Male reproductive system

• Epididymis


  Tightly coiled tube responsible for conducting sperm from the tubule to the vas deferens
• Epididymis


  • Length of approximately 20 feet
  • Sperm stored in the epididymis along with semen
  • Sperm takes 12 to 20 days to travel along the epididymis and 64 days to reach maturity
• Vas Deferens


  Carries sperm through the inguinal canal from the epididymis into the abdominal cavity where it ends at the seminal vesicles and ejaculatory duct
• Vas Deferens


  • Hollow tube protected by a thick fibrous coating and surrounded by arteries and veins
• Seminal Vesicles


  Two convoluted pouches along the lower portion of the posterior surface of the bladder that secrete a liquid to make sperm more motile
• Ejaculatory Ducts


  Pass through the prostate gland to join the seminal vesicles and the urethra
• Prostate Gland


  Chestnut-sized gland situated below the bladder that secretes an alkaline fluid to protect sperm
• Prostate Gland


  • Urethra passes through its center
• Bulbourethral Glands


  Also called Cowper's glands, secrete alkaline fluid to counteract the acidic environment in the urethra
• Semen is a product of 60% from the prostate gland, 30% from the seminal vesicles, 5% from the epididymis, and 5% from the bulbourethral glands
• Urethra


  Hollow tube from the base of the bladder to the shaft and glans penis, lined with mucous membrane
• Urethra


  • Length of approximately 8 inches or 18 to 20 cm
• Scrotum


  Rugated, muscular, skin-covered pouch over the perineum that regulates the temperature of the sperm
• Scrotum


  • Contracts towards the body during cold weather and relaxes away from the body during hot weather to promote sperm production and viability
• Testes


  Two oval-shaped glands in each scrotum that contain Leydig's cells producing testosterone and seminiferous tubules producing spermatozoa
• Testes


  • 2 to 3 cm in width, encapsulated in a protective, white fibrous capsule
  • One testis is slightly lower than the other to prevent trauma and allow for easy sitting or muscular activity
• Penis


  Has three parts: two corpus cavernosa and one corpus spongiosum, containing the urethra
• Penis


  • Erection stimulated by parasympathetic nerve innervation, blood supply from penile artery
  • Glans is a sensitive, bulging ridge of tissue at the distal part
  • Prepuce is a retractable casing of skin that protects the glans at birth and is surgically removed during circumcision