Male Reproductive system

Primary sex organ Secondary sex

They produce organ
•They donot produce gametes
gametes but are involved in the storage,
They also secrete sex maturation and conduction of
hormones gametes
It is Testis (plural – •They are Epididymes, Vas
testes) deferens, seminal vesicles,
prostrate gland, cowper’s
gland and penis.
Scrotum:

A pouch of pigmented skin arising from the lower abdominal wall.

It regulates the temperature of testis and maintains it around two or
three degrees below body temperature.

Temperature control is accomplished by the smooth muscles of the

scrotum moving the testis closer to or further away from the from the
body.
The testis descends into the scrotum during the 7th month of
embryonic development through passages known as inguinal canal.

Cryptorchidism : Non descent of testis into scrotum. The person

becomes sterile.
Orchiopexy : Surgical process of bringing the undescended testis into
the scrotum
The scrotal sac of male is homologous to female’s labia majora.
Testis is connected to the abdomen through spermatic cord which
encloses an artery, a vein, a lymph vessel, a nerve, a vas deferens and
cremaster muscle
•In some mammals like Lion, horse, bull, human etc. testis is functional
throughout the year and permanently remains in the scrotum.
•In some mammals like elephant, whale, seal etc. the testis remains
permanently in the abdomen and scrotum is absent because their body
temperature is low enough for sperm maturation. This type of testis are
called abdominal testis.
Human testes :
•Endocrine function : Secretion of male sex hormone i.e. androgens
(testosterone).
•Exocrine function : Production of sperms.
•Covering of testis : 3 coverings – 1. Tunica vasculosa (thin innermost layer
of blood vessels and connective tissues) 2. Tunica albuginea (thick
protective middle layer made up of densely packed fibres) 3. Tunica vaginalis
(Outermost layer present between tunica albuginea and scrotal sac)
•Inward growth of tunica albuginea divides the testis into 200 -300 lobules.
Each lobule contains 1 to 3 seminiferous tubules. So a total of about 750
seminiferous tubules occur in each testis.
•Each seminiferous tubule is lined by Germinal epithelium which is a type of
cuboidal epithelium.
•Seminiferous tubule is the site of spermatogenesis.
Types of cells in testis :

1. Germ cells : Primordial germ cells arise from yolk sac endoderm. They
divide by mitosis to form spermatogonia which then undergo
meiosis to form first primary spermatocyte then secondary
spermatocyte after that spermatids and then finally sperms.

2. Sertoli cells/Nurse Functions – i) Provide nutrition to developing

cells/Sustentacular sperms.
cells :
ii) Forms blood testes barrier and protects sperms from body’s
immune system.
iii) Secretes two types of hormones –
a. AMH / Anti Mullerian Hormone : That inhibits the
development of female genital organs in male embryo.
Although some vestigial female genital organs persist in
male Eg. i) Seminal vesicle/uterus masculinus is a vestigial
part of oviduct. ii) Prostrate utricle/ vagina masculinus is a
vestigial part of vagina.
b. Inhibin hormone : Inhibits the secretion of GnRH and FSH
and controls the production of sperms.
iv) Also produce Androgen Binding Protein (ABP) which binds
to testosterone and make them less lipophilic, so that
testosterone can be concentrated within the seminiferous
3. Leydig or interstitial cells : Endocrine cells present in the interstitium i.e.
space between seminiferous tubules.
They secrete sex steriodal hormones called
androgens (testosterone) by using cholesterol.
They contain enzymes called steroid
dehydrogenases which helps in production of
steriod hormones.