me: Ch.12: Male Reproductive System Flashcards
(33 cards)
Does the male reproductive system have cyclic changes or andropause?
No cyclic changes, no true andropause.
Is sperm produced throughout life?
Yes, though sperm count may decrease with age.
What are the main reproductive organs in males?
Testes (2)
Epididymides (2)
Vasa deferentia (2)
Urethra (1)
Penis (1)
Scrotum (1)
What are the male accessory glands?
Seminal vesicles (2)
Prostate gland (1)
Bulbourethral (Cowper’s) glands (2)
Why are the testes extra-abdominal?
Spermatogenesis requires a temperature 3–4°C below body temperature.
How many lobules are in the testes and how many inside each lobule
wasnt emphazied to know:
250–400 lobules and 3–5 seminiferous tubules, where spermatogenesis occurs
What is the tunica albuginea?
white Inner fibrous layer
Extends around the penis
What is the tunica vaginalis
Outer layer derived from peritoneum
Has visceral and parietal layers
How long is the epididymis?
20 feet long
What happens to sperm in the epididymis?
Sperm is stored for up to 2 weeks.
Sperm travels through the epididymis to body for 15 days.
Are sperm motile in the epididymis?
No, sperm are not motile; they move due to fluid movement.
What happens to unused sperm?
They are eliminated by phagocytosis.
What does the vas deferens do?
Carries sperm from the epididymis to the urethra.
It is a continuation of the epididymis, but it is coiled in the epididymis.
What components are found in seminal fluid and what do they do?
Fructose: Provides energy for sperm.
Citric acid: Used to produce ATP for sperm in the Krebs cycle.
Prostaglandins: Prevent immune attack on sperm and help them swim.
Fibrinogen: Causes semen to coagulate, preventing spillage and inhibiting capacitation (sperm activation).
What does a high Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) level indicate?
It can be a sign of prostate cancer
Where is PSA found in females?
not on tophat:In the paraurethral glands, at a lower level compared to men.
What happens when the prostate enlarges?
The urethra becomes restricted, causing decreased urine flow.
What are the 3 parts of the urethra?
Prostatic
Membranous
Penile
How many spermatids come from one primary spermatocyte?
4 spermatids.
How fast can sperm swim?
Sperm can swim at 5 mm/min once they are mature.
What percentage of sperm in an ejaculation are impotent (unable to fertilize)?
20-40 million sperm are impotent.
What type of cells line the blood sinuses and produce nitric oxide?
Endothelial cells.
What happens when AMH is present?
Suppresses development of Müllerian ducts, which would otherwise form female internal structures
Wolffian ducts are maintained → development of male parts like vas deferens.
*What is hypospadias in males?
urethra opens on the underside of the penis.
