Male Reproductive System

Male Reproductive System Overview

• The male reproductive system consists of various organs essential for the production and delivery of sperm.

Warm-Up: Fact or Fiction

• The primary role of the male reproductive system:

  • Produce sperm and deliver it to the female reproductive system.

• Sperm production:

  • Continuous after puberty.

• Size comparison:

  • Sperm cells are not the same size as regular body cells.

• Survival duration:

  • Sperm can only survive for a few hours outside the male body.

• Daily sperm production:

  • The average male produces millions of sperm daily.

Role/Purpose of the Male Reproductive System

• Main Role:

  • Production of the male gamete (sperm).

  • Transfer of sperm to the female body.

• Key Components:

  • Testes, scrotum, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, bulbo-urethral glands, urethra, and penis.

Anatomy and Physiology

Figure Overview

• Major organs of the male reproductive system:

  • Ureter, urinary bladder, ductus deferens, seminal vesicle, prostate gland, bulbo-urethral gland, urethra, epididymis, testes, and penis (glans penis and scrotum).

Testes and Scrotum

• Testes:

  • Primary sex organ in males, responsible for producing sperm (spermatozoa).

  • Males typically have two testes, each about the size of a large grape.

• Scrotum:

  • A sack of skin surrounding the testes, located outside the body below the penis.

  • Functions:

    • Protects the testes.

    • Regulates temperature as sperm development requires lower than normal temperatures.

Testes and Epididymis

• Sperm Production:

  • Occurs inside the testes in the seminiferous tubules.

• Epididymis:

  • Located atop each teste.

  • Sperm mature for up to one month in the epididymis.

Sperm Transport - Vas Deferens

• Upon maturation:

  • Sperm move from the epididymis through the vas deferens.

  • Vas deferens is a tube leading from each teste to the urethra inside the penis.

• Movement of sperm:

  • Sperm have tails (flagella) facilitating movement through semen, which is secreted by various glands.

Glands Producing Semen

Seminal Vesicle

• One for each vas deferens.

• Functions:

  • Produces most seminal fluid, which is thick and sugar-rich.

  • Provides energy for sperm to move their tails.

Prostate Gland

• Location: Just below the bladder where the vas deferens joins the urethra.

• Functions:

  • Adds thin, alkaline fluid to semen to neutralize the acidity of the vagina and help sperm survive.

Bulbo-Urethral Glands

• Two pea-sized glands located beneath the prostate gland.

• Functions:

  • Secrete thick mucus for lubrication during intercourse.

• Semen Composition:

  • Final combination of all fluids and sperm leaves the body through the urethra via the penis.

Penis Structure and Function

• Functions:

  • Reproduction and urination.

• Composition:

  • External organ made of two parts: shaft and glans.

  • Glans is the tip; shaft houses the urethra.

• Foreskin:

  • Covering over the glans present at birth.

• Erectile Tissue:

  • Fills with blood when stimulated, causing erection to facilitate intercourse.