REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• TUNICA ALBUGINEA: Thick connective tissue capsule that surrounds each testis
• Posteriorly, tunica albuginea thickens and extends inward into each testing forming the mediastinum testis.
• Thick connective tissue that extends from the mediastinum testis?

  Septum
• What subdivides each testis into 250 incomplete compartment or testicular lobules?


  Septum
• site of spermatogenesis?


  SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES
• There are 250 lobules per testis, 1-4 seminiferous tubules per lobules
• EPITHELIUM of SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES?

  spermatogenic epithelium with myoid cells and sertoli cells
• SERTOLI CELLS (sustenticular cells): nutrition
• LEYDIG CELLS (interstitial cells): testosterone
• THE PATH OF SPERMATOZOA

  A) seminiferous tubule

  B) straight tubule

  C) rete testis

  D) efferent ductule

  
• Spermatogenesis begin with spermatogonia.
• SPERMATOGONIA • Immature spermatogenic cells • Adjacent to the basement membrane • Divide mitotically to produce several generations of cells.
• Stem cells = give rise to other Type A and B spermatogonia
• The largest germ cells in the seminiferous tubule?


  PRIMARY SPERMATOCYTE
• Primary spermatocyte contains?


  Heterochromatin
• PRIMARY SPERMATOCYTE is located in the middle of the spermatogenic epithelium
• More mature = in the periphery of the GE with their tails extending into the lumen of the seminiferous tubules?


  SPERMATIDS
• SERTOLI CELLS: Oblong shape • Lighter
• LEYDIG CELLS: Outside the seminiferous tubules
• Special type of cells that aid in the contraction of seminiferous tubules to propel the sperm outwards.?

  MYOID CELLS
• convey sperm into rete testis?

  STRAIGHT TUBULES
• anastomosing network of tubules with sperm from all seminiferous tubules?

  RETE TESTIS
• convey sperm into rete testis?

  EFFERENT DUCTULES
• Epithelium of Straight tubules?

  Simple cuboidal with Sertoli cells
• Epithelium of Rete Testis?

  Simple cuboidal/squamous with microvilli and cilia
• Epithelium of Efferent ductules?

  Alternating simple cuboidal and simple columnar
• EPIDIDYMIS EPITHELIUM: pseudostratified columnar epithelium with stereocilia
• DUCTUS (VAS) DEFERENS: rapidly expel sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct
• DUCTUS (VAS) DEFERENS EPITHELIUM: pseudostratified columnar epithelium with sparse stereocilia
• extends from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct?

  Vas deferens
• EJACULATORY DUCT: rapidly expel sperm from the vas deferens to the urethra, mix sperm, seminal and prostatic fluid
• EJACULATORY DUCT EPITHELIUM: pseudostratified/simple columnar with NO stereocilia