1What regulates sperm?
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and leutinizing hormone (LH) from anterior pituitary
2What is the job of FSH?
to induce maturation of sperm
3What is the job of LH?
Controls interstitial / leydig cells that produce testosterone.
4How can you be infertile but still have completely functioning reproductive system?
Problem is in the brain!
5What are sertoli cells?
"babysitter" ; makes sure pH/nutrients and everything is optimal for division of spermatids to sperms
6Where are sertolic cells located?
in seminiferous tubules of testes
7Germ cells undergo ___ to form spermatids
meiosis
8Spermatogonia undergo ___ to form primary spermatocytes (germ cells)
mitosis
9Before they undergo meisosis, how many chromosomes do they have?
46
10After meisosis, how many chromosomes do spermatids contain?
23
11What is the pathway of the sperm?
testes -> epididymis -> vas deferens -> behind bladder joining seminal vesicles -> prostatic urethra -> bulbourethral gland -> rest of urethra
12Where does the majority of fluid of semen come from?
seminal vesicles
13Seminal vesicles mostly contains...
fructose (basic) that give the sperm energy to move
14What is the purpose of the bulbourethral glands?
act as lubricant
15What does the prostate add?
Acids! Zinc, citric acid, and acid phosphatase
16What is the purpose of zinc for semen?
compound necessary in survival of sperm
17Why is it important to get the total semen sample?
Because semen is not uniform coming out, prostate / bulbourethral gland is in front (acidic) and seminal vesicles are in the back (basic)
18What is the ideal delivery of a semen sample
within 1 hr maintained between 20C-40C (room temperature). Ice will shock the sperm and kill them
19What should happen to the viscosity of the sperm after 30 minutes?
Should liquefy (if not, enzyme missing)
20What is the normal volume of sperm?
2-5 mL
21What is the viscosity after liquefaction?
normal semen is watery and forms discrete droplets
22What are healthy sperms under the microscope?
>50% are moving with mod-strong LINEAR movement
23What is the normal sperm concentration?
20-250 million sperm / mL
24What is a sperm count for a post-vasectomy pt after 12 weeks?
0
25What are the distinct areas of the sperm?
head (w/ acrosome), midpiece (mitochondria), tail
26What are the 5 categories for evaluating sperm morphology?
normal, head defects, midpiece defects, tail defects, cytoplasmic droplet present (in midpiece)
27When is cytoplasmic droplet abnormal?
if the midpiece region is more than 1/3 the area of the normal sperm head
28How are sperm vitality assessed?
% of sperm that is alive by staining of dead sperms (while live sperm do not take stain)
29What can be mistaken for WBC under the microscope?
immature spermatogenic cells ; prevent mistake by staining!
30What does RBC in semen mean?
abnormal; inflammation / infection
31What does agglutination mean?
when sperms bind together (at any part). Even a small amt may indicate angtigen / antibody problem
32What is the normal range of pH for sperm?
7.2-7.8
33For sperm, pH below 7.2 indicate ...
abnormalities of epididymis, vas deferens, or seminal vesicles (which release basic products)
34For sperm, pH above 7.8 indicate ...
infection / incomplete sample collected
35What is the purpose of fructose?
to provide energy for mitochondria in the midpiece
36What happens when there are stones / obstruction in the seminal vesicles?
pathway becomes closed, leading to inflammation in the organ
37What is the normal level of fructose in semen?
>13 µmol / ejaculate
38What are the two compounds used to evaluate prostate function?
Zinc (normal >2.4 mmol / ejaculate) and citric acid (normal >52 mmol / ejaculate)
39Why is acid phosphatase used in rape and sexual assault investigations?
200X more in male semen than any other clels and very persistent / hard to get rid of.