Exercise 10

Question 1

What are the primary sex organs of the male reproductive system?

Answer 1

2. The primary sex organs referred to as the male gonads are the paired testes.

Question 2

3. List the four ducts of the male reproductive system in order of appearance.

Answer 2

3. The four ducts of the male reproductive system in order of appearance are: the epididymis (2), the vas deferens (2), the ejaculatory duct (2) and the urethra (1).

Question 3

4. Name the three glands of the male reproductive system. What fluid does each secrete and into which duct?

Answer 3

4. The three sets of glands of the male reproductive system are: the seminal vesicles (2), the prostate gland (1), and the bulbourethral glands (Cowper’s gland)(2).
   Seminal vesicles – a pair of seminal vesicles lie at the base of the bladder and they secrete seminal fluid into the vas deferens
   Prostate gland – is a single gland that surrounds the upper portion of the urethra just below the bladder. It secretes a basic fluid into the urethra Bulbourethral glands – are pea-sized glands that lie posterior to the prostate gland on either side of the urethra. They secrete a mucoid fluid into the urethra.

Question 4

5. What can happen to the prostate gland in older men?

Answer 4

5. In older men the prostate can enlarge and squeeze off the urethra, making urination painful and difficult.

Question 5

6. What is semen? Give a brief description of semen. Describe three ways that the contents of semen help the sperm do its job.

Answer 5

6. Semen is a thick whitish fluid, formed of seminal fluids secreted by the glands and sperm cells. During ejaculation about 3.5 mL of semen is expelled containing in excess of 400 million sperm. Three ways semen helps the sperm are: semen has a slightly basic pH which sperm do well in; semen contains the sugar fructose which serves as an energy source for the swimming sperm; semen contains chemicals that cause the uterus of the female to contract forcing the sperm towards the egg.

Question 6

What are the functions of the penis

Answer 6

7. The penis is the male organ of sexual intercourse. It is formed of a long shaft and an enlarged tip called the glans. It is designed to penetrate the vagina and contains the urethra that will carry the semen out of the penis. (The urethra also carries urine.)

Question 7

8. What procedure is sometimes done soon after the birth of a male child?

Answer 7

8. A procedure known as circumcision is sometimes done soon after the birth of a male child. It involves the surgical removal of the foreskin that covers the glans of the penis.

Question 8

9. What type of tissue is found in the shaft of the penis? What changes to the tissues in the penis cause it to become erect?

Answer 8

9. The shaft of the penis is formed of spongy erectile tissue that contains blood spaces that have the ability to considerably distend. During sexual arousal the ANS causes the erectile tissue to fill with blood and the veins to compress.

Question 9

10.What two systems does the urethra belong to?

Answer 9

10. The single urethra functions in both the urinary system by carrying urine from the urinary bladder to the outside and in the reproductive system by carrying semen from the vas deferens and ejaculatory ducts to the outside.

Question 10

11.What happens to the testes shortly before a boy’s birth? Why is this important?

Answer 10

11. Shortly before the birth of a male child the testes, which have been developing inside the abdominal cavity, descend into the scrotal sacs. It is important for this to happen because sperm are not able to develop if the testes are inside the body as the temperature is too high.

Question 11

12.What is the function of the testes? What is the function of the scrotum?

Answer 11

12. The function of the testes is to produce sperm and the male sex hormones including testosterone. The function of the scrotum, the pouch of skin that encloses the testes, is to help regulate the temperature of the testes by holding them closer or farther away from the body.

Question 12

13.Briefly describe the development of sperm. How long do sperm live once inside the female genital tract?

Answer 12

13. The production of sperm, the male gamete, is referred to as spermatogenesis. It begins in the seminiferous tubules of the testes. These new cells undergo meiosis, a type of cell division that results in the production of haploid cells containing 23 chromosomes called spermatids. These spermatids will complete maturation in the epididymis becoming mature motile sperm.
    Once inside the female genital tract, sperm will live for approximately 48 hours.

Question 13

15.What is the main sex hormone in males and how does it function?

Answer 13

15. The main sex hormone in males is testosterone. It is formed from interstitial cells, cells that lie between the seminiferous tubules. Testosterone is essential for the normal development and functioning of the organs of the male reproductive system. It also brings about and maintains the male secondary sex characteristics that develop at the time of puberty. These sex characteristics include the following; increased height, longer legs, broader shoulders, deeper voice, increased amounts of body hair including facial and chest hair, receding hairlines and male pattern baldness, increased musculature.

Question 14

Name the four major groups of organs of the male reproductive system.

Answer 14

1. The four major groups of organs of the male reproductive system are the testes, four ducts, three sets of glands and the penis.