Male Duct System

Brain-Testicular Axis
• Hypothalamus produces GnRH
– Secreted in a pulsatile manner (brief  and  in GnRH)
– Chronically elevated levels of GnRH make AP cells insensitive to
GnRH and little LH or FSH is secreted.
• Stimulates anterior pituitary (gonadotrope cells) to
secrete
– LH
• stimulates interstitial cells to produce testosterone
– FSH
• stimulates sustentacular cells to secrete androgen-binding protein
(ABP) that interacts with testosterone to stimulate spermatogenesis
• ABP binding of testosterone enhances spermatogenesis
 Other Effects of Testosterone
• Enlargement of secondary sexual organs
– penis, testes, scrotum, ducts, glands and
muscle mass enlarge
– hair, scent and sebaceous glands develop
– stimulates erythropoiesis and libido
• During adulthood, testosterone sustains
libido, spermatogenesis and reproductive
tract
 Testosterone
• Most from interstitial cells of testes with small amounts from
adrenal glands and sustentacular cells
• Causes
– enlargement and differentiation of male genitals and
reproductive duct system
– necessary for sperm cell formation
– required for descent of testes
– hair growth on certain parts of the body
– skin is rougher and coarser
– quantity of melanin increases
– increases rate of secretion of sebaceous glands
– hypertrophy of larynx
– increases metabolic rate
– increases red blood cell count
– increases protein synthesis
– rapid bone growth
– causes closure of epiphyseal plates
 Mechanism and Effects of
Testosterone Activity
• Testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol
• It must be transformed to exert its effects on some
target cells; for example
– Prostate – it is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
before it can bind within the nucleus
• Requires the enzyme 5-reductase
– Neurons – it is converted into estrogen to bring about
stimulatory effects
• Reqires the enzyme aromatase
• This estradiol is required for the negative feedback effects of
testosterone on LH secretion
• Testosterone targets all accessory organs and its
deficiency causes these organs to atrophy
 Male Secondary Sex Characteristics
• Male hormones make their appearance at puberty and
induce changes in nonreproductive organs, including
– Appearance of pubic, axillary, and facial hair
– Enhanced growth of the chest and deepening of the voice
– Skin thickens and becomes oily
– Bones grow and increase in density
– Skeletal muscles increase in size and mass
 Aging and Sexual Function
• Decline in testosterone secretion
– peak secretion at 7 mg/day at age 20
– declines to 1/5 of that (1.4 mg/day) by age 80
• Rise in FSH and LH secretion after age 50
produces male climacteric (menopause)
– mood changes, hot flashes and “illusions of
suffocation”
• Erectile dysfunction
– 20% of men in 60s; 50% of those in 80s
Male Gonads
• In guys the male gonads, or
testes are located in the
scrotum.
• They secrete hormones called
androgens, the most important
of which is testosterone. These
hormones tell a guy's body
when it's time to make the
changes associated with
puberty, like penis and height
growth, deepening voice, and
growth in facial and pubic hair.
Working with hormones from
the pituitary gland, testosterone
also tells a guy's body when it's
time to produce sperm in the
testes.
Regulation of Sex Hormone
Secretion
• Hypothalamus releases
– GnRH or LHRH which
stimulates
• LH or ICSH to
produce
testosterone
• FSH to stimulate
sperm cell
formation
• Inhibin inhibits
FSH secretion from
anterior pituitary
 Testes
• Glands
• Descent
– Exocrine
– Pass from abdominal
– Endocrine cavity through inguinal
• Compartments canal to scrotum
divided by septa • Cryptorchidism
– Seminiferous tubules – Failure of of one or
• Empty into rete testis both of testes to
• Empties into efferent descend into scrotum
ductules – Prevents normal
– Interstitial or Leydig sperm development
cells
 Puberty and Testosterone
• Puberty
– Age at which individuals become capable of
sexual reproduction
• Before puberty small amounts of testosterone inhibit
GnRH release
• During puberty testosterone does not completely
suppress GnRH release, resulting in increased
FSH,LH, and testosterone
(1) Functions of testosterone
1) Maintenance of spermatogenesis
2) Stimulation of development of genitalia.
3) Development and maintenance of the male secondary
sexual characteristics.
4) Maintenance of libido.
5) Effect on metabolism.
Testosterone increases anabolism of protein, especially
that in muscle and genitalia, and causes growth of the
bones in the thickness, deposition of calcium salts as
well enhancement of production of red cells.
2. Inhibin
Inhibin, a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of
31,000-32,000, has a potent inhibitory effect on FSH
secretion by pituitary gland.
The effect of inhibin on hypothalamus is slightly
inhibitory in GnRH secretion.
II. Regulation of Testis Function
1. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testis
Axis
(1) GnRH (gonadotropin –
releasing hormone)
GnRH is secreted by
hypothalamus and transported
to the anterior pituitary gland
in portal blood.
The function of GnRH is to
stimulate the synthesis and
release the two
gonadotropins, LH and FSH.
critinism, no GnRH secreted during the puberty, no development of
the sexual organs, no reproductive ability
(2) LH (Luteinizing hormone or interstitial cell stimulating
hormone)
LH and FSH are secreted by cells in the anterior pituitary
gland. LH causes interstitial cell of Ldydig to synthesize
testosterone by activating the cAMP second message system
and to release testosterone.
2 Inhibin
Inhibin has a strong direct effect on the anterior
pituitary gland in inhibiting FSH secretion and a
light effect on the hypothalamus in inhibiting
GnRH secretion.
These automatic feedback mechanisms can maintain a
normal speed of spermatiogenesis, which is
required for male reproduction function.