The Male Reproductive System

The secretion of glands with spermatozoa is a whitish, viscous fluid known as seminal fluid or semen.

The process of expulsion of semen from the urethra is called ejaculation.

The male reproductive system is a group of organs located in the pelvic region that work together to produce sperm, nourish them, and deliver them into the female reproductive tract.

Male Reproductive System

It consists of four main components:

Location & Physical Structure:

• The testes are the primary male sex organs (gonads).
• Located outside the abdominal cavity in a skin pouch called the scrotum.
• The scrotum maintains a temperature 2–2.5°C lower than normal body temperature - essential for spermatogenesis.
• Each testis is oval-shaped: approximately 4–5 cm long and 2–3 cm wide.
• Each testis is covered by a dense covering and divided into approximately 250 compartments called testicular lobules.
• Each lobule contains 1–3 highly coiled seminiferous tubules - the actual sites of sperm production.

Inside the Seminiferous Tubule:

Interstitial Spaces (Outside the Tubules):

Once sperm are produced in the seminiferous tubules, they travel through a series of ducts.

Three glands produce secretions that collectively form the seminal plasma - the fluid component of semen. Their secretions nourish, protect, and mobilise sperm. Semen = Sperm + Seminal Plasma.

Seminal plasma is rich in: Fructose, calcium, and certain enzymes - all essential for sperm survival and motility.

• The penis is the male external genitalia.
• Composed of special erectile tissue that enables erection during insemination.
• The enlarged tip is called the glans penis.
• The glans penis is covered by a loose fold of skin called the foreskin (prepuce).
• The urethra runs through the penis and opens at the urethral meatus(external urethral opening).
• The penis serves a dual function: reproduction(delivery of sperm) and excretion (passage of urine).

Diagrammatic sectional view of male pelvis showing reproductive system

• The male reproductive system is located in the pelvic region and includes testes, accessory ducts, accessory glands, and external genitalia (penis and scrotum).
• Testes are the primary sex organs present in the scrotum; they contain seminiferous tubules where sperm are produced, while Leydig cells secrete testosterone, and Sertoli cells provide nourishment.
• Accessory ducts - rete testis → vasa efferentia → epididymis → vas deferens → ejaculatory duct → urethra—help in storage, maturation, and transport of sperm.
• Accessory glands - seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands - add secretions like fructose, enzymes, and mucus, which nourish sperms and aid in their movement.
• The penis acts as the external genital organ, containing the urethra, and helps in the transfer of sperm during ejaculation.