O male genital system it is composed of the scrotum, testes, spermatic pathways (epididymis, vas deferens and urethra), accessory sex glands (seminal glands, prostate and bulbourethral glands) and penis.
The scrotum, a pair organ, also known as scrotum or scrotum, is a skin pouch that is located below the penis. Inside this bag we find the male gonads, better known as testicles. In the testicles we can find thousands of coiled tubes called seminiferous tubules, where sperm are produced through the spermatogenesis. In the seminiferous tubules, sperm are nourished by the Sertoli cells. The scrotum, in addition to protecting the testicles, has the function of maintaining their temperature around one degree below body temperature, essential for sperm production to occur.
Once formed, the sperm leave the seminiferous tubules and are sent to the efferent ducts, from where they will proceed to the epididymis. In the epididymis, sperm will gain mobility and will be forwarded to the vas deferens
, formerly called vas deferens. You vas deferens there are two tubes that come out of each testicle and pass through the abdomen, going around the bladder until they merge with the duct of the seminal glands, making up the ejaculatory duct, which flows into the urethra. All sperm produced are stored in the epididymis and vas deferens until they are eliminated in ejaculation.At seminal glands, also called seminal vesicles, are found behind the bladder and above the prostate. They produce an alkaline liquid that is released into the ejaculatory duct and has the function of nourishing the sperm during their journey towards the egg. Being alkaline in nature, this liquid neutralizes the acidic environment of the male urethra and female genital tract, making this environment ideal for sperm. This fluid produced by these glands makes up about 60% of the total volume of the sperm, also called semen.
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THE prostate it is approximately 4 cm in diameter and is located below the urinary bladder. It produces a secretion, nutritious for sperm, which constitutes between 15 and 30% of sperm.
Located below the prostate we find the bulbourethral glands, also known as Cowper's glands. During sexual arousal, these glands produce an alkaline fluid that is released into the urethra with the function of cleaning it, so that there is a decrease in damaged sperm during ejaculation.
THE urethra it is a channel that passes through the penis and is common to the urinary and genital systems, that is, through this channel the sperm and urine are conducted.
O penis it is the male copulatory organ. It has spongy tissues rich in blood vessels: the corpora cavernosa of the penis it's the spongy penis body. The corpus cavernosum of the penis is formed by erectile tissue that fills with blood during sexual arousal, causing the erection of the penis to occur, making sexual intercourse possible.
At the end of the penis we find the glans, which is protected by the foreskin, which must always be sanitized to eliminate epithelial cell secretions that accumulate and cause bad smell. There are cases where the glans cannot be exposed because of the narrowing of the foreskin. When this happens, we say that the individual has phimosis. In these cases, the foreskin must be surgically removed through circumcision.
When a man reaches sexual climax, sperm are expelled from the body through the urethra in a process called ejaculation. In each ejaculation, a man expels about 3 ml to 4 ml of sperm, which contains 300 to 500 million sperm.
By Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
MORAES, Paula Louredo. "Male Genital System"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/aparelho-reprodutor-masculino.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
