Chapter 24

The Male Reproductive System

Components
 Scrotum
 Testes
 Duct system
 Penis
 Accessory
glands

24.1
Scrotum
 Skin
 Dartos muscle
(smooth)
 Septum
 Cremaster muscle
(skeletal)

24.2
 Scrotum
 Temperature
– Optimal for sperm
development is 3°C
below body temp (~91 F)
– Controlled by muscles
 Spermatic cord
– Testicular artery
– Plexus of veins
– Nerves
– vas deferens

24.2
Testes – gross anatomy
 ~4 cm long, 2.5 cm wide
 Tunica vaginalis
 Tunica albuginea (capsule)
 Septa
– 250-300 lobules
– Seminiferous tubules
 Epididymis

24.3
Descent of the Testes

3 mos.

7 mos. birth
24.29
Seminiferous tubules
 Spermatogenic cells
 Spermatogenesis begins at puberty
 ~400 million sperm/day

24.3b
Spermatogenic cells
 Spermatogonia
– On basal lamina
– Mitosis
 Primary spermatocytes
– 1st meiotic division
 Secondary
spermatocytes
– 2nd meiotic division
 Spermatid
– Haploid
– 4 from each 1°
spermatocyte
24.4b
Seminiferous
tubules
 Spermatogenesis
 Spermatogonia
 1° spermatocyte
 2° spermatocyte
 Spermatid

24.4c
Hormones

 Spermatogenesis controlled by
– FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) from
pituitary
– Testosterone from Leydig (interstitial) cells
of testes
– secretions from Sertoli cells
Spermiogenesis
 Spermatid  spermatozoan
 Head
– Nucleus
– Acrosome (lysosome)
 Midpiece
– Base of tail
– Mitochondria
 Tail
– Long flagellum
24.5
Spermiogenesis
 Spermatid  spermatozoan

24.5
Sustentacular (Sertoli) cells
 Nurse cells
 Extend from basal lamina to lumen
 Connected to each other by tight
junctions
 Nourish spermatogenic cells
 Transport spermatogenic cells
 Phagocytize excess cytoplasm
 Secretions regulate spermatogenesis

24.4c
Sustentacular cells
2 Sertoli cells with
associated spermatogenesis
cells.

24.4c
Interstitial
(Leydig) cells
 Secretes
testosterone
 sER for steroid
production
 Controlled by LH
from pituitary

24.3b
Ducts
 Epididymis
 Ductus deferens
 Ejaculatory duct
 (urethra)

24.1
Epididymis
 Located in scrotum
 Between seminiferous
tubules and vas
deferens
 ~6 m long

24.3a
Epididymis
 Pseudostratified
columnar epithelium
– With stereocilia (long
microvilli)
– Smooth muscle
– Sperm mature and
stored

24.6a
Ductus (vas) deferens
 From scrotum to
pelvis
 Forms ejaculatory
duct with seminal
vesicle duct
 Empties into prostatic
urethra
 Thick muscularis
 Propels sperm during
ejaculation
24.1
Ductus deferens
 Microscopic anatomy
 Pseudostratified
epithelium
 Lamina propria
 Muscularis
– Inner longitudinal
– Middle circular
– Outer longitudinal

24.6b
Urethra
 Shared with urinary
system
 Prostatic urethra
 Membranous urethra
 Spongy (penile) urethra

24.8
Accessory Glands
 Seminal vesicle
– 60% of semen
– Fructose to nourish sperm

24.1
Prostate Gland
 Prostate gland
– Surrounds
prostatic urethra
– 30% of semen
– Supports sperm

24.9
Penis
 Thin skin
 Spongy urethra
 Erectile bodies
– Corpus spongiosum
– 2 corpora cavernosa
– Capsule
– Vascular spaces

24.8
Erection
 Sexual excitement
(parasympathetic)
  blood flow to erectile
bodies
 Squeezes veins shut
  blood pressure in erectile
bodies

24.8
Ejaculation
 Sympathetic activation
 Peristaltic contraction
of smooth muscles in
ducts and glands -
ejaculation
 Constriction of arteries
  blood pressure in
erectile bodies

24.8