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 MALE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
• PENIS
– Urethra
• Prostatic
• Membranous
• penile
• TESTIS
– Scrotum
– Epididymis
– Vas deferens
• Glands
– Cowpers
– Prostate
– Seminal vesicle
– Bulbourethral gland
 PENIS
• Organ for copulation in males
• pendulous organ suspended from the front
and sides of the pubic arch and containing
the greater part of the urethra. In the
flaccid condition it is cylindrical in shape,
but when erect assumes the form of a
triangular prism with rounded angles, one
side of the prism forming the dorsum.
 3 layers
• It is composed of three cylindrical masses
of cavernous tissue bound together by
fibrous tissue and covered with skin.
• Two of the masses are lateral, and are
known as the corpora cavernosa penis
• the third is median, and is termed the
corpus spongiosum (cavernosum
urethræ)
•  The Corpora Cavernosa Penis form the
greater part of the substance of the penis.
• For their anterior three-fourths they lie in
intimate apposition with one another, but
behind they diverge in the form of two
tapering processes, known as the crura,
which are firmly connected to the rami of
the pubic arch.
• Traced from behind forward, each crus begins
by a blunt-pointed process in front of the
tuberosity of the ischium.
• Just before it meets its fellow it presents a slight
enlargement, named by Kobelt the bulb of the
corpus cavernosum penis.
• Beyond this point the crus undergoes a
constriction and merges into the corpus
cavernosum proper, which retains a uniform
diameter to its anterior end. Each corpus
cavernosum penis ends abruptly in a rounded
end
• The Corpus Cavernosum Urethræ
(corpus spongiosum) contains the urethra.
• Behind, it is expanded to form the urethral
bulb, and lies in apposition with the inferior
fascia of the urogenital diaphragm, from
which it receives a fibrous investment.
• The urethra enters the bulb nearer to the
upper than to the lower surface. On the
latter there is a median sulcus, from which
a thin fibrous septum projects into the
substance of the bulb and divides it
imperfectly into two lateral lobes or
hemispheres.
• The three layers are enclosed by
– Fascia :
• Superficial fascia – continuation of the abdomen fascia
• Buck’s fascia – deep fascia
– Skin
• PARTS:
– Root: bulb and crus
– Body
– Glans
• Support : Suspensory ligament of the penis.
Arises from the linea alba and inserts into the
deep (buck’s) fascia
 External features
• Glans
• corona
• Urethral meatus
• Prepuce
• Frenulum
Urethra
• a tube which connects the urinary bladder
to the outside of the body.
• The urethra has an excretory function in
both sexes to pass urine to the outside
• a reproductive function in the male, as a
passage for semen.
• The external urethral sphincter is a striated
muscle that allows voluntary control over
urination.
• In the human male, the urethra is about 8
inches (15 cm) long and opens at the end
of the penis.
• The inside of the urethra has a spiral
groove (like rifling in a gun barrel), which
makes the urine flow in a wide stream.
• The urethra is divided into four parts in
men, named after the location:
• pre-prostatic urethra
– This is the intramural part of the urethra and
varies between 0.5 and 1.5 cm in length
depending the fullness of the bladder
• prostatic urethra
– Crosses through the prostate gland. There
are several openings: (1) a small opening
where sperm from the vas deferens and
ejaculatory duct enters, (2) the prostatic ducts
where fluid from the prostate enters, (3) an
opening for the prostatic utricle, but nothing is
added from it. These openings are collectively
called the verumontanum
• membranous urethra
– A small (1 or 2 cm) portion passing through
the external urethral sphincter. This is the
narrowest part of the urethra. It is located in
the deep perineal pouch. The ducts from the
bulbourethral glands enter here.
– spongy urethra (or penile urethra)
• Runs along the length of the penis on its ventral
(underneath) surface. It is about 15-16 cm in
length, and travels through the corpus spongiosum
.
• The ducts from the urethral gland enter here.
 Blood supply
• Artery: internal pudendal artery(femoral a.)
– Dorsal artery
– Deep artery – copora cavernosa
– Artery of the bulb – spongiosum
• Vein:
– Dorsal vein to the internal pudendal vein
• Nerve – terminal branches of the pudendal
nerve and pelvic plexuses
 Medical problems of the urethra

• Hypospadias and epispadias are forms of abnormal

development of the urethra in the male, where the
meatus is not located at the distal end of the penis (it
occurs lower than normal with hypospadias, and higher
with epispadias). In a severe chordee, the urethra can
develop between the penis and the scrotum.
• Infection of the urethra is urethritis, said to be more
common in females than males. Urethritis is a common
cause of dysuria (pain when urinating).
• Related to urethritis is so called urethral syndrome
• Passage of kidney stones through the urethra can be
painful and subsequently it can lead to urethral strictures
.
 Scrotum
• The scrotum is an outpouching of the lower part of the
anterior abdominal wall and contains the testes, the
epididymides, and the lower ends of the spermatic cords
• Develops from the labial – scrotal folds which fuses to
form the scrotum and contains the testis
• Skin is thin. Minimal fat to keep the temperature low
• Dartos muscle or tunic: fused deep and superficial
fascia
– Smooth muscles for temp regulation
• Nerves – ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, dorsal nerves
 The wall of the scrotum has the
following layers:
• Skin
• Superficial fascia; the dartos muscle, which is smooth
muscle, replaces the fatty layer of the anterior abdominal
wall, and Scarpa's fascia (membranous layer) is now
called Colles' fascia.
• External spermatic fascia derived from the external
oblique
• Cremasteric fascia derived from the internal oblique
• Internal spermatic fascia derived from the fascia
transversalis
• Tunica vaginalis, which is a closed sac that covers the
anterior, medial, and lateral surfaces of each testis from
the peritoneum
• Blood Supply
– Subcutaneous plexuses and arteriovenous
anastomoses promote heat loss and thus assist in the
environmental control of the temperature of the
testes.
• Arteries
– The external pudendal branches of the femoral and
scrotal branches of the internal pudendal arteries
supply the scrotum.
• Veins
– The veins accompany the corresponding arteries
Contents of the Superficial Perineal
Pouch in the Male

• structures forming the root of the penis

• muscles
– bulbospongiosus muscles - situated one on each side
of the midline, cover the bulb of the penis and the
posterior portion of the corpus spongiosum.
– Their function is to compress the penile part of the
urethra and empty it of residual urine or semen.
– The anterior fibers also compress the deep dorsal
vein of the penis, thus impeding the venous drainage
of the erectile tissue and thereby assisting in the
process of erection of the penis.
                                                                  

                    
 Ischiocavernosus Muscles

• The ischiocavernosus muscles cover the

crus penis on each side
– The action of each muscle is to compress the
crus penis and assist in the process of
erection of the penis.
 Superficial Transverse Perineal
Muscles

• The superficial transverse perineal

muscles lie in the posterior part of the
superficial perineal pouch
– Each muscle arises from the ischial ramus
and is inserted into the perineal body. The
function of these muscles is to fix the perineal
body in the center of the perineum.
• Nerve Supply
• All the muscles of the superficial perineal
pouch are supplied by the perineal branch
of the pudendal nerve
 Perineal Body

• This small mass of fibrous tissue is attached to

the center of the posterior margin of the
urogenital diaphragm.It serves as a point of
attachment for the following muscles:
– external anal sphincter
– bulbospongiosus muscle
– superficial transverse perineal muscles.
• Perineal Branch of the Pudendal Nerve
• The perineal branch of the pudendal nerve on
each side terminates in the superficial perineal
pouch by supplying the muscles and skin
 Contents of the Deep Perineal
Pouch in the Male

• the membranous part of the urethra

• the sphincter urethrae
• the bulbourethral glands
• the deep transverse perineal muscles
• the internal pudendal vessels and their
branches,
• the dorsal nerves of the penis.
• Membranous Part of the Urethra
– The membranous part of the urethra is about 0.5 in.
(1.3 cm) long and lies within the urogenital
diaphragm, surrounded by the sphincter urethrae
muscle; it is continuous above with the prostatic
urethra and below with the penile urethra. It is the
shortest and least dilatable part of the urethra).
• Sphincter Urethrae Muscle
– The sphincter urethrae muscle surrounds the urethra
in the deep perineal pouch. It arises from the pubic
arch on the two sides and passes medially to encircle
the urethra portion of the urethra.
• Nerve Supply
– The perineal branch of the pudendal nerve
supplies the sphincter.
• Action
– The muscle compresses the membranous
part of the urethra and relaxes during
micturition. It is the means by which
micturition can be voluntarily stopped.
• Bulbourethral Glands
– The bulbourethral glands are two small glands
that lie beneath the sphincter urethrae
muscle. Their ducts pierce the perineal
membrane (inferior fascial layer of the
urogenital diaphragm) and enter the penile
The secretion is poured into the urethra as a
result of erotic stimulation
 Testis
• Primary male reproductive organ
• Contained with in the scrotum
• Endocrine and exocrine gland
• The two testicles are egg-shaped male
reproductive glands.
• They are suspended in a pouch of loose skin
called the scrotum below and behind the penis.
In maturity, they are usually slightly smaller than
a golf ball. It is normal for one testicle to be
larger than the other
• The testicles produce the hormone testosterone
as well as sperm, the male reproductive cells.
Covered by tunica albuginea
1 Epididymis

2 Head of epididymis

3 Lobules of epididymis

4 Body of epididymis

5 Tail of epididymis

6 Duct of epididymis

Deferent duct (ductus deferens or vas

7
deferens)
• The epididymis is a narrow, tightly-coiled
tube connecting rear of the testicles to the
deferent duct (ductus deferens or vas
deferens).
• The epididymis consists of three part
– Head
– Body
– tail.
• The head of the epididymis is located on
superior pole of testis. It stores sperm for
maturation.
• The body of the epididymis is a highly
convoluted duct which connects the head
to the tail of the epididymis. Sperm mature
in this section of the epididymis.
• The tail of the epididymis is continuous
with the deferent duct.
• The deferent duct is the excretory duct of
the testis which joins the excretory duct of
the seminal vesicle to form the ejaculatory
duct.
 Blood supply and lymphatic drainage

• The paired testicular arteries arise directly

from the abdominal aorta and descend
through the inguinal canal,
• while the scrotum and the rest of the
external genitalia is supplied by the
internal pudendal artery (itself a branch of
the internal iliac artery).
• The testis has collateral blood supply from
– 1. the cremasteric artery (a branch of the inferior
epigastric artery, which is a branch of the external iliac
artery)
– 2. the vasal artery (a branch of the superior vesical
artery, which is a branch of the internal iliac artery).
– Therefore, if the testicular artery is ligated, e.g., during
a Fowler-Stevens orchiopexy for a high undescended
testis, the testis will usually survive on these other
blood supplies.
– Lymphatic drainage of the testes follows the testicular
arteries back to the paraaortic lymph nodes, while
lymph from the scrotum drains to the inguinal lymph
nodes.
 Accessory glands and structures
• Vas deferens
• Prostate
• Seminal vesicle
• Cowper’s gland
• Bulbo urethral gland
 Vas deferes
• The vas deferens is a thick-walled tube about 18 in. (45 cm) long
that conveys mature sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory
duct and the urethra.
• It arises from the lower end or tail of the epididymis and passes
through the inguinal canal.
• It emerges from the deep inguinal ring and passes around the
lateral margin of the inferior epigastric artery
• It then passes downward and backward on the lateral wall of the
pelvis and crosses the ureter in the region of the ischial spine.
• The vas deferens then runs medially and downward on the posterior
surface of the bladder.
• The terminal part of the vas deferens is dilated to form the ampulla
of the vas deferens. The inferior end of the ampulla narrows down
and joins the duct of the seminal vesicle to form the ejaculatory
duct.
 Seminal vesicle

• The seminal vesicles are two lobulated organs about 2

in. (5 cm) long lying on the posterior surface of the
bladder
• On the medial side of each vesicle lies the terminal part
of the vas deferens.
• Posteriorly, the seminal vesicles are related to the
rectum
• Inferiorly, each seminal vesicle narrows and joins the vas
deferens of the same side to form the ejaculatory duct.
• Each seminal vesicle consists of a much-coiled tube
embedded in connective tissue.
Blood Supply
• Arteries
• The inferior vesicle and middle rectal
arteries.
Veins
• The veins drain into the internal iliac veins.
Lymph Drainage
• The internal iliac nodes.
Function
• The function of the seminal vesicles is to produce a
secretion that is added to the seminal fluid. The
secretions nourish the spermatozoa. During ejaculation
the seminal vesicles contract and expel their contents
into the ejaculatory ducts, thus washing the spermatozoa
out of the urethra.
 Ejaculatory Ducts

• The two ejaculatory ducts are each less than 1

in. (2.5 cm) long and are formed by the union of
the vas deferens and the duct of the seminal
vesicle.
• The ejaculatory ducts pierce the posterior
surface of the prostate and open into the
prostatic part of the urethra, close to the margins
of the prostatic utricle
• their function is to drain the seminal fluid into the
prostatic urethra.
 Prostate

• The prostate is a fibromuscular glandular organ

that surrounds the prostatic urethra
• It is about 1.25 in. (3 cm) long and lies between
the neck of the bladder above and the urogenital
diaphragm below.
• The prostate is surrounded by a fibrous capsule
• The somewhat conical prostate has a base,
which lies against the bladder neck above, and
an apex, which lies against the urogenital
diaphragm below.
 Relations

• Superiorly: The base of the prostate is

continuous with the neck of the bladder, the
smooth muscle passing without interruption from
one organ to the other. The urethra enters the
center of the base of the prostate.
• Inferiorly: The apex of the prostate lies on the
upper surface of the urogenital diaphragm. The
urethra leaves the prostate just above the apex
on the anterior surface (Fig. 7-16).
• Anteriorly: The prostate is related to the
symphysis pubis, separated from it by the
extraperitoneal fat in the retropubic space
(cave of Retzius). The prostate is
connected to the posterior aspect of the
pubic bones by the fascial puboprostatic
ligaments
• Posteriorly: The prostate is closely related
to the anterior surface of the rectal
ampulla and is separated from it by the
rectovesical septum (fascia of
Denonvilliers). This septum is formed in
fetal life by the fusion of the walls of the
lower end of the rectovesical pouch of
peritoneum, which originally extended
down to the perineal body.
• Laterally: The prostate is embraced by the
anterior fibers of the levator ani as they
run posteriorly from the pubis
 Structure of the Prostate

• The numerous glands of the prostate are embedded in a

mixture of smooth muscle and connective tissue, and
their ducts open into the prostatic urethra.
• The prostate is incompletely divided into five lobes
– The anterior lobe lies in front of the urethra and is devoid of
glandular tissue.
– The median, or middle, lobe is the wedge of gland situated
between the urethra and the ejaculatory ducts. Its upper surface
is related to the trigone of the bladder; it is rich in glands.
– The posterior lobe is situated behind the urethra and below the
ejaculatory ducts and also contains glandular tissue.
– The right and left lateral lobes lie on either side of the urethra
and are separated from one another by a shallow vertical groove
on the posterior surface of the prostate. The lateral lobes contain
many glands.
• Function of the Prostate
• The prostate produces a thin, milky fluid
containing citric acid and acid phosphatase that
is added to the seminal fluid at the time of
ejaculation. The smooth muscle, which
surrounds the glands, squeezes the secretion
into the prostatic urethra. The prostatic secretion
is alkaline and helps neutralize the acidity in the
vagina.
 Blood Supply

• Arteries
– Branches of the inferior vesical and middle rectal arteries.
• Veins
– The veins form the prostatic venous plexus, which lies outside
the capsule of the prostate (Fig. 7-16). The prostatic plexus
receives the deep dorsal vein of the penis and numerous vesical
veins and drains into the internal iliac veins.
• Lymph Drainage
– Internal iliac nodes.
• Nerve Supply
– Inferior hypogastric plexuses. The sympathetic nerves stimulate
the smooth muscle of the prostate during ejaculation
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