Male Reproductive System

What does the male tract need to do?

• Produce billions of sperm per day

• Production

• Maturation

• Storage

• Diluation

• Delivery

What is the # and investment like for males?

High number with low investment

Sperm

• Cellular component comprised of motile reproductive cells

• Strictly required for fertility

Seminal plasma

• Non-cellular fluid component

• Helps provide environmenmt to keep sperm alive

Semen

Combination of cellular and non cellular components which are released during ejculation

Testes

Manufacturing center

Epididymus

Maturation center

Tail Epididymus

Warehousing center

Accesory sex glands

Final alteration and packing

Penis

Delivery system

1

Testis

2

Epididymus Head + Epididymus Body

3

Epididymus/Tail

4

Accessory sex glands

5

Penis

Testicle

Endocrine gland and side (site?) of gamete production

Mediastinum

Central collection area

Parenchyma

Active region

Tunica albuginea

White coat

Parenchyma

Tubular component

Myoid pertibular cells

• Contractile

• Secrete growth factors

Basal lamina

• Created by MPC’s and SC

• Anchor

Seminiferous Epithelium

• Sertoli cells

  • Basal

  • Adluminal compartment

Spermafogonia

Immature cells

Sertoli cells

Nurse cells, supply nutrients to immature cells from Point A to Point B

Parenchyma-1

Myoid peritubular cells (MPCs)

Parenchyma-2

Basal Lamina

Parenchyma-3

Sertoli cells

Parenchyma-4

Lumen

Parenchyma: Interstital compartment

• Vasculature

• Lymohatics

• Nerves

• Lydig cells

What do Leydig cells produce?

Androgen

What are testicular lobules comprised of?

Seminiferous tubules

What are the two types of tubules?

Tubulus contortus and tubulus rectus

Compartmentalized tubules?

Tunica vasculosa and tunica albuginea

What does the testucular lobule drain into?

Rete tubules and efferent ducts

Three sections of the epididymis

1. Head

2. Body

3. Tail

What does the epididymus empty into?

Ductus deferns

What are ductus deferens called in humans?

Cas deferens

Spermatic cord

Tubular cord-like tissue that extends through the inguinal canal

Inguinal canal

Passage between scrotal sac and abdominal cavity

What does the spermatic cord contain?

• Testicular artery and vein

• Lymphatic and nervous tissue

• Cremaster muscle

• Ductus deferens

Accessory sex glands

Collection of glands which contribute to seminal plasma

How many of accessory sex glands are found in mammals?

4

Are all accessory glands found in all mammals?

No

What are the accessory sex glands?

• Ampulla of ductus deferens

• Seminal vesicles

• Prostate gland

• Bulbourethral gland

• Prepubital gland

What are prepubital glands?

Exocrine glands in prepuce

Energy substrates in seminal plasma

Fructose. sorbitol, glycerolphosphorylcholine (GPC)

Sperm stability

Inositol, ergothionine, plasmalogen

Is semen acidic or basic?

Slightly acidic

pH regulators in semen

Citric acid and sodium bicarbonate

Buffering Capacity in semen

Ca, Na, K, and Mg

Proteins

Various functions

Ampulla-enlarged area

Enlargement of the ductus deferens

Where is the ampulla located?

Prior to the connection with the urethra

What does the ampulla act as?

Reservoir

Seminal vesicles-other name

Vesicular gland

Seminal vesicles-structure

Paired thin wall glands

Seminal vesicles-contribution

Significiant volume of fluid

What do seminal vesicles produce in some cases?

Gel fraction

What species is a gel fraction produced in?

Equine

What is the most common accessory sex gland?

Prostate

How many forms of the prostate are there?

2

What are the forms of the prostate?

Corpus and disseminate

Corpus location (prostate)

Outside urethra

Disseminate (prostate) location

Urethral gland

Bulbourethral

Paired structure

What is the bulbourethral also known as?

Cowper’s gland

What does the bulbourethral produce?

Gel fraction

What does the bulbourethral do?

Flush urine residues from the urethra

What happens in the boar? (bulbourethral)

Sialomucin production (gel-fraction)