- What are the primary sex organs? Gonads: Testes, and ovaries.
- What do Gonads produce? Sex cells (gametes)
- What do Gonads secrete? Steroid sex hormones
- What are the steroid sex hormones for males? Androgens
- What are the steroid sex hormones for females? Estrogens and Progesterone
- What are accessory reproductive organs? Ducts, glands, and external genitalia
- What do Sex Hormones play roles in? Development and function of the reproductive organs, sexual behavior and drives, and growth and development of many other organs and tissues.
- Where are the testes located? Within the scrotum
- What is the function of the testes? Produce sperm.
- How are sperm delivered to the exterior? Through a system of ducts (Epididymis, ductus deferens, ejaculatory duct, and the urethra)
- What are the accessory glands of the Male Reproductive System? Seminal vesicles, prostate, and bulbourethral glands.
- What do the accessory glands do? Empty secretions into the ducts during ejaculation.
- What are the testes surrounded by? Two tunics.
- What are the two tunics surrounding the tests? Tunica vaginalis, derived from peritoneum; and Tunica albuginea, the fibrous capsule
- What divides the testis? Septa divide testes into 250 - 300 lobules, each containing 1 - 4 seminiferous tubules.
- Where is the site of sperm production? Seminiferous tubules
- What are Sperm conveyed through? Seminiferous tubules, tubulus rectum, rete testis, efferent ductules, and the epididymis.
- What is the blood supply of the testes? Testicular arteries and veins.
- What encloses nerve fibers, blood vessels, and lymphatics that supply the testes? Spermatic cord.
- What is the scrotum? Sac of skin and superficial fascia that hangs outside the abdominopelvic cavity, contains the pair of testes
- What is the temperature difference in the scrotum? 3* lower than core body temperature
- Why is temperature regulation important? Temperature necessary to sperm production
- Temperature is kept constant by what two sets of muscles? Smooth muscle that wrinkles scrotal skin (dartos muscle), and bands of skeletal muscle that elevate the testes (cremaster muscles)
- What is the male external genitalia? Scrotum and penis
- What is the male copulatory organ? The penis
- What does the penis consist of? Root and shaft that ends in the glans penis, prepuce, or foreskin, crura, the spongy urethra and three cylindrical bodies of erectile tissue.
- What is circumcision? The surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis
- What is the crura? The proximal end surrounded by ischiocavernosus muscle; anchors penis to the pubic arch
- What is the spongy urethra? Spongy network of connective tissue and smooth muscle with vascular space
- What expands to form the glans and bulb? Corpus spongiosum
- What are paired dorsal erectile bodies? Corpora cavernosa
- What is an erection? Erectile tissue fills with blood, causing the penis to enlarge and become rigid
- What makes up the male duct system? The epididymis, ductus deferens, ejaculatory duct, and urethra
- What does the head of the epididymis contain? Efferent ductules
- How does the epididymis function? Microvilli (stereocilia) absorb testiticular fluid and pass nutrients to stored sperm.
- How does sperm pass through the epididymis? Non-motile sperm enter, pass slowly through, and become motile
- What does the epididymis do during ejaculation? Contracts, expelling the sperm into the ductus deferens
- Where is the ductus deferens? Passes through the inguinal canal, and expands to form the ampulla and then joins the duct of the seminal vesicle to form the ejaculatory duct
- What is the function of the ductus deferens? Propels sperm from the epididymis to the urethra
- What is a Vasectomy? Cutting and ligating the ductus deferens, which is a nearly 100% effective form of birth control
- What is the urethra? Conveys both urine and semen (at different times)
- What are the three regions of the urethra? Prostatic urethra, membranous urethra, and spongy (penile) urethra
- What do the Seminal Vesicles produce? Vicious alkaline seminal fluid
- What is the viscous alkaline seminal fluid? fructose, ascorbic acid, coagulating enzyme (vesiculase), and prostaglandins.
- What percentage of semen is the Viscous Alkaline Seminal Fluid? 70% of the volume.
- What does the duct of the seminal vesicle join with? The ductus deferns to form the ejaculatory duct.
- Where is the prostate? Encircles part of the urethra inferior to the bladder.
- What does the Prostate secrete? Milky, slightly acid fluid
- What does the milky, slightly acidic fluid secreted from the prostate contain? Citrate, enzymes, and prostate specific antigen (PSA).
- What does the milky, slightly acidic fluid secreted by the prostate do? Plays a role in the activation of sperm, enters the prostatic urethra during ejaculation.
