MALE

REPRODUCTIVE
TRACT
KRISTEL PAULANE FLEUR LUBRIN-OANDASAN MD DPOGS
MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

 pair of testes
 numerous excurrent ducts
 accessory glands that produce secretions that are added to
sperm to form semen.
TESTIS

 firm, mobile organ lying within the scrotum

 Paired ovoid organs that lie within the scrotum
 Each surrounded by a capsule of dense CT (Tunica albuginea)
 Extending from the inner surface of the capsule is a series of
fibrous septa that divide the interior of the organ into lobules
 Lying within each lobule are one to three coiled seminiferous
tubules
 The tubules open into a network of channels called the rete
testis
 Small efferent ductules connect the rete testis to the upper end
of the epididymis
 Normal spermatogenesis can occur only if the testes are at a temperature lower than that of the
abdominal cavity.
 When they are located in the scrotum, they are at a temperature about 3°C lower than the
abdominal temperature.
 The control of testicular temperature in the scrotum is not fully understood, but the surface area of
the scrotal skin can be changed reflexly by the contraction of the dartos and cremaster muscles
 It is now recognized that the testicular veins in the spermatic cord that form the pampiniform
plexus—together with the branches of the testicular arteries, which lie close to the veins—
probably assist in stabilizing the temperature of the testes by a countercurrent heat exchange
mechanism. By this means, the hot blood arriving in the artery from the abdomen loses heat to the
blood ascending to the abdomen within the veins
SCROTUM

 Loose, wrinkled outpouching of

skin suspended from the
perineal area and divided into
two compartments each
containing one testicle and
epididymis and lower ends of
spermatic cord
LAYERS OF THE SCROTUM

1. Skin - thin, wrinkled, and pigmented

and forms a single pouch.

A slightly raised ridge in the midline

indicates the line of fusion of the two
lateral labioscrotal swellings
LAYERS OF THE SCROTUM

2. Superficial fascia - This is continuous

with the fatty and membranous layers of the
anterior abdominal wall; the fat is, however,
replaced by smooth muscle called the dartos
muscle.
The membranous layer of the superficial
fascia - Colles’ fascia) is continuous in front
with the membranous layer of the anterior
abdominal wall (Scarpa’s fascia), and behind
it is attached to the perineal body and the
posterior edge of the perineal membrane
LAYERS OF THE SCROTUM

3. Spermatic fasciae - lie beneath the superficial fascia

and are derived from the three layers of the anterior
abdominal wall on each side
***external spermatic fascia - aponeurosis of the
external oblique muscle
*** cremasteric fascia is derived from the internal
oblique muscle
***the internal spermatic fascia - fascia transversalis
4. Tunica vaginalis - lies within the spermatic fasciae
and covers the anterior, medial, and lateral surfaces of
each testis
 It is the lower expanded part of the processus
vaginalis
 closed sac, invaginated from behind by the testis
Lymph drainage of the Scrotum

 Lymph from the skin and fascia, including the tunica vaginalis, drains into the superficial
inguinal lymph nodes
 Blood Supply of the Testis and Epididymis

 testicular artery - branch of the abdominal

aorta
 The testicular veins emerge from the testis and
the epididymis as a venous network, the
pampiniform plexus
 This becomes reduced to a single vein as it
ascends through the inguinal canal.
 Venous drainage happens in the right testicular
vein draining into the inferior vena cava, and
the left vein joins the left renal vein.
 Lymph Drainage of the Testis and Epididymis

 The lymph vessels ascend in the

spermaticmcord and end in the lymph nodes on
the side of the aorta (lumbar or para-aortic)
nodes at the level of the 1st lumbar vertebra
 EPIDIDYMIS

 Lies posterior to the testis with the vas deferens

lying on its medial side
 It has an expanded upper end, the head, a body, and
a pointed tail inferiorly
 Laterally, a distinct groove lies between the testis
and the epididymis, which is lined with the inner
visceral layer of the tunica vaginalis and is called the
sinus of the epididymis
 much coiled tube nearly 20 ft (6 m) long
 Emerges from the tail of the epididymis as the vas
deferens, which enters the spermatic cord.
FUNCTIONS OF THE EPIDIDYMIS:
 The long length of the duct of the epididymis provides storage space for
the spermatozoa and allows them to mature
 absorbs fluid – main function
 provides substances to the seminal fluid to nourish the maturing sperm
 EXCURRENT DUCTS

Epididymis Ductus (vas) deferens Urethra

Transport sperm from the epididymis to the penis during
ejaculation
Developed from:
Mesonephric/Wolffian duct:
Distal portion: Ductus deferens
Terminal portion: Ejaculatory duct and seminal vesicles
Proximal portion: Epididymis
Mesonephric tubules: Efferent tubules
DUCTUS DEFERENS

 Straight tube, longest part of the excurrent

duct system
 Direct continuation of the tail of the
epididymis at the posterior border of the testis
 Empties into the penile urethra
DUCTUS DEFERENS

 Characterized by a narrow lumen and a thick

layer of smooth muscle
 Inner and outer longitudinal and middle
circular layers
 Peristaltic contractions during ejaculation to
propel sperm outwards
 Mucosa is folded longitudinally Folded
lumen on histologic preparations
 Lined by pseudostratified columnar
epithelium with long stereocilia
ACCESSORY GLANDS – SEMINAL
VESICLE

 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
 produce a secretion which nourishes the spermatozoa
 During ejaculation, the seminal vesicles contract and expel their contents
into the ejaculatory ducts, thus washing the spermatozoa out of the
urethra.
 BLOOD SUPPLY - inferior vesicle and middle rectal arteries
 VENOUS DRAINAGE - internal iliac veins
 Lymph Drainage - internal iliac nodes
ACCESSORY GLANDS – PROSTATE
GLAND

 fibromuscular glandular organ that surrounds the prostatic

urethra
 about 1.25 in. (3 cm) long and lies between the neck of the
bladder above and the urogenital diaphragm below
 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
 Inferiorly: The apex of the prostate lies on the upper surface
of the urogenital diaphragm
 Anteriorly: related to the symphysis pubis, separated
from it by the extraperitoneal fat in the retropubic
space (cave of Retzius)
 Posteriorly: closely related to the anterior surface of
the rectal ampulla and is separated from it by the
rectovesical septum (fascia of Denonvilliers)
 Laterally: embraced by the anterior fibers of the
levator ani as they run posteriorly from the pubis
STRUCTURE OF THE PROSTATE
 anterior lobe - lies in front of the urethra and devoid of
glandular tissue
 median, or middle lobe is the wedge of gland situated
between the urethra and the ejaculatory ducts.
 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.
 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
 Blood supply - inferior vesical and middle rectal arteries
 Venous drainage - veins form the prostatic venous plexus, which lies outside the capsule
of the prostate
 Lymph Drainage - Internal iliac nodes
 Nerve Supply - Inferior hypogastric plexuses
 ACCESSORY GLANDS –
BULBOURETHRAL

 Pea-sized glands inferior to the prostate

 Produce alkaline mucus prior to ejaculation that
neutralizes traces of acidic urine in the urethra
PENIS

 The penis has a fixed root and a body that hangs free
 The root of the penis is made up of three masses of
erectile tissue:
a. bulb of the penis - situated in the midline and is
attached to the undersurface of the urogenital
diaphragm. It is traversed by the urethra and is covered
on its outer surface by the bulbospongiosus muscles
b. right and left crura of the penis - Each crus is
attached to the side of the pubic arch and is covered
on its outer surface by the ischiocavernosus muscle. The
bulb is continued forward into the body of the penis and
forms the corpus spongiosum
- The two crura converge anteriorly and come to lie
side by side in the dorsal part of the body of the
penis, forming the corpora cavernosa
Arterial supply
 The corpora cavernosa are supplied by the deep arteries of the penis ; the corpus
spongiosum is supplied by the artery of the bulb. In addition, there is the dorsal artery of
the penis. All the above arteries are branches of the internal pudendal artery
Venous Drainage
 The veins drain into the internal pudendal veins
Lymph Drainage
 The skin of the penis is drained into the medial group of superficial inguinal nodes. The
deep structures of the penis are drained into the internal iliac nodes
Nerve Supply
 The nerve supply is from the pudendal nerve and the pelvic plexuses.
THANK YOU AND
GOOD DAY