Lincoln Scholars Program    Notes for Unit 4

Misc. notices

TikTok one-minute anatomy lectures from AnatomyLove!   by Meadow Campbell, PhD, St. Louis University School of Medicine.   [These short videos can be viewed without opening a TikTok account.]

Core concepts of histology.

Common patterns of tissue organization.

This "Notes for Unit 4" webpage will remain available on the web.

Pop-up help sessions with Prof. King are invited.

Urinary tract:  lined by transitional epithelium, smooth muscle in wall.

	transitional epithelium	renal pelvis	ureter	bladder	urethra

Male tract study guide 

• Bullet points below are links to topics within this study guide.

In the male urogenital tract, several glands feed into the urethra.
The most important of these is of course the testis.
Of special clinical interest is the prostate.

 

• Testis -- a very peculiar gland which secretes cells. 
  

  Testis, public domain image		(Pancreas)
  CURIOUS ANATOMICAL DETAILS:  Each seminiferous tubule (2 in diagram above) is   a long, wiggly, hairpin loop, about one meter in length.  Each testis contains several hundred tubules.   Tubules are separated from one another by thin   connective tissue septa (1).  Each tubule leads into the rete testis (6),   a network of anastomosing channels.  The rete drains into efferent ductules (5),   which in turn drain into the epididymis   (coming up shortly).
  Seminiferous tubules are lined by columnar Sertoli cells,   epithelial cells which support the germ cells.  Germ cells (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids)   are nestled in between Sertoli cells.  Testosterone-secreting Leydig cells form small clusters   within the stroma.
  To view a nice section of an entire testis with epididymis, see Histology Guide.

  Webpath link Webpath / atrophic testis, low X        Webpath / seminoma, low X

  
   
• Epididymis. 
  

  Epididymis, public domain image

  ANATOMICAL DETAILS:  The proximal end (head) of the epididymis receives   sperm through the efferent ductules.  The distal end (tail) of the epididymis is continuous   with the vas deferens.  In between (the body), the epididymis is a single tubule   about six meters long.

  
   
• Vas deferens. 
  

  ANATOMICAL DETAILS:  The vas deferens is a muscular tube (duct) which carries   sperm cells from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct.  The muscular wall of the vas is remarkably thick in   proportion to the diameter of its lumen.
  The lumen of the vas is lined by a pseudostratified   columnar epithelium, similar to that lining the   epididymis.

  
   
• Seminal vesicle. 
  This gland (like the prostate, below) appears designed "for the slow accumulation
  and occasional rapid expulsion of small volumes of fluid."

  Webpath link Webpath / seminal vesicle, mid X        Webpath / seminal vesicle, high X

  
   
• Prostate. 
  "The biologic role of the prostate calls for the slow accumulation and occasional rapid expulsion of small volumes of fluid.  These requirements are optimally met by a muscular organ having a large storage capacity and low secretory capacity."        (quote from J.E. McNeal, in Sternberg, Histology for Pathologists, 2nd edition, Lippencott-Raven, 1997).
   ANATOMICAL DETAILS:
  • A capsule.
  • Extensive fibrous stroma, interwoven with smooth muscle. 
  • Variable and irregular appearance of stroma, glands and ducts
    (depending on location of section within the gland). 

  Webpath prostate tutorial

  • A "carcinoma" is a cancer with epithelial origin.
  • The prefix "adeno" means "gland."
  • An "adenocarcinoma" is therefore a carcinoma with glandular origin or glandular characteristics. 

  Webpath links Webpath / normal prostate, high X Webpath / chronic prostatitis, high X Webpath / nodular hyperplasia, low X Webpath / nodular hyperplasia, med X Webpath / intraepithelial neoplasia, med X Webpath / intraepithelial neoplasia, high X Webpath / adenocarcinoma, very low X Webpath / adenocarcinoma, med X Webpath / well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, high X Webpath / adenocarcinoma w/ nucleoli, med X Webpath / adenocarcinoma w/ nucleoli, high X Webpath / high grade adenocarcinoma, med X Webpath / high grade adenocarcinoma, med X Webpath / poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, high X

   

• Other glands.
  • Cowper's glands secrete mucus into urethra below prostate.
  • Littre's glands secrete mucus into urethra within penis.
   
• Penis.  For image, see Histology Guide.

Male reproductive system study guide 

Female reproductive system study guide 

Contents for traditional curriculum
 

Image index for this website
 

If you have a taste for history, see Eponyms in histology.

SEARCH THE SITE:	WWW histology.siu.edu

 

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Comments and questions: dgking@siu.edu

SIUC / School of Medicine / Anatomy / David King

https://histology.siu.edu//LincolnScholarsProgram/male-intro.htm
Last updated:  3 March 2023 / dgk