The

Male Reproductive
System

GRD121 Anatomy & Physiology B

General Requirement Department
 Reproductive System
1. Primary sex organs:
• Testes and Ovaries (gonads);
• Produce sex cells (gametes)
• Secrete steroid sex hormones
• Androgens (males)
• Estrogens and progesterone (females)

&
2. Accessory reproductive organs:
• ducts, glands, and external genitalia.
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 Male Reproductive System
• Testes (within the scrotum) produce sperms.
• Sperms are delivered to the exterior through
a system of ducts (sequenced):
• Epididymis
• Ductus (vas) deferens
• Ejaculatory duct
• Urethra
and
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Male Reproductive System
• Accessory sex glands:
1. Seminal vesicles
2. Prostate
3. Bulbo-urethral glands

Empty their secretions into the ducts during

ejaculation.

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Tubes of the Male Reproductive System

Figure 27.1

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The Scrotum

• Sac of skin and superficial fascia

• Hangs outside the abdominopelvic cavity
• Contains paired testes
• 3 C lower than core body temperature

temperature necessary for sperm production 6

Muscles of the scrotum
• Temperature is kept constant by two
sets of muscles:
1. Dartos muscle (smooth)
2. Cremaster muscle (skeletal)

Figure 27.2
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The Testes

• Each is surrounded by two tunics

• Tunica vaginalis, derived from peritoneum
• Tunica albuginea, the fibrous capsule
• Septa divide the testis into 250 – 300 lobules, each
containing 1 – 4 seminiferous tubules (site of sperm
production – the actual sperm factories)
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 The Testes
• Sperms are conveyed through:
• Seminiferous tubules
• Straight tubules
• Rete testis
• Efferent ductules
• (the sperm leave the testis)

• Epididymis

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 Figure 27.3c

The Testes

• Interstitial endocrine (Leydig) cells produce androgens

(Testosterone)
• Blood supply - testicular arteries and testicular veins drains to
pampiniform venous plexus.
• Spermatic cord (nerve fibers, blood vessels, and lymphatics)

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 The Penis (organ of copulation)
• Penis consists of:
• Root, body (shaft) and glans penis.
• Prepuce, or foreskin—the cuff of loose skin covering the glans
• Note: Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin.

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Figure 27.5

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 The Male
Epididymis
Duct System
• Head (contains the efferent ductules), body and tail.
• During ejaculation the epididymis contracts, expelling sperms
into the ductus deferens (not the testes).

Ductus Deferens
• Passes through the inguinal canal.
• Expands to form the ampulla and then joins the duct of

the seminal vesicle (from the seminal gland) to form the ejaculatory

duct. • Vasectomy: Cutting and ligating the ductus deferens,

which is a nearly 100% effective form of birth control.
 The Male
Urethra
Duct System
• Conveys both urine and semen (at different times).
• Has three regions
• Prostatic urethra
• Membranous urethra
• Spongy (penile) urethra

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 The Male Accessory Glands
1. Paired seminal glands
• Produce yellowish viscous alkaline seminal fluid
• Fructose, ascorbic acid, coagulating enzyme
(vesiculase), and prostaglandins
• 70% of the volume of semen

• Duct of seminal gland joins the ductus deferens to form

the ejaculatory duct.

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Figure 27.5

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2. The Prostate (30% of the semen volume)

• Encircles part of the urethra inferior to the bladder.

(tubuloalveolar glands embedded in a mass of smooth muscles)

• Secretes milky, slightly acid fluid:

• Citrate (nutrient)
• Enzymes:
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (elevated in the cancer of prostate)

3. The Bulbo-Urethral Glands

• Pea-sized glands inferior to the prostate.
• Lubricates the glans penis.
• Neutralizes traces of acidic urine in the urethra.
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Semen
• Mixture of sperm and accessory gland secretions.
• Prostaglandins in semen.
• Decrease the viscosity of mucus in the cervix.
• Stimulate reverse peristalsis in the uterus.
• The hormone relaxin – enhance sperm motility.
• Fructose  ATP

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 Semen
• Ingredients to suppress the immune response in the
female’s reproductive tract.
• Alkalinity (pH 7.2 – 8.0) neutralizes the acid in the male
urethra and female vagina.
• Antibiotic chemicals destroy certain bacteria.
• Clotting factors coagulate semen just after ejaculation,
then fibrinolysin liquefies it.
• Only 2 – 5 ml of semen are ejaculated, containing 20 –
150 million sperm / ml.
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 Sperm
Major regions

1. Head: genetic region; nucleus and helmetlike

acrosome containing hydrolytic enzymes that

enable the sperm to penetrate an egg.

2. Midpiece: metabolic region; mitochondria.

3. Tail: locomotor region; flagellum.

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Spermatogenesis (begins during puberty)

Spermatic cells give rise to sperm

Spermatogonia Mitosis Spermatocytes

Spermatocytes Meiosis Spermatids

I & II

Spermatids Spermiogenesis Sperms

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 Seminiferous Tubule Wall

• Tight junctions divide the wall into two compartments:

1. Basal compartment — Spermatogonia and primary

spermatocytes.

2. Adluminal compartment — meiotically active cells and

the tubule lumen.

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Figure 27.8c

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 Seminiferous Tubule
• Tight junctions form a blood-testis barrier

• Prevents sperm antigens from escaping into the

blood where they would activate the immune system.

• Because sperm are not formed until puberty, they are

absent during immune system development, and would

not be recognized as “self”.

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 Functions of Sertoli Cells
1. It provide barrier (blood-testes) to chemicals in plasma
2. Nourish developing sperm
3. Secrete luminal fluid, including androgen binding protein
4. Secrete inhibin which inhibits FSH secretion from pituitary
5. Secrete paracrine agents that influence the function of
Leydig cells
6. Secrete Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) during
embryonic development causing primordial female duct to
regress

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Hormonal Regulation of Male
Reproductive Function – HPG Axis

1. Hypothalamus releases gonadotropin-releasing

hormone (GnRH).
2. GnRH stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete
FSH and LH.
3. FSH causes sustentocytes (sertoli cells) to release
androgen-binding protein (ABP), which makes
spermatogenic cell receptive to testosterone

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 HPG Axis
4. LH stimulates interstitial cells to release
testosterone
5. Testosterone is the final trigger for
spermatogenesis.
6. Feedback inhibition on the hypothalamus and pituitary
results from:
• Rising levels of testosterone
• Inhibin (released when sperm count is high)
produced by the sustentocytes
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 GnRH
HPG Axis
1

Anterior Via portal

pituitary blood
7 6

Inhibin
2
FSH LH
Interstitial
3 4
cells
Testosterone Somatic and
5 psychological
Sustentocyte
androgen-binding effects at
Spermatogenic other body
protein (ABP)
cells sites

Seminiferous
tubule Stimulates
Inhibits

Figure 27.9
Mechanism and Effects of
Testosterone Activity

• Prompts spermatogenesis.
• Targets all accessory organs; deficiency leads to
atrophy.
• Has multiple anabolic effects throughout the body.
• Is the basis of the sex drive (libido) in males.

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 Male Secondary Sex
Characteristics
Features induced in the nonreproductive organs by
male sex hormones (mainly testosterone):
1. Appearance of pubic, axillary, and facial hair.
2. Enhanced growth of the chest and deepening of the
voice.
3. Skin thickens and becomes oily.
4. Bones grow and increase in density.
5. Skeletal muscles increase in size and mass.
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 Reference

Marieb, E. N., & Hoehn, K. (2016). Human anatomy & physiology (10th ed.). Pearson.