Male Reproductive System

ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM Female reproductive system

➢ The only system that is not essential to the
life of the individual.
➢ Does affect other systems
➢ Male and female reproductive organs
➢ Produce and store specialized
reproductive cells that combine to form
new individuals.
➢ Also secrete hormones that play major
roles in maintenance of normal sexual
function.
➢ Ensures continued existence of human
species
STRUCTURE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Reproductive structures
➢ Gonads- organs that produce
gametes (reproductive cells)
andhormones
➢ Ducts receive and transport gametes
➢ Accessory glands secrete fluids into
ducts
➢ Perineal structures collectively known
as external genitalia
❏ Ovaries (Female gonads)
o Release one immature gamete
(oocyte) per month
o Produce hormones
❏ Uterine tubes
o Carry oocytes to uterus- if sperm
reaches oocyte, fertilization is initiated;
oocyte matures into ovum
❏ Uterus encloses and supports developing
embryo
❏ Vagina connects with exterior
MALE REPRODUCTIVE STRUCTURES
❏ Pathway of sperm
o Testis
o Epididymis
o Ductus deferens
o Ejaculatory duct
o Urethra

Reproductive tract ❏ Accessory glands secrete fluids into duct

system
➢ Includes all chambers and
passageways that connect ducts to o Seminal glands
exterior of body o Prostate
o Bulbo-urethral glands
❏ Male and female reproductive systems
Pathway of sperm- SEVEN UP
➢ Functionally different
➢ Female produces one gamete per S= Seminiferous tubules
month E= Epididymis
o Retains and nurtures zygote
➢ Male produces large quantities of V= Vas deferens (Ductus deferens)
gametes
E= Ejaculatory duct
o Half a billion sperm per day
N
Male reproductive system
U= Urethra
❏ Testes (male gonads)
P= Penis
o Secrete male sex hormones
(androgens)
o Produce male gametes (sperm)

BMLS 1 B 1
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

Testes

o Hang in scrotum

Scrotum

o Fleshy pouch that encloses testes

o Suspended inferior to perineum
Tunica vaginalis
o Anterior to anus
o Posterior base of penis o Serous membrane
o Lines scrotal cavity
Divided into two chambers by raphe of
o Reduces friction between opposing
scrotum
surfaces
o Raised thickening in scrotal surface o Parietal (outer) layer
o Visceral (inner) layer
❏ Each testis lies in a separate scrotal cavity
Dartos muscle

o Layer of smooth muscle in dermis of

Spermatic cord scrotum
o Extend between abdominopelvic o Causes characteristic wrinkling of
cavity and testes scrotal surface
o Consists of layers of fascia and muscle Cremaster
o Enclose ductus deferens, blood
vessels, nerves and lymphatic vessels o Layer of skeletal muscle deep to
of testes dermis
o Each begins at entrance to inguinal o Tenses scrotum and pulls testes closer
canal to body
o Passageway through abdominal o Due to sexual arousal or decreased
musculature temperature
o Descend into scrotum

BMLS 1 B 2
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED
Temperature regulation in testes
Normal sperm development
o Requires temperatures 1.1℃ lower
than body temperature
Muscle relax or contract
o To move testes away or toward body
o Maintains acceptable testicular
temperatures
Gross anatomy of testes
Tunica albuginea
o Deep to tunica vaginalis
o Dense of layer of connective tissue
rich in collagen fibers
o Continuous with fibers surrounding
epididymis
o Fibers form septa testis that converge
near entrance to epididymis
o Supports blood and lymphatic vessels
of testis and efferent ductules
Histology of testes
❏ Septa subdivide each testis into lobules
❏ Lobules contain about 800 slender and
tightly coiled
seminiferous tubules
o Location of sperm production
o Each is about 80cm long
o Nearly one-half mile in each testis
o Connect to rete testis, a network of
interconnected straight tubules
o Efferent ductules connect rete testis to
epididymis
o Areolar tissue fills spaces between
tubules
o Within those spaces, there are
o Blood vessels
o Lage interstitial endocrine cells
(Leydig cells)
o Produce androgens,
dominant male sex
hormones
o Testosterone is most
important androgen
BMLS 1 B 3
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

➢ Tail
o Begins near inferior border of testis
o Ascends to connection with ductus
deferens
o Primary storage location of sperm

❏ Testes produce immobile sperm that are

not yet capable of fertilizing an oocyte

o Other parts of reproductive system

are responsible for
o Functional maturation, nourishment,
storage, and transport of sperm

❏ Immobile sperm from testes

o Moved by cilia lining efferent ductules

into the epididymis

Epididymis

Start of male reproductive tract

Coiled tube almost 7m long

o Bound to posterior border of each

testis
Functions of epididymis
Has head, body, and tail
o Monitor and adjust composition of
➢ Head fluid produced by seminiferous tubules
o Largest part o Recycle damaged sperm
o Receives sperm from efferent ductules o Store and protect sperm and facilitate
➢ Body their functional maturation
o On posterior surface of testis

BMLS 1 B 4
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED
Ductus deferens (Vas deferens)
o Part of spermatic cord
o Begins at tail of epididymis and
ascends through inguinal canal
o Curves inferiorly along urinary bladder
o Toward prostate and seminal glands
o Lumen enlarges into ampulla of
ductus deferens
o Wall contains thick layer of smooth
muscle
o Lined by pseudostratified ciliated
columnar epithelium
o Peristaltic contractions propel sperm
and fluid
o Can store sperm for several months
o In inactive state with low metabolic
rates
Male urethra
❏ Used by urinary and reproductive systems
❏ Extends 18-20cm from urinary bladder to
tips of penis
❏ Divided into three regions
o Prostatic
o Membranous
o Spongy
ACCESSORY GLANDS
Produce fluid component of semen
o Mixture of secretions
o Each with distinctive biochemical
characteristics
Important glands include
o Seminal glands
o Prostate
o Bulbo-urethral glands
Major functions of accessory glands
o Activate sperm
o Provide nutrients sperm need for
motility
o Propel sperm and fluids along
reproductive tract
o Mainly by peristaltic contractions
Produce buffers
o To counteract acidity of urethral and
vaginal environments
Seminal glands (Seminal vesicles)
o Tubular glands, coiled and folded
o Extremely activate secretory glands
o Produce majority of semen volume
Ejaculatory duct
o Short passageway
o Start at junction of ampulla of ductus
deferens and duct of seminal gland
o Penetrates wall of prostate
o Empties into prostatic urethra
Prostate
o small , muscular organ
o Encircles proximal portion of urethra
o Below urinary bladder
BMLS 1 B 5
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

Prostatic fluid o Fibrinogen forms temporary semen

clot in vagina
o Slightly acidic
o Secretions of seminal glands are
o Forms about 25% of semen volume
slightly alkaline
o Ejected into prostatic wall
o To neutralize acids in prostate and
o By peristalsis of prostate wall
vagina
Prostatitis
Semen contains
o Prostatic inflammation
o Sperm
o Can occur at any age
o Seminal fluid
o Most commonly affects older
o Enzymes
men
PENIS
Bulbo-urethral glands (Cowper’s gland)

o Compound, tubular mucous glands o Tubular organ through which distal

o Round, up to 10mm in diameter
o Located at base of penis
o Secrete thick, alkaline mucus
o Helps neutralize urinary acids in
urethra
o Lubricates tip of penis
o Duct of each gland travels alongside
spongy urethra and empties into
urethral lumen
Semen (ejaculate)
portion of urethra passes
o Conducts urine to exterior
o Introduces semen into female’s
vagina
Root of penis
o Fixed portion that attaches penis to
body wall
o Attachment occurs inferior to pubic
symphysis

o Typical ejaculation releases 2-5mL Body of penis (Shaft)

o Abnormally low, volume may indicate
o Tubular, movable portion of penis
problems
▪ With prostate or seminal glands Glans penis (Head)
o Sperm count
o Expanded distal end of penis that
▪ Taken of semen collected after
surrounds external urethral orifice
36 hr of sexual abstinence
▪ Normal range is 20-100 million
sperm/Ml

Seminal fluid

o Same osmotic concentration as blood

plasma but different composition
o High concentrations of fructose (easily
metabolized by sperm)
o Prostaglandins stimulate smooth
muscle contractions in male and
female reproductive tracts

BMLS 1 B 6
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

Dermis of penis -Diverge at their bases, forming crus of penis

Contains a layer of smooth muscle -Each crus is bound to ramus of ischium and
pubis
o A continuation of dartos muscle
o By tough connective tissue ligaments
Underlying areolar tissue
- Extend to neck of penis
o Allows in to move freely
-Erectile tissue surrounds a central artery
Subcutaneous layer

o Contains superficial arteries, veins,

and lymphatic vessels
Erectile tissue
In the body of penis
Located deep to areolar tissue
In dense network of elastic fibers
o That encircles internal structures of
penis
Consists of network of vascular channels
Corpus spongiosum
o Relatively slender erectile body that
surrounds distal portion of urethra
o Extends to tip of penis and extends to
form glans penis
o Surrounded by a sheath
o With more elastic fibers than
that of corpora cavernosa
o Erectile tissue contains a pair of small
arteries

o Incompletely separated by partitions

of elastic connective tissue and
smooth fibers

In resting state

o Arterial branches are constricted

o Muscular partitions are tense
o Blood flow into erectile tissue is
restricted

During erection

o Penis stiffens and elevated to upright

position

Corpora cavernosa

- Two cylindrical masses of erectile tissue

o Under anterior surface of flaccid penis

o Separated by thin septum
o Encircled by dense collagenous
sheath

BMLS 1 B 7
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

Mitosis, Meiosis and Spermatogenesis Contents of seminiferous tubules

Spermatogenesis
o Spermatogonia
-Process of sperm production o Spermatocytes at various stages of
meiosis
- Begins at puberty o Spermatids
- Continues past age 70 o Sperm
o Large nurse cells (sertoli cells)
-Complete process takes about 64 days

Involves 3 steps:

o Mitosis
o Meiosis
o Spermiogenesis

Cells of spermatogenesis

Spermatogonia (stem cells)

o Divide by mitosis to produce 2

daughter cells
o One remains a spermatogonium
o Second differentiates into primary
spermatocyte

Primary spermatocyte

o Begins meiosis and form secondary

spermatocytes

Secondary spermatocytes

-differentiate into spermatids

Spermatids

o Immature gametes
o Differentiate into sperm

Sperm

o Lose contact with wall of seminiferous

tubule
o Enter fluid in lumen

BMLS 1 B 8
 Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

Spermiogenesis Anatomy of sperm

-Last step of spermatogenesis Head

-Each spermatid matures into one sperm - A flattened ellipse that contain nucleus with
Involves major structural changes chromosomes
-At spermiation, a sperm - Acrosome
o Loses attachment to nurse cell o Membranous compartment at tip of
o Enters lumen of seminiferous tubule head
o Contains enzymes essential to
Nurse cells (Sertoli cells)
fertilization
-Play a critical role in spermatogenesis
Middle piece
-Major functions include
- Attached to head by short neck
o Maintenance of blood testis barrier
-Contains mitochondria
o Support of mitosis and meiosis
o Support of spermiogenesis o In a spiral around microtubules
o Secretion of inhibin o Provide ATP to move tail
o Secretion of androgen-binding protein
(ABP) Tail

- The only flagellum in human body

Sperm leaving epididymis o Whiplike organelle
- Mature but immobile o Moves cell from one place to another
o Has complex, corkscrew motion
- To become motile (actively swimming) and
Mature sperm
fully functional
Lacks
Sperm must undergo capacitation
o Endoplasmic reticulum
❏ Two steps in capacitation
o Golgi apparatus
1. Sperm become motile o Lysosomes and peroxisomes
o Inclusions
o When mixed with secretions of seminal
glands -Loss of organelles reduces size and mass

2. Sperm become capable of fertilization - Sperm must absorb nutrients (primarily

fructose) fromsurrounding fluid
o When exposed to female
reproductive tract

BMLS 1 B 9
Male Reproductive System
ANAPHY LAB / PPT-BASED

BMLS 1 B 10