Reproductive Systems - Male and Female

What are the three natural estrogens, during which life phase do they dominate?

- Estradiol E2: maintains healthy uterine lining for possible pregnancy during reproductive years. - Estriol E3: maintains healthy thick uterine lining providing blood to placenta during pregnancy. - Estrone E1: maintains healthy thin uterine lining during menopause, with high spike in FSH right before menopause.

What are the general functions of FSH, GnRH, inhibin B, and LH?

- FSH: follicle stimulating hormone, maturation of germ cells, converts androgens to estrogens. - GnRH: gonadotropin releasing hormone, from hypothalamus, stimulates production of FSH and LH. - Inhibin B: regulatory peptide hormone, decreases levels of FSH in late follicular phase, released by granulosa cells. -LH: luteinizing hormone, ovulation, maintains corpus luteum, secretion of progesterone, stimulates theca interna and granulosa cells.

Describe the feedback loops for LH and FSH in the male reproductive system.

- GnRH from hypothalamus triggers ant. pituitary to release LH and FSH. - LH stimulates leydig cells to release androgens/testosterone. androgens stimulate sertoli cells and testosterone inhibits hypothalamus and ant. pituitary. - FSH stimulates sertoli cells the release Inhibin B. Inhibin B inhibits an. pituitary.

Describe how FSH and LH are effected in to hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPO axis).

- GnRH is released from the hypothalamus and stimulates anterior pituitary to release FSH and LH. - LH stimulates granulosa to release inhibin B and inhibit further release of FSH from ant. pituitary. - LH stimulates theca interna to release androgens that stimulates granulosa to release inhibin B. - LH stimulates granulosa cells to release estrogen to inhibit ant. pituitary from making further LH and inhibit hypothalamus from making further GnRH.

What are the three types of urethra?

- Prostatic: within prostate gland. - Membranous: short portion passing through pelvic floor. - Spongy: longest part, within the corpora spongiosum of the penis.

What are the bulb of the vestibule and the greater vestibular glands? What are they homologous with in the male repro. system?

- bulb of the vestibule: homologous to the bulb of the penis (corpora spongiosum). - greater vestibular glands: Bartholin's glands, release mucus into the vestibule for lubrucation, homologous to bulbourethral gland in males.

What are the main components of the body of the penis?

- corpora cavernosa (red) - corpus spongiosum (green) - central artery of the penis: within cavernosa. - dorsal penile vein: above cavernosa. - urethra: within spongiosum

What are the roles of estrogen and progesterone?

- estrogen: develop secondary sec characteristics, increase CNS excitability, stimulate endometrial proliferation and growth, slows rate of bone reabsorption, increase HDL and decrease LDL, enhances blood coagulation. - progesterone: prepares uterus for implantation, increases fat deposits, decrease CNS excitability, increase body temp, decrease pCO2 during pregnancy.

What are the lesser vestibular glands? What are they homologous with in the male repro. system?

- lesser vestibular glands: release secretions similar to male prostate, possible antimicrobial role, homologous to prostate gland in males.

When do estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH peak and lower during the menstrual cycle?

- menses: estrogen and progesterone low, small amount of FSH - proliferation: estrogens begins to spike, FSH and LH inhibited. estrogen peaks right before secretory and triggers positive feedback. - secretory: huge spike in LH and small spike in FSH at ovulation, estrogen lowers. increase in estrogen and progesterone half way through because corpus luteum

What are the three main arteries that supply the female reproductive system?

- ovarian arteries: gonadal arteries, branch off aorta below the SMA. - uterine arteries: branch off of internal iliac artery. - vaginal arteries: branch off of internal iliac artery.

What are the parasympathetic and sympathetic reactions of sexual response?

- parasymp: clitoral erection - symp: reduce clitoral erection, secretions from internal organs

The ejaculatory duct is found within what structure? What does this structure do?

- prostate gland: produces 30% of semen, neutralizes acidity of vagina, smooth muscle. Homologous to lesser vestibular gland in females.

What nerve innervates the female perineum for both sensory and motor? What are its three main branches?

- pudendal nerve: from ventral rami S2-S4, sensory to perineum, motor to perineum muscles. - inferiors rectal nerve - perineal nerve - dorsal nerve of clitoris (somatic sensory)

What are the three glands that add to the contents of semen?

- seminal vesicles: produce 70% of semen, fructose, proteins, and enzymes. - prostate gland: produce 30% of semen, neutralize acidity of vagina, homologous to lesser vestibular glands in females. - bulbourethral glands: produce <5% of semen, neutralizes acidity of urethra to prepare for ejaculation, homologous to greater vestibular glands in females.

What structures make up the testes and what do they do?

- seminiferous tubules: sperm are made here. - rete testes: seminiferous tubles collect here and become epididymis. - epididymis: on outside of testes, storage and maturation of sperm.

What are the main cells (besides sperm cells) in the seminiferous tubules?

- sertoli cells: forms blood-testes barrier, support germ cells via cytoplasmic bridges - leydig cells: in between the tubules, secrete testosterone into blood stream.

List the sperm cells in order of maturation. Where does this all occur?

- spermatogonia - primary spermatocytes - secondary spermatocytes - early spermatids -late spermatids - this all occurs in the walls of seminiferous tubules.

Where do the main veins that drain the ovaries connect? Why is it special?

- the right an left ovarian veins do not return to the IVC bilaterally. - right ovarian vein attaches directly to the IVC. - left ovarian vein attaches to left renal vein and then to IVC.

How do the vas deferens, ampulla, and seminal vesicles all relate?

- vas deferens: carry sperm from testes into body. - ampulla: part of the vas deferens, enlargement at the end that acts as reservoir for sperm. - seminal vesicle: branch off of vas deferens, adds fructose, proteins, and enzymes, joins at the end of ampulla to become ejaculatory duct

What are the nerves that innervate the clitoris?

-pelvic splanchnic nerve (S2-S4), clitoral erection, parasympathetic. - pudendal nerve (S2-S4), orgasm, primary somatic

Describe the three main ligaments around the uterus and ovaries.

1. ovarian ligament: remnant of gubernaculum, attaches ovary to uterus. 2. suspensory ligament: covers the ovarian arteries and veins. 3. broad ligament: mesentery for ovaries, covers arteries, veins, and nerves.

What are the three uterine wall layers?

1. perimetrium: outermost 2. myometrium: middle muscle 3. endometrium: inner, where fertilized egg will attach, or what will be shed

What are the four steps in the male sexual response, and what nerves innervate this?

1. stimulation: somatic sensory by pudendal nerve (S2-S4). 2. erection: parasympathetic by pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4). 3. Emission: sympathetic by lumbar and sacral splanchnic nerves (T10-L2). 4. Ejaculation: somatic motor by pudendal nerve (S2-S4) innervates bulbospongiosus m and ischiocavernosus m.

What are the three main superficial muscles of the perineum?

A. Ischiocavernosus m. B. Bulbospongiosus m. C. Superficial transperineal m.

List the path the egg will follow through the female reproductive system.

Ovary > fimbriae > infundibulum > ampulla > isthmus >interstitium > uterus

What is the path that sperm takes in the male reproductive system?

seminiferous tubules > epididymis > vas deferens > ampulla > ejaculatory duct > urethra > penis