13.01 Male Reproductive Anatomy (anatomy and physiology)

In this lesson we're going to talk about the male reproductive system.
To get started, the components of the male reproductive system are the testes, scrotum, spermatic ducts, accessory glands, and penis.

The testes are a vital part of the male reproductive anatomy. Covering each testicle, is an outer covering of connective tissue called the Tunica vaginalis. The primary connective tissue of the testes is something called the Tunica albuginea. Within each layer of albuginea is something called a septa and the septa wedge-shaped lobules and makes up between 250 to 300 of them.

In between each septa or something called seminiferous tubules, and these are the ducts where sperm is produced. In between these are the interstitial cells or the Leydig cells, and these produce testosterone in the testes.

In terms of blood supply everything is delivered to the testes in the spermatic cords. Spermatic cords go through the inguinal canal, and then they provide all of the vasculature to the testes. The testicular arteries come from the aorta down the inguinal Canal but they deliver poor oxygen supply to the testis. This actually helps prep the sperm through the mitochondria so that they can survive in the oxygen-poor environment of the female reproductive tract. The testicular veins drain into the inferior vena cava and the left renal vein. In addition, when we're talking about the lymphatic system, the lymphatic fluid is drained from each testes into the spermatic cord.

Now the scrotum is the pendulous pouch that contains each of the testicles. On the outside the skin contains sebaceous glands hair and sensory innervation. The scrotum is divided up into two halves and it's separated by connective tissue called the median septum. It actually protect each testicle from infection from the other. Within the spermatic cord which actually comes down into each side of the scrotum, it's going to pass through the inguinal canal and it's going to how's the ductus deferens which eventually becomes the vas deferens, blood and lymphatic tissue and the testicular nerves. Another really important function of the scrotum is temperature control. The temperature of the sperm has to be highly regulated when it comes to temperature, so different types of muscle groups help to make this happen. The cremaster muscle is an internal abdominal oblique muscle that helps to bring the testes closer to the body when it's too cold whenever it's warmer. Similarly the dartos muscle does the same thing. It's made of subcutaneous muscle tissue and it will help to contract to bring those testes up closer to the body when it's cool and will relax when it's warm .

Now the scrotum is the pendulous pouch that contains each of the testicles. On the outside the skin contains sebaceous glands hair and sensory innervation. The scrotum is divided up into two halves and it's separated by connective tissue called the median septum. It actually protect each testicle from infection from the other. Within the spermatic cord which actually comes down into each side of the scrotum, it's going to pass through the inguinal canal and it's going to how's the ductus deferens which eventually becomes the vas deferens, blood and lymphatic tissue and the testicular nerves. Another really important function of the scrotum is temperature control. The temperature of the sperm has to be highly regulated when it comes to temperature, so different types of muscle groups help to make this happen. The cremaster muscle is an internal abdominal oblique muscle that helps to bring the testes closer to the body when it's too cold whenever it's warmer. Similarly the dartos muscle does the same thing. It's made of subcutaneous muscle tissue and it will help to contract to bring those testes up closer to the body when it's cool and will relax when it's warm .

They're awesome some really important accessory glands that help move the sperm where it needs to go. There are three things that we looked at in terms of accessory glands, and these are seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, and something called the bubble urethral gland or Cowper’s glands. Now seminal vesicles are actually a convoluted ducks with numerous branches and it empties into the ejaculatory duct. It secretes a yellowish fluid which is about 60% of semen. In the prostate gland it's a single capsule that has a group of these tubal alveolar glands and it's going to secrete a thin milky substance of about 30% of the semen. And then finally there's the bubble urethral gland and it actually produces a fluid for lubrication. It comes out before any of this firm and it helps to neutralize the acidity of any residual urine. Acidic environments are harmful to sperm and this fluid actually helps to neutralize that.

Finally there's actually the penis. There's two main functions which are apart of reproduction and urination. It's made up of two sections, the shaft and the glans penis or the head. In the shaft of the penis is actually made up of three separate tubular structures. Two of them are larger in size and this is the corpus cavernosum. The other one is called the Corpus spongiosum in the urethra actually travels through this. During times of stimulation or before intercourse, this tissue becomes engorged with blood. finally when we're looking at the glans penis or the head, it's composed of Corpus spongiosum, and it is the most distal portion of the penis. At the end of the penis has something called the prepuce or the foreskin and and is sometimes removed during the process of circumcision near or around birth or indicated by certain culture.
Okay so let's recap.

The male reproductive system is made up of the testes, scrotum, spermatic ducts, accessory glands and penis

The testes are the organs that house and produces sperm and testosterone.

The scrotum is the pouch that's when a how's the testes and it's going to control temperature through muscle contraction.

The accessory glands secrete fluids that help neutralize acidic environments.

And finally the spermatic ducts are the pathways for the sperm to exit the body and they do this through the penis.

And that's our lesson on male reproductive Anatomy. Make sure you check out all the resources attached to this lesson. Now go out and be your best self today, and as always happy nursing!