Male Reproductive System

Reproduction or procreation, the production of a new individual is arguably the most

important of the biological process that humans undertake, because it ensures perpetuation of the
species. Human reproduce through sexual reproduction, a process that requires the unions of
the male and female gametes (germ cells) to form a zygote (fertilized ovum).
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MALE GAMETES

Spermatozoon (sperm cell) – male gamete

Primordial germ cells

– earliest recognizable stem cell of male and female

– arises from the endoderm of the yolk sac from the

2nd – 8th week of intrauterine life

– During the 4th week of intrauterine life, cells migrate

and develops gonads

Testes is the developing gonad of a male where they promptly

differentiate into spermtogonia – a precursor cell of
spermatozoa
DEVELOPMENT OF THE MALE GAMETES (testes)

Spermatogenisis

– the differentiating of spermatogonia into spermatozoa

– occurs in the seminiferous tubules of the testes

– this process starts at puberty and continues until old age

THREE STAGES OF SPERMATOGENISIS

1. Spermatocytogenisis
2. . Meiosis I and II
3. Spermiogenisis
Spermatocytogenisis

– development of spermatogonia into primary spermatocytes

– contains few spermatogonia; divides infrequently in sexually

immature male testes

– during puberty; sexually mature male testes, increase in the

production of testosterone (male hormone) occurs, resulting in
continuous increase of spermatogonia and for progenies to enter
spermatogenic cell cycle
 THREE MAIN TYPES OF SPERMATOGONIUM
(in sexually mature testes)
1. Dark type A spermatogonium (type Ad spermatogonium)
- small cell that has not entered spermatogenic cell cycle
- named “dark type A” because its nucleus contains dark chromatin material
- rarely divides; considered as dormant reserve stem cells
- mitoses to renew their numbers or to produce Pale type A spermatogonia
(type Ap spermatogonium)

2. Pale type A spermatogonium (type Ap spermatogonium)

- cells in this type has entered spermatogenic cell cycle
- mitose actively to renew their number or to produce type B spermatogonia

3. Type B spermatogonium
-undergoes further mitosis after all its progenies increase in size and
differentiate into primary spermatocytes
Primary spermatocyte – largest cell in the spermatogenic cycle
Meiosis

– involves in two successive cell divisions

– Meiosis I, undertaken by diploid primary

spermatocyte and results in the formation of two
haploid cells knows as secondary spermatocytes

– Meiosis II, involves with each secondary

spermatocyte to produce two haploid cells known
as spermatids

FOUR STAGES OF MEIOSIS

1. Prophase 2. Metaphase
3. Anaphase 4. Telophase
Prophase – DNA replication
5 Stages of Prophase

1. Leptotene stage – chromatin material starts to condense and forms fine threads within the nucleus
2. Zygotene stage – chromatin materials condenses further and homologous chromosomes pair together
3. Pachytene stage – chromatin material thickens more and non-sister chromatids of each pair of homologous
chromosomes are exchanged via crossing-over ----- this process ensures that the genome offspring is unique
4. Diplotene stage – homologous and sex chromosomes begin to separate
5. Diakinesis stage – nuclear membrane disappears and the homologous and sex chromosome move a little away
from each other

Metaphase – homologous and sex pair chromosomes align at the center of the cell

Anaphase – the homologous move apart and move to the opposite end of the poles

Telophase – the chromosomes at the end of the pole acquires a nuclear envelope.

– Cytokinesis occurs and results in secondary spermatocyte

 MEIOSIS II

The process is repeated just like in Meiosis I,

only it results to daughter cells called
spermatids
 Spermiogenesis
THREE STAGES OF SPERMIOGENESIS

1. Golgi phase

2. Acrosomal phase

3. Maturation phase

Golgi phase

– what occurs in this stage is the continuous

production of proacrosomal granules (small,
membrane-bound granules) by the Golgi
complex

– fusion of proacrosomal granules with the

acrosomal vesicle
Acrosomal phase

– acrosomal cap transforms into an acrosome; tail

continues to lengthen and forms a thick segment
called middle piece

Maturation phase

– transformation of the spermatid into a

spermatozoon is completed

Spermiogenesis ends with spermiation (release

of the spermatozoon into the fluid-filled lumen
of the seminiferous tubule)
 Spermatozoon (sperm cell)
TWO PARTS OF A SPERMATOZOON

1. Head 2. Tail

Head

– made up of an elongated, highly condensed

nucleus that is covered in it anterior two-thirds by
the acrosome

Tail

– contains four segments: neck, middle piece,

principal piece, and end piece
Spermatozoon (sperm cell)
 TESTES

Testes
– is the developing gonad of a male where they
promptly differentiate into spermtogonia – a
precursor cell of spermatozoa

– are a pair of oval bodies that are lodges in the

scrotum

– spermatogenesis and synthesis of testosterone

occur in this organ
Testicular lobules (Lobuli Testis)

– pyramidal compartments

– reticular cells, mesenchymal cells, and macrophages are

embedded in this intertubular connective tissue stroma

– Interstitial cells (of Leydig) are scattered in this

connective tissue

Interstitial cells (of Leydig)

– this cell produces testosterone

– exhibits a round nucleus that contains fine chromatin

– does not contain secretory granules; but contains lipid

droplets and elongated crystals (of Reinke)
Importance of Testosterone

1. Essential to the maintenance of the seminiferous tubules

2. The control of spermatogenesis (no testosterone, no further process of meiosis stage)
3. Proper functioning of the male reproductive accessory glands

Leuteinizing hormone

– an interstitial cell (of Leydig) that primarily regulates the production of testosterone
Seminiferous Tubules

– this is where the male gametes are produced

– it contains myeloid cells in its fibrous sheath, whose

contraction helps propel the spermatozoa into the duct
system

– its epithelium is a stratified epithelium whose cells

consist of spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells
Sertoli cells

– also known as supporting cells

– abundant with mitochondria and lysosomes, as well

as a well-developed Golgi complex, and an extensive
smooth endoplasmic reticulum

– target cells of testosterone

Sertoli cells form tight junctions with each other. These

tight junctions divide the lumen of the seminiferous
tubule into two compartments: basal and adluminal
compartments
Basal compartment

– occupied by the spermatogonia and this is where spermatogenesis takes place

Adluminal compartment

– this is where the primary spermatocytes migrate once formed to undergo all
additional development to become a spermatozoa

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

– increases the activity of the Sertoli cells

– secreted by the pituitary gland

Inhibin

– produced by the Sertoli cells

– has a negative feedback effect on the pituitary gland

 Ducts of the Testes

1. Intratesticular genital ducts 2. Extratesticular genital ducts

Intratesticular Genital Ducts consists of:

1. Tubuli recti (straight tubules)

- immediate continuation of the seminiferous tubules
- their wall consists of simple epithelium and
supported externally by dense irregular connective
tissue
2. Rete testis
- consists of a network of anastomosing canals that
carries sperm from the seminiferous tubules to the
efferent ducts
- the canals are line with simple epithelium; squamous
or cuboidal

3. Ductuli Efferentes (Efferent ductules)

- the walls consist of an epithelium that is supported by
a thin layer of circularly-arranged smooth muscle cells
- the epithelium has a “scalloped appearance” because
it’s made up of two types of cell (columnar ciliated;
cuboidal noncliated)
Extratesticular Genital Ducts consists of:

1. Epididymis and Ductus Epididymis

-the epididymis is a C-shaped structure that has
three parts: a thick head, a slender body, and a short
tail
-the ductus epididymis is a long but highly coiled
tube
-its wall of the ductus epididymis is formed by a
pseudostratified columnar epithelium
2. Ductus Deferens (Vans deferens)
-a fibromuscular tube that is embedded in the spermatic
cord
Mucosa --- very thick muscularis layer composed of
smooth muscle fibers
Muscularis --- muscle fibers in the outer ad inner layers
are longitudinally oriented while the middle layer is
circularly oriented
Adventitia --- composed of connective tissue that contains
the blood and lymphatic vessels, and nerves that supply
the duct

Ampulla – a dilated distal segment of the ductus deferens

3. Ejaculatory Duct
-a short tube formed by the unity of the ductus
deferens with the duct of the seminal vesicle
Mucosa --- its lining epithelium is simple columnar
Muscularis --- no muscular layer but is surrounded by
fibromuscular muscle

4. Urethra
-the last segment of the duct system of both urinary
and reproductive systems
Penis

– male copulatory organ

– consists of three cylindrical masses (cavernous

bodies)

– has no hair follicles and contains limited number of

sweat glands
Cavernous bodies

– two are corpora cavernosa and the

third one is the corpus spongiosum
penis

– made up of erectile tissue

Tunica albuginea

– binds the three cavernous bodies

together and forms a capsule around
each one
 Accessory Glands of the Male Reproductive System

Prostate Gland

– chestnut-shaped prostate gland is the largest of

the accessory gland of the male reproductive
system

– lies under the apex of the urinary bladder

Seminal Vesicle

– sac-like structure that are about 5 cm long each

– lie between the fundus of the urinary bladder and

the rectum immediately above the prostate gland
Bulborethral Glands (of Cowper)

– pair of pea-sized, yellowish organs that

are embedded in the sphinter urethrae
muscle

– each of its gland is a compound

tubuloalveolar mucous gland

– the secretion consists of a clear, viscous

fluid that is discharged shortly after
ejaculation