Lecture Q (Week 15)

Male Reproductive System

Bio 5 Human Biology

11.18.25
Professor Villalta
Learning Goals

1. Describe the structure and function of the organs of the male reproductive system
2. Describe the structure and function of the sperm cell
3. Explain the events during spermatogenesis that produce haploid sperm from diploid cells
4. Identify the importance of testosterone in male reproductive function
5. Describe common clinical applications of male reproductive system dysfunction
 Introduction
Note: Sex and gender are not the same thing. In this class, we are only referring to the limited biological sex
assigned at birth (AFAB or AMAB) based on physical characteristics - gonads and external presentation of the genitalia.

Functions
• Produce, store, & transport
gametes
○ → produce new
humans
• Produces hormones (e.g.
testosterone, estrogen,
progesterone)
• Females: support fetus,
produce milk

OpenStax A&P text

 Introduction
Components:

● Gonads (testes/ovaries)
○ Produce egg/sperm &
hormones
● Reproductive tract
○ Receive, store, & transport
egg/sperm
● Accessory glands
○ Secrete fluids
● External genitalia

Sexual dimorphism: biological males & biological females have

different, compatible reproductive organs

Wikimedia commons
Overview
Major components:
1. Testes
2. Reproductive tract
• Epididymis
• Vas deferens
• Urethra
3. Accessory glands
• Prostate
• Seminal vesicle
• Bulbourethral gland
4. External genitalia
• Penis
• Scrotum
Wikimedia commons
Male Reproductive System
● Scrotum - supporting structure of
the testes

● Testes - where sperm is produced

● Epididymis - stores sperm
● Ductus deferens/Vas
deferens (about 45cm (18in) long
- conveys sperm towards the
urethra. Can store sperm which is
reabsorbed after several months

● Ejaculatory duct
● Urethra - divided into prostatic
and penile (spongy)
Which structure stores sperm?

A. Urethra

B. Epididymis

C. Testes
Scrotum
Scrotum: a sac of loose skin and the underlying subcutaneous tissue that contains the
testes

-Internally, it is separated into two compartments by the Dartos muscle (SM) and a
subcutaneous layer

-Cremaster muscle (SKM)

Q: Why are the testes

outside the abdomen?
True or False: Biological males can voluntarily move the dartos muscle.

True False
 Testes
• Located within a skin pouch (scrotum) for
temp regulation
• Develop in pelvic cavity, typically descend
outside of abdomen in 3rd trimester
• Produce sperm & testosterone

Internal structure:
• Each testis divided into several lobules
• Each lobule contains seminiferous tubules
▪ production and growth of sperm cells
• Interstitial cells produce androgens
(testosterone)

Wikimedia commons
Testes
● Testes: paired, oval glands in the
scrotum partially covered by the tunica
vaginalis

● Internal to the tunica vaginalis is a

connective tissue capsule, the tunica
albuginea that extends inward to form
septa that create compartments

● Seminiferous tubules carry sperm

produced within them
(spermatogenesis) out of the testes
The tunica albuginea divide the testes into…

A. Tubules
B. Lobules
C. A cortex and a medulla
Seminiferous tubule cells
• Spermatogenic cells: sperm-forming cells
• Spermatogonia (stem cells) give rise to
sperm cells
• Sertoli or sustentacular cells
• Tight junction form blood-testis barrier,
prevents immune response against
sperm
• Nourish developing sperm
• Phagocytize excess spermatid
cytoplasm
• Control release of sperm into lumen
• Secrete fluids and inhibin
• Leydig cells or interstitial endocrinocytes
• In spaces between tubules
• Produce and secrete testosterone
Which cells make testosterone?

A. sertoli cells
B. spermatogonia
C. leydig cells
Reproductive system ducts in males
There is a system of ducts in the male reproductive system:

• Sperm and fluid travel from the seminiferous tubules to straight

tubules and then to a network of ducts, the rete testis
• Efferent ducts carry the sperm to the epididymis
• Sperm mature in the epididymis and degenerated sperm are
reabsorbed
• The epididymis propels sperm into the ductus (vas) deferens
 Reproductive tract
Epididymis
• Stores, recycles, and matures sperm
• Sperm mature in epididymis and gain
motility (the ability to propel themselves) Vas deferens

Vas deferens
• Carries sperm from epididymis to urethra
during ejaculation
• Ascends into pelvic cavity via inguinal canal
• Curves around bladder and over ureters

Urethra
• Transports urine & semen out of the body Urethra

Wikimedia commons
 Ducts
• Epididymis
• Tightly coiled ductus epididymis
• Microvilli reabsorb dead sperm
• Site of sperm maturation (acquire motility)
and storage

• Vas (ductus) deferens

• Conveys sperm during sexual arousal
through peristaltic contractions
• Can also store sperm several months

Then, it loops over the ureter and passes over the

side and down the posterior surface of the urinary
bladder
Sperm travels: testes🡪 epididymis🡪 vas deferens🡪 ejaculatory duct🡪 urethra (3 sections)

●The urethra is the duct shared by the

reproductive and urinary systems
○ Both semen and urine pass through
the urethra

○ The urethra passes through the

prostate gland (prostatic urethra),
deep muscles of the perineum
(intermediate/membranous
urethra), and the penis (spongy
urethra)
Which duct conveys sperm away from the
epididymis?
A. urethra
B. prostate
C. ductus deferens
D. ejaculatory
 Accessory glands

● Each ejaculation produces 2.5 -5 mL of semen

● Semen contains sperm (20-200 million per mL)

and seminal fluid

● Seminal fluid produced by accessory glands

○ -small portion comes from epididymis too

● Accessory glands:
○ Prostate
○ Seminal vesicles
○ Bulbourethral glands

Wikimedia commons
 Accessory Glands
Seminal vesicles
• Produce majority of seminal
Prostate fluid
• Fluid contains enzymes to keep • Fluid contains fructose (sugar) to
semen from clumping give sperm energy and amino
• Enhance sperm motility acids to thicken semen

Bulbourethral glands
• Fluid lubricates tip of penis and
counteracts acidity in urethra
• Homologous to female vestibular
glands

Wikimedia commons
 Accessory Glands
• Seminal vesicles (glands) - secrete an alkaline,
viscous fluid containing fructose, prostaglandins
and clotting proteins (60%)

• Prostate - a single, donut-shaped gland that

secretes a milky, slightly acidic fluid containing citric
acid, proteolytic enzymes, acid phosphatase, and
seminalplasmin (antibiotic) (25%)

• Bulbourethral (Cowper’s) glands - secrete an

alkaline fluid during sexual arousal that neutralizes
acids from urine and mucus for lubrication
Match each gland to their secretion:

produce fluids that make up about 60% of semen.

Bulbourethral Alkaline to counter acidity. Sugar for ATP
production by sperm

Prostate produces 25% of semen. Contributes to sperm

motility and viability

releases fluid during arousal that is alkaline to

Seminal Vesicle neutralize the low pH of the urethra. Mucus to
lubricate the urethra and lessen the chance any
sperm will be damaged during ejactulation
● Penis
○ delivers sperm to female reproductive tract
○ spongy erectile tissue
■ 3 columns
■ Three cylindrical chambers of erectile tissue
● vessels in these structures fill with blood
during erection
● causes veins to be compressed, preventing
blood from leaving erectile tissue
■ fills with blood during an erection
○ glans penis
● tip w/ many sensory nerve endings
● attaches to neck of glans
● provides protection from abrasion,
dehydration, and fecal material (as babies)
■ covered by foreskin
● circumcision (surgical removal)
Penis
• Contains urethra
• Passageway for ejaculation of semen and
excretion of urine; opening is external urethral
orifice
• Body of penis: 3 cylindrical masses of erectile
tissue
• Corpora cavernosa (2) and corpus
spongiosum (1)
• Glans penis – end of corpus spongiosum
• Prepuce or foreskin covers glans in
uncircumcised males
• Root of penis includes bulb and crura
• Erection: parasympathetic fibers causes smooth
muscle in arterioles to relax 🡪 blood enters penis
• Ejaculation: sympathetic reflex
Erection of the Penis
• arteries dilate → blood enters sinuses w/in corpora cavernosa → pressure from
blood pinches off/compresses veins → more blood retained
Draw the Biological Male Reproductive System
How many chromosomes are in a human
somatic cell?
 Spermatogenesis
Primary spermatocyte
● The formation of mature sperm cells (spermatozoa)

● Begins in testes with spermatogonium

○ -sperm diploid stem cells
○ -formed during embryonic development
○ -dormant until puberty

● At puberty, meiosis begins in males

○ -constant until death (continuous)
○ -no limit to how many are produced

● Primary spermatocytes → secondary spermatocytes → spermatids → sperm

cells

● Each cycle of meiosis produces 4 haploid sperm

Wikimedia commons
Spermatogenesis
• Spermatogenesis takes 65-75 days in humans
• Spermatogonia (stem cells): diploid (2n), from embryonic yolk
• Divide mitotically to replace themselves, some continue development
• Primary spermatocytes: diploid (2n)
• Each duplicates its DNA and meiosis begins
• Secondary spermatocyte: haploid (1n)
• 2 cells at end of Meiosis I
• Each chromosome made up of 2 chromatids attached at centromere
• Spermatids (n)
• 4 haploid cells at end of Meiosis II
• Spermiogenesis: development of spermatids into mature sperm cells
• Become slender, acrosome and flagellum form, mitochondria multiply
• Spermiation – release from connections to Sertoli cells
• Not yet able to swim
Which cell undergoes cell division to
make spermatids?
A. spermatogonia
B. secondary spermatocytes
C. primary spermatocytes
D. sperm
 Sperm
Designed to reach and penetrate the secondary oocyte in order to achieve fertilization and create a zygote
*about 200 million - 300 million sperm are produced each day (~1,000 sperm per second in a healthy male*

• The Head contains a nucleus with 23 chromosomes (haploid)

• acrosome covers the head and contains enzymes to help penetrate the egg
• Midpiece:
• The neck contains centrioles that form the microtubules that make up the rest of the tail
• The middle piece contains mitochondria that make ATP for locomotion of the sperm
• Tail for movement:
• The principal piece
• The end piece
 Sperm anatomy
Acrosome
Enzymes necessary for fertilization
Nucleus
Holds chromosomes (DNA)

Mitochondria
Creates ATP (energy)

Head
Mid-piece

Tail/Flagellum
Propels sperm

Wikimedia commons
 Semen
○ Sticky whitish mixture of sperm and fluids form anatomical structures sperm traveled through

*Typical ejaculate expels ~ 2.5 - 5 mL in volume with ~ 80 million – 300 million sperm cells total
(20 million -200 million sperm per mL fluid)*
Alkaline pH: 7.2–8.0
● Post-ejaculation:
○ 5 minutes post-ejaculation: semen coagulates due to clotting proteins from seminal vesicles and enzymes from prostate
Prevents semen from leaking out of female reproductive tract

○ After 15–30 minutes: semen clot breaks up due to PSA /anticoagulants from prostate
Sperm cells gradually released from clot activated and begin ascent up female reproductive tract

○ Sperm can survive in female reproductive tract for 3-5 days

● Prostaglandins
○ stimulate contractions in female reproductive tract
○ allow sperm access further into female tract
○ increase probability of fertilization

● Antimicrobial chemicals from prostate

○ kill some bacteria incl. Escherichia coli
Which part of the sperm carries enzymes
required to penetrate the ovum?
A. acrosome
B. flagella
C. centrioles
D. neck
 Let’s talk about hormones

What hormones do you remember from the

endocrine system that target the testes?
Hormonal Control
Hormones control testicular function

• At puberty gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates

cells in the anterior pituitary gland to produce luteinizing
hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
• LH stimulates Leydig cells in the testes to produce
testosterone
• FSH stimulates spermatogenesis

Testosterone: Male behavioral and physical sexual

characteristics, stimulation of sperm development,
prenatal male development, stimulation of anabolism

Negative feedback loop responding to T and inhibin

True or False: FSH stimulates testosterone production by the testes

TRUE FALSE
Clinical
Applications
 Cancer
Testicular cancer: most common cancer among 15-35 yrs old men

• Not painful, need monthly self-examinations

• High cure rate if caught early

Prostate cancer: cancer in prostate gland, detected with rectal exam

• Second most common cancer in men in US
• Prostate naturally enlarges with age (not cancer-related) which can stop urine flow
• Tx: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy
• Some tumors grow very slowly
■ have low risk of metastasis
■ regular monitoring may be all that is required
• Some tumors are quite aggressive
■ metastasize to other tissues rapidly
■ screening and early detection are critically important

• BPH common in men (noncancerous Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) treated w meds

■ Pregnant people should not touch BPH meds (tamsulosin, etc.) → can induce miscarriage!

Wikimedia commons
 Erectile dysfunction (ED)
Inability to achieve or maintain an erection (impotence)

Wide range of causes

• Psychological (e.g. stress, depression, etc)

• Physiological (e.g. damaged vessels or nerves)

Treated with medications that promote nitric oxide

• NO is a vasodilator
• Promotes blood flow to penis
• Still need to be aroused for it to work
• Medications (Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis)

OpenStax
The Human Sexual Response
Male and Female Reproductive Roles

● M and F make an equal NUCLEAR genetic contribution

○ donate 1 copy of each chromosome to offspring
○ exception: mtDNA is inherited 100% maternally

● Male reproductive strategies:

○ Produce millions of sperm
○ Deliver sperm to the F RS

● Female reproductive strategies:

○ Produce one egg per month
○ Nourish and protect developing offspring
Stages of the Human Sexual Response
● 1. Sexual arousal and 2. Sexual intercourse

● 2 physiological changes (for both males and females):

■ Vasocongestion:
○ certain tissues fill w/ blood
■ Myotonia:
○ certain muscles show sustained or rhythmic contractions
Stages of the Human Sexual Response

4 stages:

1. Excitement (under parasympathetic control)

2. Plateau (under parasympathetic control)
3. Orgasm (under sympathetic control)
4. Resolution (under sympathetic control)
In this lecture, we learned..

1. Describe the structure and function of the organs of the male reproductive system
2. Describe the structure and function of the sperm cell
3. Explain the events during spermatogenesis that produce haploid sperm from diploid cells
4. Identify the importance of testosterone in male reproductive function
5. Describe common clinical applications of male reproductive system dysfunction
SPERMATOGENESIS

Spermatogenesis begins with

spermatogonia (diploid stem cells) that
differentiate into diploid primary
spermatocytes