Male Reproductive Anatomy

Question 1

What are the key functions of the male reproductive tract?

Answer 1

• manufacturing sperm
• storage in epididymis
• transport

Question 2

Describe the anatomy in the bull

Answer 2

• testicles located ventrally between legs - pendulous and held within scrotum
• penis has sigmoid flexion - in retracted state held in a sheath

Question 3

Describe the anatomy of the Ram

Answer 3

• similar to bull
• testicles ventral between legs and pendulous
• flexion of penis, in sheath when retracted

Question 4

Describe the anatomy in stallion

Answer 4

• testicles vental between legs, pendulous
• penis in sheath when retracted
• no flexion

Question 5

Describe the anatomy of the boar

Answer 5

• caudal testes and non-penulous
• flexion of penis

Question 6

Describe the anatomy of the dog and tom

Answer 6

• caudal testes, non pendulous
• penis ventral in dog, caudal in tom

Question 7

Describe the testes

Answer 7

• housed in scrotum outside body in peritoneum
• scrotum protects and supports
• located caudal to kidneys during foetal development
• descend from body cavity into scrotum through inguinal canal in late gestation

Question 8

Describe the peritoneum

Answer 8

consists of:
- skin
- sweat glands
- connective tissue

Question 9

Describe inguinal hernias

Answer 9

when small intestine protrudes into scrotum during testical descent

Question 10

Describe failure of testes descending

Answer 10

cryptorchid (retention of testicles)
- can be unilateral or bilateral
- placement of retention varies
- can cause infertility, reduce ability of spermatogenesis
- cna be inherited
- small keyhole surgery to fix

Question 11

What are the major components of the testes?

Answer 11

• tunica albuginea
• seminiferous tubules within lobules
• rete testis
• epididymis
• vas deferens
• pampiniform plexus
• parenchyma

Question 12

What is the rete testis?

Answer 12

• connective tissue that prevents collapsing of seminiferous tubules: collapse causes blockages
• contains rete fluid produced by seminiferous epithelium
• form into epididymis - lies on top or over depending on species

Question 13

What is the epididymis?

Answer 13

site of maturation of spermatocytes and storage

Question 14

What does the epididymis form into?

Answer 14

• vas deferens - transportation route of spermatozoa out of testes

Question 15

What is the role of the pampiniform plexus?

Answer 15

counter-current heat exchange