LEC: MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• Gonads - produce sex cells or gametes
• Gonads - secrete sex hormones
• Primary Sex Organs:

  • Ovaries (Female Gonads) - produce egg cells
  • Testes (Male Gonads) - produce sperm cells
• Sex Hormones:

  • Estrogen - Females
  • Progesterone - Females
  • Androgen - Males
• Accessory Reproductive Organs:

  • ducts
  • glands
  • External Genitalia
• Testes - lies within the scrotum
• Sperm is delivered to the exterior through a system of ducts
• System of Ducts:

  • Epididymis
  • Ductus Deferens
  • Ejaculatory Ducts
  • Urethra
• Accessory Sex Glands:

  • Empty their secretions into the ducts during ejaculation
  • Includes the: Seminal Vesicle, Prostate Gland, Bulbourethral Gland
• Testes - has exocrine and endocrine function
• Testes - Golf ball Sized
• Testes

  • Size: 4cm Long, 2.5 wide
• Testes - is connected to trunk via spermatic cord
• Spermatic Cord - connective tissue sheath
• Spermatic cord - encloses blood vessels, nerves, ductus deferens
• Tunica Albuginea - a fibrous connective tissue capsule "white coat" surrounds each testis
• Seminiferous Tubules - "Sperm forming factories"
• Each Testis is surrounded by 2 Tunics:

  • Tunica Vaginalis - derived from peritoneum
  • Tunica Albuginea - Fibrous capsule of testis
• Extensions of Tunica Albuginea form Incomplete Septa
• Septa divides the testis into 300-400 Lobules, each containing 1-4 Seminiferous Tubules
• The uncoiled, combined length of the Seminiferous Tubules in both testes in nearly half a mile
• Seminiferous Tubules - converge to form Tubulus Rectus
• Straight Tubulus Rectus conveys sperm to the Rete Testis
• From the Rete Testis, the sperm leaves the testis via Efferent Ductules and enter the Epididymis
• Surrounding the seminiferous tubules are interstitial cells that produce testosterone
• Gonads


  Produce sex cells/gametes and secrete sex hormones
• Male gonads (testes)


  • Produce sperm cells
• Functions of the reproductive system

  • To produce offspring
  • The gonads produce gametes (sperm or ova) and sex hormones
  • Primary sex organs (gonads): testes in males, ovaries in females
  • Sex hormones: androgens (males), and estrogens and progesterone (females)
  • Play roles in the development and function of the reproductive organs, sexual behavior and drives, the growth and development of many other organs and tissues
  • All other reproductive organs are accessory: ducts, glands, and external genitalia
• Male reproductive system


  • The male gonads (testes) produce sperm and lie within the scrotum
  • Sperm are delivered to the exterior through a system of ducts: epididymis, ductus deferens, ejaculatory duct, and the urethra
  • Accessory sex glands (seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands) empty their secretions into the ducts during ejaculation
• Functions of the male reproductive system


  • Production of sperm cells
  • Sustaining and transfer of the sperm cells to the female
  • Production of male sex hormones
• Female reproductive system

  • Ovaries are the primary female reproductive organs
  • Accessory ducts include: uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, and mammary glands
• Testes


  Primary reproductive organ of male, has exocrine and endocrine function, golf ball-sized male gonad approximately 4 cm long and 2.5 cm wide and is connected to the trunk via spermatic cord
• Testes (histology)


  • Each testis is surrounded by two tunics: the tunica vaginalis, derived from peritoneum, and the tunica albuginea, the fibrous capsule of the testis
  • Extensions of the tunica albuginea form incomplete septa that divide the testis into 300-400 lobules, each containing 1-4 seminiferous tubules
  • The uncoiled, combined length of the seminiferous tubules in both testes is nearly half a mile
• Seminiferous tubules


  "Sperm factories": produce the sperm, converge to form the tubulus rectus, the straight tubulus rectus conveys sperm to the rete testis, from the rete testis the sperm leave the testis via efferent ductules and enter the epididymis
• Interstitial cells of Leydig


  • Secrete the hormone testosterone which is the major male sex hormone
• Functions of testosterone

  Promoting development of male sex organs in early fetal development, promoting male sexual characteristics, increasing muscle growth, thickness of the skin, and sebaceous gland secretion, promoting bone growth and increasing bone density, increasing basal metabolism and physical energy, promoting spermatogenesis
• Cells in the seminiferous tubules

  • Sertoli cells: large nondividing cells which physically and metabolically support developing sperm cell precursors
  • Spermatogenic (germ) cells: dividing cells which develop from progenitor cells to fully formed sperm cells over a period of approximately 10 weeks
• Functions of the Sertoli cells

  • Support: physical support and nutrition
  • Protection: blood-testis barrier
  • Phagocytosis: removal of residual bodies
  • Secretion: testicular fluid, Anti-Mullerian hormone, Androgen-binding protein, Glial-derived neutotrophic factor, Inhibin and activin hormone
• Epididymis


  Highly convoluted tube that hugs the posterior side of the testis; temporary storage site for the immature sperm
• Ductus deferens/Vas deferens


  Runs upward from the epididymis via the spermatic cord; propel live sperm from their storage sites