Male Reproductive Anatomy – outline notes

I. MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM


A. Testes – male gonads
1.  Location
a. suspended in scrotum; outside abdominopelvic cavity
2.  Surrounded by two tunics
a. Tunica vaginalis – outer layer; derived from peritoneum
b. Tunica albuginea – inner covering; fibrous capsule
3. Spermatic cord
a.  connective tissue sheath that contains blood vessels,
lymphatics, nerve fibers, and vas deferens that supply testes
4. Seminiferous tubules
a.  tissue units that produce sperm (spermatogenesis)
5. Cells
a. Leydig cells (interstitial cells) – produce testosterone
1) found between seminiferous tubules
b. Sertoli cells (nurse cells, sustentacular cells)
1) found in walls of seminiferous tubules




B. Ducts transporting sperm
1. Pathway of sperm transport
-seminiferous tubule —tubulus rectus — rete testis —efferent
ductule —epididymis — vas (ductus) deferens — ejaculatory duct —urethra

C. Accessory glands
1. seminal vesicles
2. prostate
3. bulbourethral glands (Cowper’s glands)

D. External genitalia
1. Scrotum – sac of skin and superficial fascia containing testes
a. dartos muscle – smooth muscle in superficial fascia
1) wrinkles testes
b. cremaster muscles – skeletal muscle that elevates testes
2. Penis
a. glans penis – enlarged tip
b. prepuce (foreskin) – frequently removed by circumcision
c. erectile tissue
1) corpus spongiosum – singular and surrounds spongy
urethra; expands distally to form glans
2) corpora cavernosa – paired and dorsally located
*These become engorged with blood during erection.

b. Sperm
1) head
2) tail
c. Spermatic cord
1) vas deferens
a) lumen
b) pseudostratified columnar epithelium




1) may contain stereocilia
c) smooth muscle
1) inner longitudinal layer
2) middle circular layer
3) outer longitudinal layer
2) blood vessel (pampiniform plexus) and nerves