2. The male reproductive organs are specialized
to perform the following functions:
1) Production, maintenance & transport of the
male reproductive cells spermatozoa & semen
2) Discharge of spermatozoa in the female genital
tract
3) Production & secretion of male sex hormones
(testosterone).
3. It includes external &
internal structures.
The external structure are:
a) Penis
b) Scrotum
c) Testes
The internal organs are:
a) Vas deferens
b) Ejaculatory duct
c) Urethra
d) Seminal vesicles
e) Prostate gland
f) Bulbourethral glands
4. The penis is the male organ for coitus.
It is about 10cm long, 4cm broad & consist of
three parts: the root attached to the wall of the
abdomen; the body or shaft; & the glans; the
cone-shaped end of the penis.
The glans is covered with a loose layer of skin
called foreskin or prepuce which is removed in
operation of circumcision.
Urethral, the tube transporting semen & urine,
opens at its tip.
Glans is very sensitive due to number of
sensitive nerve endings.
5. The penile body is cylindrical in shape &
consist of three internal columns, two lateral
corpora cavernosa & one posterior corpus
spongiosum through which urethra traverses.
These tissues are made up of special, sponge
like erectile tissue with thousands of empty
spaces which fill with blood during sexual
excitation.
The filling of blood makes penis rigid & erect
to enable it to undergo changes in its size
during erection.
6. It is the loose pouch like sac of skin behind the
penis & has testes, many nerves & blood
vessels in it.
It provides protection & temperature
regulation for the testes as spermiogenosis
requires cooler temperature in the testes.
7. The two testes are olive shaped (4x3 cm) oval
organs that lie in the scrotum & produce
spermatozoa (male gametes) & testosterone
hormone, the primary male sex hormone.
Each testes is enclosed by a tough, white fibrous
sheath named tunica albuginea.
The testes contain numerous coiled tubes called
seminiferous tubules where spermatogenesis takes
place.
The seminiferous tubules join together to form
channels that leads to the epididymis.
Interstial cells of testes between seminiferous
tubules secrete testosterone.
8. The epididymis is about 50 cm long, comma
shaped coiled tube situated on the backside of
each testes.
Its main function is to transport & store the
sperm cells that are produced in the testes.
It also helps, in their maturation to make them
capable of fertilization.
During sexual arousal sperms enter into the
vas deferens.
9. Spermatic cord: The spermatic cord is made of
vas deferens, testicular blood vessels & nerves.
The cord transverses upward through the
inguinal canal from where the vas deferens
continuous upwards over the pubis & curls
backward beside the bladder.
10. Each vas deferens is a 45cm long, 3mm in
diameter, muscular tube in spermatic cord.
It travels from the epididymis into the pelvic
cavity, to just behind the bladder.
The vas deferens empties into the ejaculatory
duct & passes through prostate gland.
11. These are two small muscular ducts formed by the
merger of the vas deferens & the seminal vesicles.
They carry seminal fluid into the urethra.
URETHRA:
The urethra is a tube that connects bladder to
outside of the body.
It is a passage for urine & semen.
The erect penis during coitus, blocks the flow of
urine from the urethra, so that only semen is
ejaculated during orgasm.
12. The seminal vesicles are two sac like pouches
attaching to the vas deferens near the bladder
base.
They secrete fructose rich fluid to provide
nutrition to the sperms & enhance their
motility.
Their fluid constitute most of the volume of a
man’s ejaculatory fluid, or ejaculate.
13. The prostate gland (single) 4x3x2 cm in
dimensions is a walnut-sized structure that
surrounds the urethra at the base of urinary
bladder in front of the rectum.
It secretes a milky alkaline lubricating fluid to
nourish the sperms & to protect the sperms
against acid conditions of the vagina.
14. The bulbourethral glands or Cowper’s glands
(two in number) are pea sized structures
situated on either side of urethra below the
prostate gland.
They secrete a thick, clear mucus for
lubrication.
15. The basic hormones involved in the
functioning of the male reproductive system
are follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH),
luteinizing hormone (LH) & testosterone.
The hypothalamus produces gonadotropin
releasing factors which stimulate the anterior
pituitary gland to produce FSH & LH.
FSH is necessary for sperm production
(spermatogenesis) by acting on seminiferous
tubules.
16. LH stimulates the production of testosterone
by acting on interstitial cells of tests which is
necessary to continue the process of
spermatogenesis.
Testosterone is also responsible in the
development of male secondary sex
characteristics like deepening of voice, hair
growth on face, pubis axilla & chest.
It also helps in attaining muscle mass &
strength, fat distribution, bone mass & sex dive
in men.