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The male reproductive tract
THE TESTICLES
 
The male gonads are known as the testicles, or testes (singular: testis). They are equivalent to the female ovaries and are responsible forproducing sperm and the male sex hormone, testosterone.The testes are formed within the abdomen early during the development of the male foetus. In response to hormonal triggers, they graduallydescend through the abdomen until they reach the pelvis. They then enter a passageway on either side that passes over the pelvic bone theinguinal canal and drop down into the scrotal sac. At birth, the testes can usually be felt within the scrotum.Each mature testis is an oval organ around 44.25 cm (1.51.6 in) long and 22.8 cm (.751 in) in diameter. They are divided into 200400compartments, each of which contains several highly convoluted seminiferous tubules. These are the 'sperm factories', where millions of sperm are made. The spaces between these seminiferous tubules are filled with nests of cells the interstitial cells of Leydig which are wherethe male sex hormone, testosterone, is made.Each testis is protected by a tough fibrous capsule, the
tunica albuginea
, and is suspended in the scrotum at the end of the spermatic cord.
Figure 5: Epididymis and testis
 
 
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The Epididymis
 
Both ends of the seminiferous tubules within each testis open into a network of vessels that drain into the epididymis. This is a tightly coiledcollecting tube attached to the top of the testis, at the back. If unravelled, an epididymis would measure around 6 m (18 ft) long. The coils of the epididymis are wrapped together to form a head (attached to the testis), a body, and a so-called 'tail'. Sperm that pass through theepididymis are still maturing, and most gain motility while passing through. The epididymis on each side leads into a vas deferens.
The Vas Deferens
 
Each
vas deferens
is a narrow, muscular tube that acts as a storage unit for mature sperm. During orgasm, it pumps sperm up from theepididymis and out into the penis. The two vas deferens, one on each side, are the tubes that are cut during a vasectomy
(see
vasectomy 
 )
.Each vas deferens takes a complicated route up through the scrotum, through the inguinal canal and pelvis and passes over a ureter (tuberunning from each kidney to the bladder) to drop down just behind the bladder. Here, each vas deferens joins with the outflow from a seminalvesicle to form an ejaculatory duct.
Seminal Vesicles
 
Each of the two seminal vesicles is a coiled, blind sac about 5 cm (2 in) long. They stretch upwards from the prostate gland to lie between thebladder and the rectum.The seminal vesicles secrete a thick, gelatinous, protein-rich fluid which gives semen its initial clotted characteristic. These secretions are richin fructose, a sugar which supplies the sperm with most of their energy. Yellow pigments are often present and may be seen in semen asyellow flecks. The seminal vesicles also secrete hormone-like substances (prostaglandins), which have an effect on the female tract. Theyhelp the cervix (neck of the womb) to 'pout' slightly so sperm can swim through more easily, and may also trigger wave-like contractionswhich induce eddy currents and help propel the sperm along.
The Ejaculatory Ducts
 
There are two ejaculatory ducts, one on each side, behind the neck of the bladder. These form where the vas deferens and seminal vesiclemeet on each side. The ejaculatory ducts pass through the single, midline prostate gland to direct semen into the penis, within the prostategland itself.
 
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Cowper's Glands
 
Cowper's (bulbourethral) glands lie underneath the prostate gland on either side. They secrete a lubricating fluid into the urethra early onduring sexual activity. This may appear at the end of the penis as a glistening drop of slippery mucus. These glands can become inflamed, forexample because of sexually transmissible diseases such as Chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
The Spermatic Cord
 
Each testicle is suspended within the scrotum by a spermatic cord. This structure contains the vas deferens plus several arteries, veins andnerves. It is covered with three layers of tissue (picked up during the descent of the testicle through the abdomen during foetal development)and is sheathed in the cremaster muscle.
Cremasteric Reflex
 
The cremaster (literally, suspender) muscle is responsible for the cremasteric reflex the involuntary drawing up of the testicles towards theinguinal canal, for example when it is cold, during the fight-or-flight response to shock
(see
 stress
 )
, or when touched.Highly retractile testicles are normal in young children, but usually disappear by puberty. It is important that a retracted testicle (normal) isnot confused with an undescended testicle (abnormal). These are easily told apart by a surgeon who, having identified the tiny testis at thebottom of the inguinal canal, can gently coax it down into the scrotum with a downward stroking action. Retractile testes are normal andrequire no treatment.Sumo wrestlers can train themselves to withdraw their testicles high up towards the abdomen for protection during competition.
Testicular Descent and Undescended Testes
 
The testicles originally develop within the abdominal cavity of the male embryo, near the kidneys. They become attached to a structureknown as the
gubernaculum
, which enlarges to anchor the testes near the groin. As the embryo develops, the testes appear to movedownwards through the abdomen but in fact they stay anchored in the same place. The gubernaculum remains the same size, while thedeveloping embryo and enlarging abdominal cavity differentially grow upwards around it.
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