Male

Urogenital system
Urogenital tract of the male
• Kidney – renal pelvis – ureter – urinary bladder
• Prostate
• Seminal vesicle – ejaculatory duct
• Testis
• Epididymis – ductus deferens – ejaculatory duct
• Urethra
• Penis
The Kidneys/Renes
• Definition
The kidneys are a pair of excretory organs
situated on the posterior abdominal wall,
one on each side of the vertebral column,
behind the peritoneum.
Anatomical Position
• The kidneys lie retroperitoneally (behind the peritoneum) in the
abdomen, either side of the vertebral column.

• They typically extend from T12 to L3, although the right kidney is
often situated slightly lower due to the presence of the liver. Each
kidney is approximately three vertebrae in length.

• The adrenal glands sit immediately superior to the kidneys within a

separate envelope of the renal fascia.
Location
• The kidneys occupies the epigastric,
hypochondriac, lumbar & umbilical regions.
• Vertically they extends from upper border of
12th thoracic vertebra to the center of the
body of 3rd lumbar vertebra.
• The right kidney is slightly lower than the
left, & the left kidney is little nearer to the
median plane than the right.
The Kidneys- Surface Anatomy
• External Features
o Each kidney is bean shaped.
o It has upper & lower poles, medial and lateral
borders, and anterior and posterior surfaces.
o The upper pole is broad & is in close contact
with the corresponding suprarenal glands.
o The lower pole is pointed.
 Kidney
• The lateral border is convex.
• The medial border is concave.
• The middle part of the medial border is
depressed and is known as hilum (hilus)

11cm
3cm

5cm
Measurements
• Color : Reddish Brown
• Length : About 11 cm long(the left kidney is little longer & narrower
than right)
• Width : 5cm broad
• Thickness : 3cm thick
• Weight :
 Males - 150gm
 Females - 135gm
Coverings
• It has 3 coverings:
1. Innermost fibrous capsule or true capsule
2. Middle fatty capsule / perinephric fat-it is a collection of fatty tissue. (It acts
as a shock absorber & helps to maintain the kidney in its position)
3. The false capsule – made of renal fascia. It has two layers - Anterior &
Posterior.
*(Superiorly the two layers enclose the supra renal gland & then merge with
diaphragmatic fascia, that is why the kidneys move with respiration)
Anatomical Relations
• The kidneys sit in close proximity to many other abdominal structures which are
important to be aware of clinically:
Anterior Posterior

•Suprarenal gland •Diaphragm

•Spleen •11th and 12th ribs
Left •Stomach •Psoas major, quadratus lumborum and
•Pancreas transversus abdominis
•Left colic flexure •Subcostal, iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal
•Jejunum nerves

•Diaphragm
•Suprarenal gland •12th rib
Right •Liver •Psoas major, quadratus lumborum and
•Duodenum transversus abdominis
•Right colic flexure •Subcostal, iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal
nerves
Relations -
Anterior
Relations -
Posterior
• Renal cortex: outer 1 cm
• Renal medulla: renal columns, pyramids – papilla
• Lobe of kidney: pyramid and it’s overlying cortex
Kidney Structure
• The kidneys are encased in complex layers of fascia and fat. They are
arranged as follows (deep to superficial):

 Renal capsule – tough fibrous capsule.

 Perirenal fat – collection of extraperitoneal fat.
 Renal fascia (also known as Gerota’s fascia or perirenal fascia) – encloses the
kidneys and the suprarenal glands.
 Pararenal fat – mainly located on the posterolateral aspect of the kidney.
• Internally, the kidneys have an intricate and unique structure. The renal parenchyma
can be divided into two main areas – the outer cortex and inner medulla. The cortex
extends into the medulla, dividing it into triangular shapes – these are known as
renal pyramids.

• The apex of a renal pyramid is called a renal papilla. Each renal papilla is associated
with a structure known as the minor calyx, which collects urine from the pyramids.
Several minor calices merge to form a major calyx. Urine passes through the major
calices into the renal pelvis, a flattened and funnel-shaped structure. From the renal
pelvis, urine drains into the ureter, which transports it to the bladder for storage.

• The medial margin of each kidney is marked by a deep fissure, known as the renal
hilum. This acts as a gateway to the kidney – normally the renal vessels and ureter
enter/exit the kidney via this structure.
 Blood Supply
• Arterial Supply: Renal arteries which
are the direct branches of abdominal
aorta & are large in size.
• Venous Drainage: Renal veins, ends
in inferior vena cava. The left renal
vein is longer than the right.
• Lymphatic drainage: into lateral
aortic nodes.
THE
URETERS
• Definition
The Ureters are a pair of narrow, thick
walled muscular tubes which convey
urine from the kidneys to urinary bladder. ureters
Dimensions
• Each Ureters is about 25cm (10 inch)long.
• The upper half lies in the abdomen and the lower half in the
pelvis.
• It measures 3mm diameter, but it slightly constricted at three
places.
o At the pelviureteric junction
o At the brim of lesser pelvis
o At its passage through the bladder wall
Parts
• For the purpose of description, ureter is
divided into 2 parts:
From the site of origin to pelvic brim
- abdominal part
From pelvic brim to entry into
urinary bladder - pelvic part
Urinary
Bladder
• The urinary bladder
is a hollow, muscular
organ, which
functions as the
reservoir for the
urine received from
the kidneys and to
discharge it out
periodically.
Shape
• An empty bladder is 4 sided pyramid in shape and has:
4 angles - an apex, neck & 2 lateral angles.
4 surfaces
 Base (posterior surface)
 2 inferiolateral surfaces
 Superior surface
Bladder
structure
• 3 layers:
Outer layer
• Loose connective tissue
Middle layer
• Smooth muscle and elastic fibers
Inner layer
• Lined with transitional epithelium
 Interior of
Bladder
• The mucous membrane is straw
colored & is thrown into folds. When
bladder is distended, these folds
disappear.
• The posterior wall shows a smooth
triangular area called trigone. There
are no mucous folds in this region.
• At the upper lateral angles of the
trigone is marked by ureteral orifice.
• At its inferior angle is the internal
urethral orifice.
The Urethra
• The urethra is a canal extending from the neck of the bladder to the
exterior, at the external urethral orifice.
• Male: about 20 cm (8”) long
• Female: 3-4 cm (1.5”) long
o Short length is why females have more urinary tract infections than males -
ascending bacteria from stool contamination
Female
Urethra
• 3 to 4 cm long
• External urethral orifice
 between vaginal orifice and clitoris.
• Internal urethral sphincter
 detrusor muscle thickened, smooth
muscle, involuntary control.
• External urethral sphincter
 skeletal muscle, voluntary control.
Male Bladder and
Urethra
• 18 cm long
• Internal urethral sphincter
• External urethral sphincter
• 3 regions
o prostatic urethra
 during orgasm receives semen
o membranous urethra
 passes through pelvic cavity
o penile urethra
Male Reproductive system
• External Organs
1. Penis • Internal Organs
2. Scrotum 1. Testes
2. Epididymis
3. Vas Deferens
4. Ejaculatory duct
5. Seminal vesicle
6. Prostate glands
7. Cowper’s glands
 External Organs
• Penis - male organ of copulation and
urination
Parts:
a) shaft/ body
b) Glans penis – enlarged end; most sensitive
c) Prepuce/foreskin – fold of retractable skin
covering the glans and is removed during
circumcision
d) urethral meatus – slit like opening located at
the tip of the penis; passageway for both
semen and urine
Penis
• Shaft (Body) of penis
o Corpus Cavernosum(2)
o Corpus Spongiosum
o Penile Urethra
o tunica albuginea
o Dorsal Artery and Vein
o deep fascia of the penis - continuation
of the deep perineal fascia
o Superficial (dartos) fascia
 Scrotu
m
• Saclike structure containing the testes
• Darker coloration than the rest of the
body
• Covered with sparse hair and wrinkled
• Environmental temperature affects the
scrotum: too hot - the dartos muscle
relaxes and the testes hangs or descend
away from the body
• Too cold - the testes contracts and pull
closer to the body
• Spermatogenesis is affected by
extremes of temperature
• Testosterone production is not affected
Scrotum
• Scrotum consists of:
o Skin, fascia
o Dartos muscle (smooth)
o Tunica vaginalis
o Median raphe
• Allows the testes to remain ~3°C cooler than core
temperature
• Involuntary contraction of dartos and cremaster
muscles (cremasteric reflex) in response to cold or
sexual arousal
Internal Organs
• TESTES – oval shaped glandular organ lying
within the abdominal cavity in early fetal life
and descend in the scrotum after 28 weeks
• Undescended testes/cryptorchidism
• Functions:
o Hormone production – testosterone that
stimulates spermatogenesis and responsible for
the secondary males characteristics
o Spermatogenesis – production and maturation
of sperm cells; begins in puberty and continue
until old age
Parts of testes
• Seminiferous tubules – long
coiled tubes where
spermatogenesis takes place
• Leydig/interstitial cells –
produce testosterone
• Sertoli cells – supporting cells
which play a role in sperm
transport
Testes
• Develop adjacent to kidneys
• Descend into scrotum through inguinal canal before birth
• Parietal peritoneum is carried along lining of scrotum
• Spermatic cord: bundle containing all the “duct work”
Epididymis
• Head-superior, receives spermatozoa
• Body-distal and inferior
• Tail-leads to ductus deferens
• Functions:
1. Monitors and adjusts tubular fluid
2. Recycles damaged spermatozoa
3. Stores sperm and facilitates maturation
(capacitation)
Epididymi
s
• Long coiled tube approximately 20 feet long;
where sperm travels for 12- 20 days
• Takes 64 days for the sperm cells to mature;
rationale why therapy for azoospermia and
oligospermia becomes effective only after 2
month
• Epididymitis – inflammation of the epididymis
Vas
Deferens
• Passageway of the sperm cells
from the passageway of the
sperm cells from the the
spermatozoa to the urethra
during ejaculation
• Cut during vasectomy
Seminal
Vesicle
• A pouch like organ lying
behind the bladder and
in front of the rectum
 Prostate
• It is approximately 2 cm x 3 cm x 4
cm in size and weighs about 20 g
• Covered by indistinct, richly
vascularized, dense irregular
collagenous fibromuscular capsule
• The glandular part makes up
approximately two thirds of the
prostate; the other third is
fibromuscular
• Prostatic urethra
Bulbourethral glands (Cowper’s glands)
• Pea size, paired, at base of penis
• Produce about 10% of semen
• Alkaline mucus buffers the acid that may be present in urine
Perineum
• Perineum is a diamond shaped region of trunk inferior to fascia of
pelvic diaphragm
• A transverse line joining the anterior ends of the ischial tuberosities
divides the perineum into two triangles:
o Urogenital triangle: contains external genitalia
o Anal triangle: contains anal canal, anus and ischioanal fossa
Male perineum
• The male perineum includes
o external genitalia (urethra, scrotum,
and penis)
o perineal muscles
o anal canal
• Testes and epididymis
o considered internal genital organs on
the basis of their developmental
position and homology with the
internal female gonads (ovaries)