Male and Female Reproductive System: Key Concepts and Processes

What may be removed from the penis during circumcision?

prepuce

Where is testosterone produced?

interstitial cells

What is the process of producing the male gamete?

spermatogenesis

What is a white, milky, somewhat sticky mixture of sperm and fluids from accessory glands called?

semen

Where are sperm produced and where do they mature?

seminiferous tubules; epididymis

What stem cell begins the process of spermatogenesis?

spermatogonium

What are the three regions of the male urethra?

prostatic urethra, membranous urethra, and spongy urethra

What structure participates in countercurrent heat exchange to prevent the testes from overheating?

pampiniform plexus

How many spermatids result from one spermatogonium?

4

What hormone stimulates interstitial cells to secrete testosterone?

luteinizing hormone (LH)

What is the decline in male reproductive functions called?

andropause

What is formed during fertilization when the sperm and ovum fuse?

zygote

What does mitosis result in, and what does meiosis result in?

two diploid cells; four haploid cells

What is the movement of sperm, testicular fluids, and glandular secretions into the urethra called?

emission

What is an erection?

triggered by a parasympathetic reflex

What does meiosis produce?

gametes

What is the primary regulator of spermatogenesis?

testosterone

What is the maturation process in which spermatids elongate and shed excess cytoplasm?

spermiogenesis

What are the internal female genitalia?

ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, and vagina

Which portion of the uterus is shed during menstruation?

Stratum functionalis of the endometrium

What is the primary function of the uterus?

receive, protect, and nourish a fertilized ovum

Of the 2 million oogonia formed before birth that begin to undergo meiosis, how many remain at puberty?

300,000

What does ovulation depend on?

A surge of luteinizing hormone (LH)

Which STI is linked with many cases of cervical cancer?

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

If fertilization does not occur, what happens to the corpus luteum?

It degrades into the corpus albicans

Assuming a 28-day ovarian cycle, on what day should ovulation occur?

Day 14

What is the female equivalent of the male penis?

clitoris

When does oogenesis begin in a female?

before birth

Which phase occurs first during the ovarian cycle?

Follicular phase

What is the basic difference between spermatogenesis and oogenesis?

In oogenesis, one mature ovum is produced, and in spermatogenesis, four mature sperm are produced from the parent cell

In a female, what do follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) target?

ovaries

What part of the endometrium undergoes cyclical changes in response to sex hormone levels?

stratum functionalis

When is meiosis completed in females?

fertilization occurs

When do female reproductive capabilities end and reproductive organs begin to atrophy?

menopause

What are the phases of the uterine cycle?

menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases

When does the conceptus form rudimentary organ systems?

embryonic period

What is the fusion of a sperm cell and secondary oocyte called?

fertilization

What is a conceptus implanting and growing anywhere other than the uterine endometrium called?

Ectopic pregnancy

Which period is not categorized as prenatal?

Infancy

What hormone is detected in a pregnancy test?

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

Which structure implants in or attaches to the endometrium of the uterus?

Blastocyst

What are the rapid mitotic divisions of a conceptus during the pre-embryonic period called?

Cleavage

What is the growing offspring generally referred to as?

conceptus

What hormone suppresses menstruation during pregnancy?

Progesterone

What stimulates the cortical reaction?

Sperm entry

Which structure releases human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)?

Syncytiotrophoblast

What results from the fertilization of a sperm cell and secondary oocyte?

Zygote

What is the 16-cell stage called?

morula

What process makes a sperm fully motile and modifies its plasma membrane so it can fuse with an oocyte?

Capacitation

All the following structures are primary organs of the endocrine system except the ______.

hypothalamus

What is delivered over the hypothalamic-hypophyseal portal system?

Releasing and inhibiting hormones

Why is the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland not a true endocrine gland?

It is only a hormone storage area that receives hormones from the hypothalamus for release

How are releasing hormones from the hypothalamus carried to the anterior pituitary?

by the portal veins

What type of tissue makes up the adenohypophysis or anterior pituitary gland?

Glandular epithelium

Which structure is a primary endocrine organ?

Thyroid gland

What are autocrine signals?

Chemicals secreted by cells into the extracellular fluid that elicit effects from the same cell

What type of hormones can cross the plasma membrane to bind to a receptor in the cytosol or nucleus?

Hydrophobic hormones

What do endocrine glands secrete, and what are the specific sites they travel to called?

hormones; target tissues

What do paracrine signals do?

act on neighboring cells

What is required for thyroid hormone synthesis?

Iodine

What is a major function of the endocrine system?

The endocrine system releases hormones into the bloodstream to reach receptors on target cells

What is the link between the nervous and endocrine systems?

hypothalamus

What hormone released by the kidneys stimulates the absorption of calcium ions from the digestive tract?

calcitriol

What does thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) target?

Thyroid gland

What does the endocrine system secrete into the blood to be transported to target cells?

hormones

How do nervous system cells communicate, and how do endocrine system cells communicate?

neurotransmitters; hormones

Which tropic hormones are released by the anterior pituitary?

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH); adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH); thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

Which hormone causes contractions of the uterus during childbirth?

Oxytocin

Unlike the nervous system, how long can the effects of hormones take to occur?

Seconds to hours to days

What do thymosin and thymopoietin assist in the maturation of?

T lymphocytes

Where is renin produced?

kidneys

Which hormone lowers blood glucose levels?

Insulin

Which gland has both endocrine and exocrine functions?

Pancreas

What organ produces atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)?

heart

Which hormone acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent?

Cortisol

Which hormone causes the testes to produce testosterone?

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

Which region of the adrenal gland produces mineralocorticoids?

Zona glomerulosa

Which hormone is released in response to decreases in blood glucose concentration?

Glucagon

Which cells of the pancreatic islets secrete insulin?

beta cells

What does thyroxine (T4) do?

increase the general rate of metabolism

Where is leptin produced?

adipose tissue

Where is testosterone produced?

testes

What does aldosterone regulate?

extracellular sodium and potassium ion levels

Which hormones work synergistically to retain water?

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone

What do alpha cells of the pancreas produce?

glucagon

What hormone is the primary antagonist of glucagon?

Insulin

What gland secretes melatonin to regulate the sleep/wake cycle?

pineal gland

Which hormones stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics such as adipose deposition in the breast?

Estrogens

What hormone increases red blood cell formation?

Erythropoietin

What hormone promotes satiety?

Leptin

What hormone decreases blood pressure?

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)

What hormone promotes sleep?

Melatonin

What condition is caused by destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas by the immune system?

Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Hypersecretion of which hormone is most likely to cause high blood pressure and hypernatremia?

Aldosterone

Which hormone exerts its effects primarily upon the reproductive organs?

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

The growing offspring is generally referred to as the ___________.

conceptus

The conceptus forms rudimentary organ systems during the ________.

embryonic period

The fusion of a sperm cell and secondary oocyte is known as __________.

fertilization

What term refers to a conceptus implanting and growing in any location other than the endometrium of the uterus?

Ectopic pregnancy

Which of the following periods is not categorized as prenatal?

Infancy