The Male Reproductive System

The male reproductive system consists of the testes and a series of ducts and glands. Sperm are produced
in the testes and are transported through the reproductive ducts. These ducts include the epididymis, vas
deferens, ejaculatory duct and urethra. The reproductive glands produce secretions that become part of
semen, the fluid that is ejaculated from the urethra. These glands include the seminal vesicles, prostate
gland, and bulbourethral glands.

Figure 1. The reproductive structures of the human male are shown.

Table 1 describes the major components of the male reproductive system.

Table 1. Components of the Male Reproductive System

Structure Location & Description Function

Secretion of gelatinous seminal fluid called pre-ejaculate.

Pea sized organs posterior to
This fluid helps to lubricate the urethra for spermatozoa to
Bulbourethral glands (2) the prostate on either side of
pass through, and to help flush out any residual urine or
the urethra.
foreign matter. (< 1% of semen)

Tightly coiled duct lying just

Epididymis outside each testis connecting Storage and maturation of sperm.
efferent ducts to vas deferens.
Table 1. Components of the Male Reproductive System

Structure Location & Description Function

Three columns of erectile

tissue: two corpora cavernosa Male reproductive organ and also male organ of
Penis
and one corpus spongiosum. urination.
Urethra passes through penis.

Surrounds the urethra just

Stores and secretes a clear, slightly alkaline fluid
below the urinary bladder and
Prostate gland constituting up to one-third of the volume of semen. Raise
can be felt during a rectal
vaginal pH.(25-30% of semen)
exam.

About 65-75% of the seminal fluid in humans originates

Seminal vesicles (2)
from the seminal vesicles. Contain proteins, enzymes,
Convoluted structure attached
fructose, mucus, vitamin C, flavins, phosphorylcholine
to vas deferens near the base
and prostaglandins. High fructose concentrations provide
of the urinary bladder.
nutrient energy for the spermatozoa as they travel
through the female reproductive system.

Gonads that produce sperm and male sex

Inside scrotum, outside of
Testes hormones.Production of testosterone by cells of Leydig in
body.
the testicles.

Connects bladder to outside Tubular structure that receives urine from bladder and
Urethra
body, about 8 inches long. carries it to outside of the body. Also passage for sperm.

Muscular tubes connecting the

During ejaculation the smooth muscle in the vas deferens
left and right epididymis to the
wall contracts, propelling sperm forward. Sperm are
Vas deferens ejaculatory ducts to move
transferred from the vas deferens into the urethra,
sperm. Each tube is about 30
collecting fluids from accessory sex glands en route
cm long.

Differences

The differences between the female and male reproductive systems are based on the functions of each
individual’s role in the reproduction cycle. A male who is healthy, and sexually mature, continuously
produces sperm. The development of women’s “eggs” are arrested during fetal development. This means
she is born with a predetermined number of oocytes and cannot produce new ones.

At about 5 months gestation, the ovaries contain approximately six to seven million oogonia, which initiate
meiosis. The oogonia produce primary oocytes that are arrested in prophase I of meiosis from the time of
birth until puberty. After puberty, during each menstrual cycle, one or several oocytes resume meiosis and
undergo their first meiotic division during ovulation. This results in the production of a secondary oocyte and
one polar body. The meiotic division is arrested in metaphase II. Fertilization triggers completion of the
second meiotic division and the result is one ovum and an additional polar body.

The ovaries of a newborn baby girl contain about one million oocytes. This number declines to 400,000 to
500,000 by the time puberty is reached. On average, 500-1000 oocytes are ovulated during a woman’s
reproductive lifetime. When a young woman reaches puberty around age 10 to 13, a primary oocyte is
discharged from one of the ovaries every 28 days. This continues until the woman reaches menopause,
usually around the age of 50 years. Oocytes are present at birth, and age as a woman ages.

Male Reproductive Anatomy

Figure 1. The reproductive structures of the human male are shown.

In the male reproductive system, the scrotum houses the testicles or testes (singular: testis), including
providing passage for blood vessels, nerves, and muscles related to testicular function. The testes are a
pair of male reproductive organs that produce sperm and some reproductive hormones. Each testis is
approximately 2.5 by 3.8 cm (1.5 by 1 in) in size and divided into wedge-shaped lobules by connective
tissue called septa. Coiled in each wedge are seminiferous tubules that produce sperm.
Sperm are immobile at body temperature; therefore, the scrotum and penis are external to the body, as
illustrated in Figure 1 so that a proper temperature is maintained for motility. In land mammals, the pair of
testes must be suspended outside the body at about 2 ° C lower than body temperature to produce viable
sperm. Infertility can occur in land mammals when the testes do not descend through the abdominal cavity
during fetal development.
PRACTICE QUESTION

Which of the following statements about the male reproductive system is false?
a. The vas deferens carries sperm from the testes to the penis.
b. Sperm mature in seminiferous tubules in the testes.
c. Both the prostate and the bulbourethral glands produce components of the semen.
d. The prostate gland is located in the testes.
Show Answer
Statement d is false.
Sperm mature in seminiferous tubules that are coiled inside the testes, as illustrated in Figure 1. The walls
of the seminiferous tubules are made up of the developing sperm cells, with the least developed sperm at
the periphery of the tubule and the fully developed sperm in the lumen. The sperm cells are mixed with
“nursemaid” cells called Sertoli cells which protect the germ cells and promote their development. Other
cells mixed in the wall of the tubules are the interstitial cells of Leydig. These cells produce high levels of
testosterone once the male reaches adolescence.

When the sperm have developed flagella and are nearly mature, they leave the testicles and enter the
epididymis, shown in Figure 1. This structure resembles a comma and lies along the top and posterior
portion of the testes; it is the site of sperm maturation. The sperm leave the epididymis and enter the vas
deferens (or ductus deferens), which carries the sperm, behind the bladder, and forms the ejaculatory duct
with the duct from the seminal vesicles. During a vasectomy, a section of the vas deferens is removed,
preventing sperm from being passed out of the body during ejaculation and preventing fertilization.

Semen is a mixture of sperm and spermatic duct secretions (about 10 percent of the total) and fluids from
accessory glands that contribute most of the semen’s volume. Sperm are haploid cells, consisting of a
flagellum as a tail, a neck that contains the cell’s energy-producing mitochondria, and a head that contains
the genetic material. Figure 2 shows a micrograph of human sperm as well as a diagram of the parts of the
sperm. An acrosome is found at the top of the head of the sperm. This structure contains lysosomal
enzymes that can digest the protective coverings that surround the egg to help the sperm penetrate and
fertilize the egg. An ejaculate will contain from two to five milliliters of fluid with from 50–120 million sperm
per milliliter.
Figure 2. Human sperm, visualized using scanning electron microscopy, have a flagellum, neck, and head.
(credit b: modification of work by Mariana Ruiz Villareal; scale-bar data from Matt Russell)
The bulk of the semen comes from the accessory glands associated with the male reproductive system.
These are the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, and the bulbourethral gland, all of which are illustrated
in Figure 1. The seminal vesicles are a pair of glands that lie along the posterior border of the urinary
bladder. The glands make a solution that is thick, yellowish, and alkaline. As sperm are only motile in an
alkaline environment, a basic pH is important to reverse the acidity of the vaginal environment. The solution
also contains mucus, fructose (a sperm mitochondrial nutrient), a coagulating enzyme, ascorbic acid, and
local-acting hormones called prostaglandins. The seminal vesicle glands account for 60 percent of the bulk
of semen.
The penis, illustrated in Figure 1, is an organ that drains urine from the renal bladder and functions as a
copulatory organ during intercourse. The penis contains three tubes of erectile tissue running through the
length of the organ. These consist of a pair of tubes on the dorsal side, called the corpus cavernosum, and
a single tube of tissue on the ventral side, called the corpus spongiosum. This tissue will become engorged
with blood, becoming erect and hard, in preparation for intercourse. The organ is inserted into the vagina
culminating with an ejaculation. During intercourse, the smooth muscle sphincters at the opening to the
renal bladder close and prevent urine from entering the penis. An orgasm is a two-stage process: first,
glands and accessory organs connected to the testes contract, then semen (containing sperm) is expelled
through the urethra during ejaculation. After intercourse, the blood drains from the erectile tissue and the
penis becomes flaccid.
The walnut-shaped prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the connection to the urinary bladder. It has a
series of short ducts that directly connect to the urethra. The gland is a mixture of smooth muscle and
glandular tissue. The muscle provides much of the force needed for ejaculation to occur. The glandular
tissue makes a thin, milky fluid that contains citrate (a nutrient), enzymes, and prostate specific antigen
(PSA). PSA is a proteolytic enzyme that helps to liquefy the ejaculate several minutes after release from
the male. Prostate gland secretions account for about 30 percent of the bulk of semen.
The bulbourethral gland, or Cowper’s gland, releases its secretion prior to the release of the bulk of the
semen. It neutralizes any acid residue in the urethra left over from urine. This usually accounts for a couple
of drops of fluid in the total ejaculate and may contain a few sperm. Withdrawal of the penis from the vagina
before ejaculation to prevent pregnancy may not work if sperm are present in the bulbourethral gland
secretions. The location and functions of the male reproductive organs are summarized in Table 1.
 Table 1. Male Reproductive Anatomy

Organ Location Function

Scrotum External Carry and support testes

Penis External Deliver urine, copulating organ

Testes Internal Produce sperm and male hormones

Seminal Vesicles Internal Contribute to semen production

Prostate Gland Internal Contribute to semen production

Bulbourethral Glands Internal Clean urethra at ejaculation

How does the male reproductive system function?

The entire male reproductive system is dependent on hormones. These are chemicals that stimulate or
regulate the activity of your cells or organs. The primary hormones involved in the functioning of the male
reproductive system are follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone.
FSH and LH are produced by the pituitary gland. It’s located at the base of the brain and it’s responsible for
many functions in your body. FSH is necessary for sperm production (spermatogenesis). LH stimulates the
production of testosterone, which is necessary to continue the process of spermatogenesis. Testosterone is
also important in the development of male characteristics, including muscle mass and strength, fat
distribution, bone mass and sex drive.
Can a man go through menopause?
Menopause is a term used to describe the end of a woman's normal menstrual function. In women, this is
marked by changes in hormone production. One of the biggest changes for a woman after menopause is
that she can no longer have children. The testes, unlike the ovaries, do not lose the ability to make
hormones. If a man is healthy, he may be able to make sperm well into his 80s or longer.

On the other hand, subtle changes in the function of the testes can happen as early as 45 to 50 years of
age, and more dramatically after the age of 70. For many men, hormone production may remain normal
into old age, while others may have declining hormone production earlier on. This can sometimes be a
result of an illness, such as diabetes.
It’s unclear whether decreasing testicular function contributes to symptoms like fatigue, weakness,
depression or impotence.
Can "male menopause" be treated?
If your testosterone levels are low, hormone replacement therapy may help relieve symptoms, such as the
loss of interest in sex, depression and fatigue. However, replacing male hormones can make prostate
cancer worse, and may make atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) worse, also.
You should receive a complete physical examination and laboratory tests should be performed before
starting hormone replacement therapy. There are still many unanswered questions about how many
middle-aged men could benefit from hormone replacement therapy. Talk to your healthcare provider about
all the pros and cons of this treatment and what the best option is for you.