Human Reproduction Flashcards
Structure of the Male and Female Reproductive System
Structure of the Male Reproductive System
A pair of testes situated in a scrotum
The epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory duct and urethra
The seminal vesicles, prostate gland and Cowper’s glands
The penis
The Testes
The testes are the male sex organs. They occur in a bag-like scrotum which lies outside the abdominal cavity.
Within each testes are found the seminiferous tubules
The seminiferous tubules are lined by germinal epithelium cells which produce the spermatozoa by spermatogenesis
Inside the seminiferous tubules, there are specialized cells called Sertoli cells
The Sertoli cells are rich in glycogen which is thought to serve as nutrients for the spermatids as they develop into sperm cells/ spermatozoa
Between the seminiferous tubules are interstitial cells called cell of Leydig
The cells of Leydig secrete the male sex hormone called testosterone
When sexual maturity or puberty occurs testosterone is responsible for the development of male characteristics, such as the growth of hair on the face, armpits and pubic areas, lowering of the voice and the development of the muscles which gives males their characteristic shape such as broad shoulders
The Epididymis
The Epididymis is a coiled tube lying outside each testis but within the scrotum. It leads from the seminiferous tubules, stores sperms temporarily and later passes these sperms into the Vas Deferens
The Vas Deferens
The Vas Deferens/ Sperm Duct carries the Spermatozoa from the epididymis through the abdomen into the Ejaculatory Duct
The Ejaculatory Duct
The two Ejaculatory Ducts join the urethra just after it leaves the bladder. Contraction of the muscular walls of the Ejaculatory Duct forces its contents (called Semen) through the urethra
the Urethra
The Urethra is a tube which runs through the penis and opens at the tip of it. It is a common tube for the passage of Urine and Semen
The Accessory Glands
The Accessory Glands (Seminal Vesicles, the Prostate Gland and Cowper’s Glands) secrete a fluid which promotes movement of the spermatozoa and which provides nutrition to the spermatozoa
