MALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS

• Chief roles of the male in the reproductive process:

  • Produce sperm
  • Produce a hormone, testosterone
• Spermatogonia (primitive stem cells) - begin the process of sperm formation by dividing rapidly

  
  

  Division of primitive stem cells:

  • Type A daughter cell - stem cell that continues the stem cell population
  • Type B daughter cell - becomes a primary spermatocyte destined to undergo meiosis
• Meiosis - special type of nuclear division that occurs in the gonads, includes 2 successive divisions (meiosis I and II) and results in 4 daughter cells (gametes)
• Gametes - spermatids with 23 chromosomes, which are half the usual number found in other body cells
• Spermiogenesis - the process by which a spermatid develops into a fully formed sperm
• 3 regions of sperm:

  • head
  • midpiece
  • tail
• Acrosome - sits anterior to the sperm head
• The entire process of spermatogenesis, including spermiogenesis, takes 64 to 72 days
• Testosterone Production:

  • Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - produces sperm
  • Luteinizing hormone (LH) - produces testosterone
• Testosterone - most important hormonal product of the testes; stimulates reproductive organ development