MALE

REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
FUNCTIONS OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• Produce sperm cells (sex cells)

• Produce male sex hormones

• Transfer sperm cells to female

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MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
• Testes, Duct system
(epididymis, vas
deferens, ejaculatory
duct and urethra,)
Accessory glands
(prostate,
bulbourethral gland)
Scrotum, Penis
MALE INTERNAL REPRODUCTIVE
PARTS
TESTES (MALE GONADS)
- primary male reproductive organ
- produces sperm and hormones
- olive-sized (4 cm long, 2.5 cm wide)
- located in the hollow sac of scrotum
- contain seminiferous tubules: sperm forming factories
- contain interstitial cells: secrete testosterone

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DUCT SYSTEM
 EPIDIDYMIS
- comma-shaped highly coiled tube about 6 m long
that caps the superior part of the testis
- first part of male duct system, temporary storage
for immature sperm
- where seminiferous tubules empty new sperm
- where sperm continue to mature and develop its
ability to swim and bind to oocytes (20 days)

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DUCTUS DEFERENS
- “vas deferens”
- extends from epididymis and joins
ejaculatory duct, which passes through the
prostate gland to merge with the urethra
- main function: to propel live sperm from their
storage site to urethra
- cut during a vasectomy
- at ejaculation, smooth muscles in its walls
create peristaltic waves
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CLINICAL FOCUS
19BF
EJACULATORY DUCT

• Small muscular ducts that carry the spermatozoa and seminal

fluid to the urethra
• Connects the ducts of the seminal vesicle and the vas
deferens.
URETHRA

- extends from urinary bladder to end of penis

- passageway for urine and male reproductive
fluids (not at same time) because of bladder
sphincter

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URETHRA
• 3 regions
- prostatic urethra surrounded by the prostate gland
- membraneous urethra – spanning the distance from
the prostatic urethra to
the penis
- spongy (penile) urethra – running within the length
of the penis
MALE ACCESSORY GLANDS
AND SEMEN
PROSTATE GLAND

• - single gland about the size and shape of

chestnut
- secretes milky fluid which makes up 30%
of semen volume
- neutralizes acidity and support sperm with
needed energy

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BULBOURETHRAL GLAND
• Tiny pea-sized glands inferior to the prostate gland
• Produce thick clear mucus (1 % of semen volume)
that drains into the penile urethra
• First to pass down when a man becomes sexually
excited thus, believed to cleanse urethra of traces of
acidic urine and serves as lubricant during sexual
intercourse
 SEMINAL VESICLES
• located at the base of the bladder, produce about 65% of
the fluid volume of semen.
- thick yellowish secretion which is rich in sugar (fructose),
vitamin C, prostaglandins (decrease mucus
thickness around cervix and uterine tubes), and other
substances which nourish and activate the sperm
- joined with ductus deferens to form the ejaculatory duct
(sperm and seminal fluid enter the urethra together during
ejaculation)
SEMEN
• Milky white, sticky mixture of sperm and accessory gland secretions
- liquid provides transport medium, nutrients and other chemicals
that protect the sperm and aid in their movement
- fructose in the seminal vesicle secretions provides all of the
energy fuel of the sperm
- relatively alkaline (pH 7.2-7.6) helps neutralize the acid environment
of vagina (pH3.5-4)
- dilutes sperm – aid in motility
- amount of semen during ejaculation – 2-5 ml (50-130 million
sperm/ml)
COMPONENT OF SEMEN
• The testicular secretions contain sperm cells (4% of
total volume)
• The seminal vesicle fluid contains fructose, clotting
proteins, and prostaglandins (65% of total volume)
• The prostate secretions make the seminal fluid more
pH-neutral. Proteolytic enzymes break down clotting
proteins(30% of total volume)
• The bulbourethral glands produce mucus, which
neutralizes the acidic pH of the urethra (1% of total
volume)
MALE EXTERNAL REPRODUCTIVE
PARTS
SCROTUM
- divided sac of skin that hangs outside the
abdominal cavity
- contains testes
- contains dartos and cremaster muscle that
moves scrotum and testes close to and away
from body depending on temp.
- sperm must develop at temp. less than body
temp. (3C lower than core body temperature)
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PENIS
– A copulatory organ designed to deliver sperm into the
female reproductive tract
– The skin covered penis consists of an attached root and
a free shaft that ends in the glans penis
• Prepuce, or foreskin
– Cuff of skin covering the glans penis
– Circumcision: surgical removal of the foreskin after birth
F I G . 24 . 7
 PENIS
• Erection: during sexual excitement, the erectile tissue fills with blood
causing the penis to enlarge and become rigid
• Erectile tissues:
- corpus spongiosum – column of spongelike tissue located at the front of
the penis
- during erection, prevent the urethra from pinching
closed, thereby maintaining urethra as viable
channel for ejaculation
- corpus cavernosa – two columns of tissue found in the dorsal part of
penis. Fill with blood during erection.
- facilitate penile erections
 SPERMATOGENESIS
• What is it?
- formation of sperm cells/sperm production
- begins at puberty and continue throughout life

1. Germ cells (spermatogonium) meiosis 2 daughter cells

(type A and Type B)
- Type A – remain at basement membrane
as a stem cell
- Type B – move toward tubule lumen
- primary spermatocyte destined to
undergo meiosis and form 4 sperm 25
2. Type B daughter cell enter meiosis I to produce
(Primary Spermatocyte) 2 secondary spermatocyte

3. Secondary Spermatocyte undergo meiosis II to

produce 4 early spermatids
(non-motile, non functional)
4. Spermatids all excess cytoplasm are
(Spermiogenesis) stripped off, remaining
streamlined sperm (head,
midpiece and tail)
 SPERM CELLS STRUCTURE
• Head:
contain a nucleus and DNA

• Midpiece:
contain mitochondria

• Tail:
flagellum for movement
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FIGURE 19.4
 PATH OF SPERM
1. Sperm develop in seminiferous tubules
(testes)
2. Epididymis (mature)
3. Ductus deferens
4. Receive secretions from seminal vesicles,
prostate gland, and bulbourethral gland
5. Urethra where semen (sperm) exit body

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