Male reproductive system

 Reproduction of man

Puberty (Adolescence)

Sexual maturity or attaining adolescence is referred to as puberty. Secondary sexual characteristcs which differentiate males and females begin to appear from the puberty

 Secondary sexual characteristics

Features that appear in male and female from puberty are known as secondary sexual characteristics.

 Secondary sexual characteristics of males

These changes start to appear between the age of 13-16 years. The action of Testosterone hormone is responsible for this.

• Pubertal hair grows on face, chest, under arm pits and in genital areas.
• Shoulders grow wide.
• Larynx enlarges and voice becomes deep.
• Bones and muscles grow faster and the growth of body is accelerated.
• Testes start to produce sperms.
• Genitals start to grow larger.

 Male reproductive system

Main parts of the male reproductive system

Testes / Testicles

A pair of testes which are oval in shape are located in a sac called scrotum or testes sac. Sperms are produced in these structures. A testes is comprised of about 250 testical lobules. There are about 1000 convoluted tubules which are called seminiferous tubules in them. Sperm mother cells are produced in seminferous tubules

Pair of epididymis

All the vas efferens in a testes emerge out of the testes and are opened to a single convoluted tube called epididymis. Sperms are temporarily stored in it.

Pair of vas deferens

The tube that brings sperms from epididymis is called vas deferens. The other end of it is joined to the tube coming from seminal vesicles.

Pair of seminal vesicles, prostrate gland and pair of cowper's glands

These are the glands associated with male reproductive system. These glands secrete a white fluid. This secretion is released into the urethra. This fluid is important to provide nutrition to the sperms and their transportation. Sperms and this white fluid is collectively known as seminal fluid or semen.

Penis

This is the muscular organ which is important in ejection of semen into female reproductive system. This becomes rigid when blood supply is increased. Urethra opens out through penis. The tip of the penis is called glans penis and it is covered by prepuce or foreskin.

Functions of male reproductive system

Production of sperms begins when a male attains his puberty. Sperms are formed from the sperm mother cells which are in the seminiferous tubules. When sperms are temporarily stored in epididymis. During the copulation, sperms pass through vas deferens and are collected to the urethra. At the same time, the secretion of the prostrate gland and Cowper's glands are also mixed with sperms. The secretion mixed with sperms is called seminal fluid or semen. There are millions of sperms in one milliliter (1 ml) of semen.

Process of generating sperms is very sensitive to temperature. The temperature in the testes should be lower than body temperature for the production of healthy sperms. That is the reason for testes to be in a sac called scrotum out side the body. Matured sperm is motile and consists of three parts named head, body and tail.

Activities of male reproductive system

Production of sperm cells.

Ejection of sperms into female reproductive system.

Production of Testosterone.