Male Reproductive System

Reproductive: Brain Testicular Axis

Hypothalamus - basically the master endocrine regulator because it controls the

pituitary gland.
- consists a bunch of gray matter.
It has a specific sense of nuclei(Preoptic and Arcuate Nucleus) that are responsible
for secreting hormone that regulates a lot of the cycle

Preoptic and Arcuate Nucleui secretes Gonadotropin-releasing Hormones(GnRH)

GnRH it binds to the receptors of the gonadotropes and triggers the production of two
very important hormones called Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing
Hormone.

In the testis(singular), you have a structure called

Seminiferous tubules.
In this structure, Spermatogenesis(production of sperms) takes place.

Seminiferous Tubules
- made up by Sertoli cells(also known as nurse cells/sustenacular cells)
- in between the cells there is a protein that binds it called Tight Junctions &
Adheres Junctions)

- In the upper part of the barrier, Spermatogonium seperates(mitosis) to two identical

cells(type A & B).
Type A is reused while B is going to move from the upper part to the Lumen of the
testis.
How?
B cells and other nearby cells produces lots of chemicals that tells the sustenacular
cells to open up the Tight Junction and Adheres Junctions (the barrier).
*The significance of the Blood-testis barrier. We prevent the leaking of sperms that
has antogens to the bloodstreams in order to prevent the activation of the Immune
system from attacking our own testes(plural).

-When B cells goes to the lumen it becomes a Primary spermatocytes and turns
into(meosis I) Secondary spermatocytes from here(meosis II) these are now called
Spermatids
* when you go from spermatids to Spermatozoa(final) it undergoes a specific process
called Spermiogenesis.

From Primary Spermatocyte all the way to Spermatozoa the process is called
Spermatogenesis. Specifically, from primary to the beginning of the sprematids its
called Early Spermatogenesis and from the spermatids to the spermatozoa is the
Late Spermatogenesis.

LH acts on the Leydig cells which triggers some specific signals to the nucleus and
makes a specific enzyme that catalyze the conversion of cholesterol to testosterone.
This hormone(testosterone) goes in the Lumen compartment. It loves lipids(lipophilic)
so its not very good at dissolving into a water-soluble environment.

FSH binds to the receptor of the nurse cells which triggers some specific signals to the
nucleus and synthesizes a protein called Androgen Bonding Protein(ABP). ABP is
being secreted into the Lumen compartment and helps keep the testosterone be
soluble and highly concentrated.

Structures of the Sperm:

1.Head
- consists of the nucleus and acrosome
2.Mid
- consists lots of mitochondria
3.Tail
- consist of the flagella
Testosterone does not only go right to the Seminiferous tubules but also to other
tissues.

Elevated testosterones is not good. Hence, a specific chemical is produced that

inhibits the production of GnRH, etc.

Who controls the FSH?

- sustenacular cells has sensors that picks up the sperm level.
When it detects a high sperm level it sends a signal to the nucleus to produce a
hormone called Inhibin which inhibits the release of GnRH and FSH.

If there is less FSH then ABP is also less. If there is less ABP then testosterone will
not be concentrated enough which decreases the Spermatogenesis.

Female Reproductive Cycle

Hypothalamus
It has a specific sense of nuclei(Preoptic and Arcuate Nuclei) that are responsible
for secreting two important hormones

Preoptic and Arcuate Nucleui secretes Gonadotropin -releasing

Hormones(GnRH)

GnRH it binds to the receptors of the gonadotropes and triggers the production of two
very important hormones called Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing
Hormone into the the bloodstreams. FSH and LH are going to work in the ovary.

At birth she has a small diploid(2n) cells called oogonium.

- From oogonium turns into a Primordial Follicle(2n). This occurs in pre-puberty.

Frozen in prophase I.
- One she hits puberty localized androgens are stimulating some of the primordial
follicle into a Primary Follicle.
Primary Follicle
How do you describe this?
*its a primary oocyte (hasn’t finished meosis I still frozen in prophase I)
* it has a single layer of cuboidal/columnar follicular cells.
- From primary follicle converts to Early 20 Follicle
How?
FSH with the help of LH
* stimulates the proliferation of these follicle cells to multiple layers
*stimulates to produce a glyco-protein layer called Zona pellucida
* causes the production also of estrogen

Theca cells the outermost part of the follicle(in the video its the maroon colored layer).
Here, the LH acts on this cells and converts cholesterol to androgens and these
products of LH( androgens) goes to the granulosa cells(stimulated by FSH) that
converts it into estrogen.

Early secondary follic converts to Late 20 Follicle. In this step, pockets of follicular
fluid is made and follow the same productions(proliferation and estrogen production)
from the previous step

From Primordial Follicle up to Late secondary follicle are all primary oocytes which
means it hasn’t finished meosis I but its getting ready to.

FSH and LH continues to stimulates the pathway of the next follicle called Graffian
Follicle and this has a secondary oocyte frozen in metaphase II. FSH stimulates the
granulosa cells to produce more and more follicular fluid and eventually when the two
pockets gets bigger it comes together and make one big fluid full cavity called
Antrum.

* Corona Radiata Cells- the group of cells that is directly wrapping around the
secondary oocyte.
FSH stimulates the production of Estrogens with the help of LH.

Therefore, FSH and LH stimulates the entire evolution of the follicles. The entire
phase is called Follicular Phase.
FOLLICULAR PHASE( days 1-14)
What is happening in this phase?
- Primordial follicle to Graffian follicle
- Primary hormone used is FSH with the help also of LH
- Mitosis occurs
- Estrogen is produced
- Follicular fluid
- Primary oocyte - Secondary oocyte

Mid FP the estrogen production rises which gives a negative feedback mechanism to
both the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary. Which means it lessens the
production of GnRh , FSH and LH resulting to a drop in the production of estrogen.

At the end of follicular phase, the estrogen rises again but stimulates the
Hypothalamus to produce lots of GnRH and LH. Since, the graffian follicle detects a
rise in the estrogen it produces a chemical called Inhibin B then inihibits the anterior
pituitary from releasing FSH.

The massive production of LH is called LH Surge

LH stimulates a scissor-like enzymes called proteases(proteolytic enzymes) that cuts
the stigma and pops the secondary oocyte out of the Graffian Follicle. This phase is
called Ovulatory.

OVULATORY PHASE(days 14-15)

- this phase is triggered by the LH surge

Ampula of the fallopian tube is where the fertlization occurs.

LUTEAL PHASE(days 15-28)

- LH triggers the conversion of the Graffian that ruptured into a Corpus Luteum - the
hormone producing factory
- And LH stimulates the Corpus which produces a hormone called Progesterone.
LH is the primary hormone in this phase.

Menstrual Cycle

The interlining of the uterus is the Endometrium made up of simple columnar

epithilial tissues that has two sub layer: Stratum Functionalis and Stratum Basalis

S. Functionalis S. Basalis
* spiral and coiled arteries * straight arteries

3 phases of the Menstrual Cycle

A.) Menstruation Phase
- “shedding” of S. Functionalis with the blood carried by the spiral and coiled arteries
- occurs days 1-5

Stratum Basalis remains

B.) Proliferative Phase

- regenerates the S. Funtionalis
- regenerates spiral and coiled arteries(angiogenesis)
- making of uterine glands
- making a thin cervical mucus production
All done by estrogen(primary hormone)
- days 6-14

The mucus is thin in order for the sperm to easily get inside.

C.) Secretory
- makes a thicker S. Funtionalis
- longer and more spiral and coiled arteries
- stimulate the uterine glands to secrete a fluid nutrient rich broth(glycogen, lipids,
proteins)
- making a thin cervical mucus production
- forms a thick cervical mucus plug to protect the actual potential embryo
All done by Progesterone(primary hormone)
- days 15-28

(Anything below 21 and above 40 is pathological)

Human chorionic gonadotropin a chemical that helps to continuously stimulate the

corpus luteum to produce progesterone.

If there is no fertilization, Corpus Luteum dies and becomes a scar and fibrous fatty
tissues called Corpus Albicans.

Progesterone keeps the contractions and relaxation normal of the vessels. If the
arteries/vessels are ruptured the oxygen and nutrients will not be delivered to S.
Functionalis and becomes Ischemic(not enough oxygen in the area) then becomes
necrotic(it dies). If the tissues dies it starts to shed of the interlining of the uterus so it
basically goes back to the menstruation phase.

Reproductive: Fertilization

Seminal Vesicles
- provides the transport medium for the sperms and gives various nutrients
= 60 - 70%
= Fructose is important provides energy source to the mitochondria to produce ATP
= Prostaglandins
= Vesiculase coagulates the sperms to latch on the walls of the vagina
Prostate Gland is important because it tells the uterus to contract backwards
= 30 %
= Citrate
= Fibrinolysin breaks up the coagulation and helps it to move up
= Prostate specific antigen

Structures of the Sperm:

1. Head
- consists of the nucleus and acrosome
2. Mid
- consists lots of mitochondria
3. Tail
- consist of the flagella
- is responsible for the movement

The sperm has a lot of chemicals produced specifically relaxin that helps to speed up
the motility. Another is the seminalplasmin that destroys a lot of the bacterium cells
and other microbs that are present in the female genital tract.

Events of the sperm that it has to go through

1. Capacitation
- cleaning off the head of the sperm
- increases motility

2. Acrosonal Reaction
- the sperms binds with Zona pellucida sperm-binding protein 3(ZP3) and its head
opens up releasing acrosin and proteases - digests and leaves a hole in the zona
pellucida that allows the sperm to go in
Calcium ions triggers the sperm to release chemicals. The calcium ions rushing in the
sperm cells when it binds with ZP3.

3. Fast Block to polyspermy

The sperm comes and binds with the proteins(Alpha and Beta part of a specific
protein) on the cell membrane of the oocyte.
Once the beta part interacts with the proteins on the membrane of the oocyte it opens
up specific channels on the cell membrane. This is triggered when the specific
proteins of the sperm binds on to the oocyte membrane and sodium ions starts flowing
in the cell. Remember that thousands of sperms(*About 50-130 millions sperms is
released) are doing the exact same thing.

When sodium ions comes in it creates a positive charge that inhibits the other sperm
to come in this is called fast block to polyspermy. Then the alpha sub unit binds on to
the actual protein and the oocyte cell membrane and sperm cell membrane fuses.

4. Slow Block to polyspermy

When it fuses it can release its nuclear material(male gamete) into the oocyte
cytoplasm.

The smooth ER activates and blasts out calcium ions that triggers the lysosome to fuse
with the cell membranes and releases hydrolytic enzymes that breaks down a lot of
thee area specifically the zona pellucida and hardens the actual cell membrane. This
entire action is called slow block to polyspermy.

Calcium ions also tells the secondary oocyte to finish meosis II and an ovum is
produced.

THE MALE AND FEMALE GAMETES ARE GOING TO FUSE AND A ZYGOTE
IS FORMED!!!!

WOWWWWWWW GOODLUCK GUYSSS HAHAHAHA!!!