Male Reproductive

• Sex organs/genitalia


  • Primary
  • Accessory
• Primary sex organs or gonads


  • Testes
  • Ovaries
• Gonads


  • Produce the sex cells or gametes
  • Also secrete sex hormones, they also function as endocrine glands
• Accessory sex organs


  • Internal glands and ducts that nourish the gametes and transport them toward the outside of the body
• Testes


  • Lie in the scrotum
  • Sperm producing
• Sperm transit


  Testes > epididymis (maturation) > ductus deferens > ejaculatory duct > urethra
• Accessory sex glands


  • Seminal glands
  • Prostate gland
  • Bulbo-urethral glands
• Testes


  • Originally located in the posterior abdominal wall (around L1-L2)
  • Descends into the scrotum for lower body temperature needed for spermatogenesis
• Scrotum


  Responds to changes in external temperature
• Each testis: W 2.5cm x H 4cm
• Tunica vaginalis


  Serous sac; outpocketing of peritoneum
• Tunica albuginea


  Fibrous capsule of the testis > septa > wedge shaped lobules (250-300) containing the seminiferous tubules
• Seminiferous tubules


  Where the spermatocytes/gametes are formed
• Layers of the Abdominal Wall : Corresponding Covering of the Testes

  • Abdominal/Perineal Skin
  • Superficial fascia (Camper's/Scarpa's) > Colles' fascia (perineum)
  • External Oblique Aponeurosis
  • Internal Oblique Muscle
  • Transversalis fascia
  • Peritoneum
• Tunica Vaginalis


  Outpocketing of the peritoneum, normally the connection gets obliterated, no intra abdominal contents should descend into the scrotum
• Testicular (gonadal) arteries


  From the abdominal aorta around the level of L2
• Testicular veins


  Arise from venous network in the scrotum called the pampiniform plexus
• Pampiniform venous plexus


  Warms the blood coming from the testicular artery as it descends through the spermatic cord and finally supplying the testes
• Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Innervation

  • Sympathetic fibers run with the testicular artery coming from the renal or aortic sympathetic plexuses
  • There are a lot of afferent visceral sensory nerves supplying the testes
• Testes


  Endocrine glands, stimulated by secretions coming from the gonadotropic cells in the anterior pituitary lobe
• FSH


  Stimulates spermatogenic cells to produce spermatocytes
• LH


  Acts on interstitial cells of Leydig to produce testosterone
• Exocrine function of the testes

  Produces spermatocytes, excreted through a tubal system: Seminiferous tubules > straight tubules > rete testis > efferent ductules > excreted through head, body, tail of epididymis > vas deferens > rest of ductal system
• Components of the seminiferous tubule

  • Lumen
  • Supporting cells of Sertoli/Sustentocytes: columnar cells
  • Embedded in the supporting cells are the spermatogenic cells
  • Myoid cells
  • Interstitial cells of Leydig
• Cryptorchidism


  Failure of normal descent into the scrotum, spermatogenesis becomes affected due to the high temperature
• Cremasteric reflex


  Elicited by stroking the skin on the medial aspect of the thigh, response would be contraction of the cremaster muscle on the same side, causing elevation of the testicle
• Varicocele


  Varicose vein in the pampiniform plexus that disrupts venous return from the testicles, increased temperature affects spermatogenesis
• Epididymis


  Comma-shaped organ that arches over the posterolateral side of the testis, where sperm mature and gain the ability to swim and fertilize the egg
• Sperm ejaculation


  Smooth muscle in the walls of the epididymis contracts, expelling sperm from the tail of the epididymis into the ductus deferens
• Ductus deferens


  Stores and transports sperm during ejaculation, connected to the tail of the epididymis, about 45 cm (18 inches) long
• Spermatic cord


  Tube of fascia that contains ductus deferens, testicular vessels, and nerves
• Indirect inguinal hernia


  Due to a patent processus vaginalis, herniation of intra abdominal contents through the inguinal canal and sometimes up to the level of the scrotum
• Direct inguinal hernia


  Due to weakened muscles of the floor of the inguinal canal
• Urethra


  Carries sperm from the ejaculatory ducts, where the secretions of the accessory glands drain into
• Seminal vesicles


  Lie on the posterior surface of the bladder, secretion makes up 60% of the volume of semen
• Prostate gland


  Encircles the first part of the urethra just inferior to the bladder, prostatic secretion makes up ⅓ of seminal fluid volume
• Bulbo-urethral glands


  Pea-sized glands situated inferior to the prostate, within the urogenital diaphragm, produce mucoid material to neutralize traces of acidic urine and lubricate the urethra
• Penis


  Male organ of sexual intercourse, delivers sperm into the female reproductive tract, consists of an attached root and a free body that ends in an enlarged tip called the glans penis
• Perineum


  Diamond shaped area between the pubic symphysis, coccyx, and ischial tuberosities, floor formed by muscles of urogenital diaphragm