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Society
Medical Teaching
Urogenital system – Gamete Physiology
Taught by Sumirat Keshwara
 WHAT WE WILL COVER
Male reproductive physiology
Female reproductive physiology
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Septum
Lobule
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Sertoli cells
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 Bladder

Ejaculatory ducts
Testes 2 Prostate
Vas deferens
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1
3
Seminal vesicles
Bulbourethral glands
Urethra
 VAS DEFERENS
What does the vas transport? Sperm
Where does it transport from?Tail of epididymis
Where does it transport to? Ejaculatory ducts
How does it transport it? Peristalsis
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 SEMINAL VESICLES
Snot like, mucousy stuff!
Loads
What do these secrete? of fructose, citric acid,
fibrinogens.
What do they secrete into? Ejaculatory ducts
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What % of semen is from

60%
seminal vesicles?
 PROSTATE
What is the role of the prostate?Contribute to semen,
sperm wellbeing.
What does the prostate secrete? Nutrients and enzymes
PSA!
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What does it secrete into? Urethra

What % of semen comes from

the prostate? 30%

What regulates prostatic function?

DHT
 PROSTATE

What are the 2 components 1.) Glandular tissue

2.) Fibromuscular tissue
of prostate anatomy
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What are 2 classifications of

prostate anatomy? 1.) Zones: pathology
2.) Lobes: anatomy
 PROSTATE- ZONES
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Transition zone

• Surrounds urethra
• Responsible for benign prostatic enlargement
• 10-20% of cancers
 PROSTATE- ZONES

Central zone
• Surrounds ejaculatory
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ducts
• Only 2.5% of prostate
cancers, but very
aggressive and spread to
seminal vesicles
 PROSTATE- ZONES
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Peripheral zone
• Encapsulates the
ejaculatory duct and
urethra
• 70-80% of prostate
cancers occur here
 PROSTATE- ZONES
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Fibromuscular stroma
• Contains muscle and
fibrous tissue.
 PROSTATE- LOBES
Urethra
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 PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN
PSA for short!

It is a protease, an enzyme that chops up proteins!

It liquefies the thick mucousy snot from seminal vesicles

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fluidy, so that sperm can swim.

It is a screening test for prostate cancer, since cancer cells

make more PSA, it can be raised.
Problem is, BPH, infections, rectal exams can also
raise it.
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Sertoli cells
 SPERMATOGENESIS
GnRH

-ve
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-ve -ve
LH FSH
-ve
Leydig cells Sertoli cells Inhibin
Testosterone

Make sperm!
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3
 TESTOSTERONE
In embryo: sex differentiation, develop accessory sex organs,
descent of testes. Mullerian regression factor: Inhibits
mullerian duct, so no uterus, fallopian tubes or cervix.

Spermatogenesis: growth and division of testicular germ cells

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Inhibits: GnRH, LH and FSH release.

During puberty: cause penis, prostate and scrotum growth.

Increase muscular growth, bone growth and thickness of
skin.
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SPERMATOGENESIS
 MENSTRUAL CYCLE
Can be classified into
1.) ovarian- changes to oocyte
2.) endometrial cycles- changes to wall
thickness
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There are 2 phases to ovarian cycle:

1.) Follicular phase: Day 0-14
2.) Luteal phase: Day 14-28
 WHAT IS NEEDED FOR
SUCCESSFUL EMBRYOGENESIS?
An egg- female’s role
A sperm- male’s role
A place to implant the blastocyst- female’s role
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 OVARIAN CYCLE
Eggs exist in the ovary

They exist in structures known as follicles.

A follicle contains an egg, and cells surrounding it called granulosa

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cells. Granulosa cells release hormone oestrogen, inhibin and

progesterone.

The ovarian cycle concerns how this follicle develops (follicular

phase), how the egg is released and the outcome of the
remainder of the follicle (luteal phase).
 OVARIAN CYCLE
Ovarian cycle begins when there is an increase in
Follicle Stimulating Hormone. This..
‘stimulates the follicles’ to grow.
Follicles take 14 days to develop before they can
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release the egg from the ovary

 OVARIAN CYCLE
FSH binds onto the primordial follicles.

1.) Follicles develop a zona pellucida- making them

primary follicles.
2.) Follicles develop an outer coat of theca cells.
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LH binds to these cells to convert

androstenedione into oestrogen.

^this is now called a primary follicle.

 OVARIAN CYCLE
FSH levels are still elevated, stimulating the primary
follicle. This causes the granulosa cells to undergo
mitosis. As they grow:
1.) more granulosa cells= more oestrogen
2.) more granulosa cells= more metabolism= fluid
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accumulates and collects to form an antrum.

^ This is called a secondary/ early antral follicle.
Eventually as fluid accumulates more you have an
antral follicle
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Several antral follicles are formed

The biggest one goes to the next stage, smaller ones

wither away in a process known as atresia.

On day 14, the biggest follicle fuses with the edge of

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ovary, and release the egg into the fallopian tubes.

The remainder of the follicle is now called the corpus

luteum and this marks the beginning of the luteal
phase.
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The corpus luteum is not a follicle, so it won’t produce hormones in
the same concentrations.
It produces loads of progesterone, a good amount of inhibin, and
some oestrogen.

The corpus luteum consists of the antrum and granulosa cells and
theca cells, which were all dependent on FSH and LH to survive.
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FSH and LH levels have decreased at this point, so the corpus

luteum withers away.

If there is implantation, then bHCG is released by the blastocyst,

which is structurally similar to LH and causes survival of the
corpus luteum.
 HORMONES MADE
RIDICULOUSLY EASY

F R O M
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F O L P

P O P O
 HORMONES MADE
RIDICULOUSLY EASY
Repair of Maintain
Follicule
endometrial Ovulation endometrial
stimulation
lining thickness
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FSH Ostrogen LH Progesterone

Pituitary Ovary Pituitary Ovary

 HORMONE
CONCENTRATIONS
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 HORMONE
CONCENTRATIONS
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 HORMONE
CONCENTRATIONS
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