe the pathway of sperm
Spermatazoa created in the testes by seminiferous tubule, goes to the rete testes, then stored in the epididymus, shoots up the urethra,
What are testes? Describe its structure
Sperm production factory. It contains 400-600 seminiferous tubules surrounded by TUNICA ALNUGINEA
What is the epididymus?
It is where spermatozoa is stored before ejaculation. IT is important sperm is stored here because it is a HOT SPOT for maturation
How are testes externalised?
Testes are created in the post abdominal wall. At 7 months, they begin migration. They go through the INGUINAL CANAL and then at 9 months is at the scrotum. While doing so, the testes drags blood vessels, nerves, duct system and abdominal wall layers with it. We now call it the “spermatic cord”. This is all an ACTIVE process.
What is the Vas Deferens?
It is part of the urethra; upper part of it; smooth muscle. It transports spermatozoa from the epididymus to the ejaculatory duct using PERISTALSIS. It is a part of the spermatic cord.
