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Histology S3 > Male Reproductive System > Flashcards

Male Reproductive System Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the two main functions of the testes?

A 
Produce Male games (spermatozoa)
Produce Androgens (sex hormones)
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2
Q

What are three excurrent ducts that help sperm mature and deliver them to the urethra?

A

Ductuli efferentes
Ductus Epididymidis
Ductus (vas) deferens

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3
Q

What are the three male accessory sex glands?

A

Seminal vesicle
Prostate
Bulbourethral Glands

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4
Q

What three things compose the capsule of the testes? What composes each

A

Tunica albuginea - dense CT outer covering
Tunica vasculosa - inner layer of loose CT with large amount of blood vessels
Mediastinum testis - thickening of tunica albuginea projecting inward posteriorly - blood, lymph vessels , and rete testes

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5
Q

Projections of the capsule of the testis divide it into how many lobules?

A

250

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6
Q

What is contained inside each lobule of the testis? How many?

A

Seminiferous tubules

1-4 each, highly coiled

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7
Q

Short straight segments of the seminiferous tubules are called what? What do they continue into?

A

Straight tubule

Rete teste

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8
Q

What is the testicular interstitium?

A

Space between the seminiferous tubules

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9
Q

What is contained in the testicular interstitium?

A

Highly vascularized loose CT

Leydig cells - endocrine interstitial cells

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10
Q

What do Leydig cells produce?

A

Steroid-producing endocrine cells

Testosterone

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11
Q

What are three distinct features of Leydig cells since they are steroid-producing cells?

A

Well-developed SER
Mitochondria with tubular cristae
Lipid Droplets

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12
Q

Electron microscopy of Leydig cells reveals the presence of what? What are these accumulations of?

A

Crystals of Reinke

Accumulations of proteins

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13
Q

What three structures does Testosterone of the Leydig cells pass through to get to various parts of the body?

A

Lymph
Blood vessels
Seminiferous Tubules

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14
Q

When do Leydig cells differentiate and start producing testosterone?

A

Early during fetal life

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15
Q

Leydig cells received feedback from what to produce testosterone? What hormone in particular?

A

Anterior pituitary

LH

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16
Q

How long is each seminiferous tubule?

A

30-80cm

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17
Q

What two structures comprise the seminiferous tubule?

A

Seminiferous epithelium

Tunica (lamina) propria - fibroblasts and collagen

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18
Q

What two cell types are contained in the seminiferous epithelium?

A

Sertoli cells

Spermatogenic cells

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19
Q

What are the support cells of the seminiferous tubules that constitute its true epithelium?

A

Sertoli cells

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20
Q

Where do Sertoli cells lie int he epithelium? What do they interact with?

A

Extend from base to apex

Interact with spermatogenic cells

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21
Q

What are three distinct features of Sertoli cells on stain?

A

Very large
Irregular, light-staining euchromatic nucleus
Well-expressed nucleolus

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22
Q

What is the most interesting morphological feature of Sertoli cells? What does it form these with?

A

Form cellular junctions - tight and adherens

Other Sertoli cells and spermatogenic cells

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23
Q

What are the 6 main functions of Sertoli cells

A 
Nourish germ cells
Germ cell movement
Structural support
Blood-testis barrier
Secretion of ABP and inhibin
Phagocytize residual bodies
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24
Q

What is a secretory product of Sertoli cells that nourishes germ cells?

A

Fructose

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25
Where compartment do germ cells start in? What compartment do they move into as they differentiate?
Basal compartment to | Adluminal compartment
26
What type of junctions do Sertoli cells form with other Sertoli cells?
Tight junctions
27
What part of the seminiferous tubule is immunologically priveleged? What does this mean?
Adluminal compartment, medial to tight junctions of sertolic cells with other sertoli cells Immune response is limited or suppressed
28
What binds testosterone in the seminiferous tubule to concentrate it there to allow spermatogenesis to happen?
Androgen-binding protein
29
What hormone stimulates the secretion of ABPs by Sertoli cells? Where is it from?
FSH | From gonadotropin cells of anterior pituitary
30
What is produced by Sertoli cells to inhibit release of FSH at the anterior pituitary?
Inhibin
31
What two things control activity of Sertoli cells?
FSH | Testosterone
32
What does the most immature layer of spermatogenic cells contact? Most mature?
Least mature - tunica propria/basement membrane | Most mature - Lumen of seminiferous tubules
33
What are the 4 phases of spermatogenic cells? Which compartment is each found in?
Spermatogonial - basal Spermatocyte - adluminal Spermatid - adluminal Mature sperm - adluminal
34
What process of differentiation are spermatogonial cells under going in the basal layer?
Mitosis
35
What is the shape of the nucleus of Spermatogonial cells?
Round or oval shaped
36
Based on the nucleus, what are the three types of spermatogonia cells?
Type A dark - Ad - ovoid nulceus, basophilic chromatin Type A light - Ap - ovoid nucleus, light staining Type B - spherical chromatin condense into large clumps
37
What type of spermatogonia undergo mitosis?
Type Ap
38
After undergoing mitosis, why do Ap spermatogonia remain connected by a thin cytoplasmic bridge?
Essential for synchronous development of each clone from original group of Ap cells
39
What do Ap cells differentiate into?
Type B spermatogonia
40
What are the most mature spermatogonia?
Type B spermatogonia
41
Mitotic divisions of Type B spermatigonia form what?
Primary spermatocytes
42
What do spermatocytes undergo?
Meiosis
43
What phase are primary spermatocytes arrested in? For how long?
Prophase I | Up to 22 days
44
What comes after primary spermatocytes? Slow or quick? What results?
Secondary spermatocytes Quick Spermatotids
45
What are the four phases that make up the spermatid phase?
Golgi Phase Cap Phase Acrosome Phase Maturation Phase
46
During the golgi phase, what begins to accumulate, becoming bound to the nuclear envelope?
Proacrosomal granules
47
During golgi phase, what migrates to the posterior pole? Forming what?
Centrioles | Axoneme - central core of flagellum
48
What do the dynein arms use as an energy source?
ATP
49
What happens during the cap phase?
Acrosomal vesicle spreads out, forming acrosomal cap
50
What is the orientation of the spermatid during the acrosome phase?
Head stuck in sertoli cell | Developing flagellum pointing out/towards lumen
51
What 6 changes happen in order during the acrosome phase?
Cell and nucleus elongate and nucleus flattens Nucleus and cap migrate anteriorly Manchette forms - from cytoplasmic microtules cylindrical Neck region - connects nucleus to flagellum, centrioles form outer layer giving strength to flagellum Mitochondria migrate posteriorly, forming middle piece of tail Manchette disappears
52
What happens to the spermatid during maturation phase?
Excessive cytoplasm removed as residual bodies
53
What consumes residual bodies?
Sertoli cells
54
During what stage are cytoplasmic bridges between spermatids broken?
Maturation phase
55
What are the three parts of a mature sperm? What does each contain/do?
Head - contains acrosome and nucleus Neck - connects head to tail Tail - middle piece (mitochondria), principal piece, end piece (not covered with dense outer fibers)
56
What temperature must testes be maintained for spermatogenesis to occur? How is this achieved?
35 degrees C Achieved through pampinaform plexus around spermatic artery Outside body wall
57
What is cryptorchidism? What results?
Testes do not descend into scrotal sac | Inhibits spermatogenesis, leading to infertility if bilateral
58
What carries sperm from seminiferous tubule to straight tubules?
Fluid from sertoli cells
59
What are straight tubules lined with proximally? Distally?
Proximally - sertoli cells | Distally - cuboidal epithelium
60
What forms the rete testis?
Anastomosing system of ducts lined with simple cuboidal empithelium
61
What three things represent the excurrent genital ducts and play an important role in the maturation of sperm?
Ductuli efferentes Ductus epididymidis Ductus vas deferens
62
What surface of the testis does the epididymis sit on?
Superior/posterior surface
63
What are the three parts of the epididymis? What do each contain?
Head - efferent ductules and beginning of ductus epididymidis Body and tail - ductus epididymidis
64
What are highly coiled structures that connect the rete testis to the ductus epididymidis? What composes their epithelium that makes them unique?
Ductuli efferentes | Ciliated and non ciliated cells
65
What happens to the spermatozoa as it passes though the ductus epididymidis?
Becomes more motile
66
What lines the ductus epididymidis?
Pseudostratified columnar with stereocilia
67
What are stereocilia?
Modified microvilli found int he ductus epididymidis, designed to increase surface area of absorption and secrete maturation substances into lumen
68
How does smooth muscle in the epididymidis change as you go from head to tail? Height of epithelium?
Increases - becomes three-layered distally | Height of epithelium decreases
69
What are the three layers of the wall of the ductus (vas) deferens?
Mucosa Muscularis Adventitia
70
What differentiates the mucosa of the ductus deferens from the epididymis?
Ductus deferens has deep longitudinal folds (make lumen look like star)
71
Describe the muscularis of the ductus deferens
Very thick
72
What is contained with the adventitia of the ductus deferens?
Many nerves and blood vessels
73
What does the ductus deferens form before entering the prostatic urethra? What is different from the rest of the ductus deferens? What joins it?
Ampula - muscular coat thinner | Ejaculatory ducts empty into it from seminal vesicle
74
What are the three male accessory sex glands?
Seminal vesicles Prostate Bulbourethral glands
75
What controls the secretory levels of the seminal vesicles?
Testosterone
76
What are the 4 layers of the seminal vesicles?
Mucosa Lamina Propria Muscularis Fibrous coat
77
What serves as the energy source for sperm? Where is it secreted from?
Seminal vesicle mucosa
78
What is the fibrous coat of the seminal vesicles analogous to?
Adventitia
79
What is the largest male accessory sex gland?
Prostate
80
What surrounds the prostate? Does it send projections into the prostate?
Fibrocollagenous Capsule | Yes
81
What line the tubuloalveolar glands of the prostate?
Low columnar/cuboidal pseudostatified epithelium
82
What are the two main zones of the prostate? What are the main prostatic glands contained?
Transitional zone - anterior and middle lobes - BPH | Peripheral sone - posterior and lateral lobes - cancer -main glands here
83
What can be found in the lumina of the prostate gland, particularly as men age?
Corpora amylacea
84
What is located within the prostate gland?
Prostatic urethra
85
What is the purpose of prostatic secretions? (Acid phosphatase, citric acid, fibrinolysin, and others)
Liquefy semen
86
What hormone controls secretions of the prostate?
Testosterone
87
Where do bulbourethral glands open into? What do they secrete? What is it used for?
Bulb of spongy urethra Mucus-secreting Lubrication
88
What three main structures compose the penis?
Two corpora cavernosa | One smaller corpus spongiosum
89
What do the corpora cavernosa contain during erection?
Blood in vascular spaces
90
What runs in the middle of the corpus spongiosum?
Spongy urethra
91
What is the epithelium of the spongy urethral? Distally? What does it contain numerous of?
Pseudostratified columnar Distally - non-keratinized stratified squamous. Glands of Littre - mucus screting glands
92
What do deep arteries form in erectile tissue?
Helicine arteries (helical at rest, straight during erection

Histology S3 (6 decks)

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