reproductive system. The structure and functions of the male genital organs

Male gonads include both glands of mixed secretion and exocrine (external secretion). The first group includes the testicles, or testicles, and the second group includes the single prostate and paired bulbourethral (Cooper) glands.

Development of the male gonads

The internal gonads of a person begin to form as early as the 4th week of pregnancy - it is at this time that a groove appears near the primary children's kidney, which will soon develop into a single common gonad. For both boys and girls.

With the onset of the 7th week, the universal sexual organ gradually begins to change - the testes, that is, the testicles, form in the boys, and soon begin to move down. If on the 3rd month they sit comfortably in the iliac fossa of the embryo, then by the 6th month they approach the entrance to the inguinal canal.

The next most important stage in the development of the sex glands occurs on the 7th month of stay in the mother's stomach. A large albuginea begins to form around the testicles, and the testicles themselves are rounded. The vas deferens gradually develop, and the sex glands, together with the entire arsenal - nerves, vessels, vas deferens - slowly move along the inguinal canal to the scrotum. This process takes 7-8 months; by birth, 97% of full-term babies have already had their testicles descended.

After the birth of a boy, the glands of the genital organs continue to actively develop. If the testicles do not descend completely, this process is completed during the first year. Then there is only growth.

Changes during puberty

The gonads in children grow very intensively: if a newborn baby has a weight of one testicle of about 0.2 grams, then by the end of the first year of life it is already 0.8 grams.

The testicles actively grow during puberty, at 10-15 years. In 5 years, they become 7.5 times larger and 9.5 times heavier. In a 15-year-old teenager, the testicles weigh 7 grams, in adulthood - 20-30 grams.

The prostate is finally formed by the age of 17. By this time, glandular tissue has been formed, since the age of 10, the gland has been producing prostate juice, its weight in an adult man is 17-28 grams. After 45 years, the glandular tissue will begin to atrophy.

At 10-11 years old, the gonads in the body of boys begin to intensively secrete male hormones - androgens. Male sex hormones work in stages:

• At 10-11 years old, the testicles and penis begin to grow sharply, the larynx expands, and the vocal cords thicken.
• At the age of 12-13, growth continues, pubic hair begins (although it will acquire a male character only by the age of 17).
• 14-15 years old is the time when the voice breaks. Under the influence of sex hormones, the testicles grow even more actively, the scrotum changes color, the first ejaculations occur in a teenager. Facial hair starts to grow.
• At 16-17, the development of the prostate gland ends, there is active hair growth on the face and body.

The structure of the male sex glands

The testicles are special sex glands. Despite the fact that they are outside, scientists consider them to be internal genital organs, but the scrotum, where the testicles are located, is already external.

The testes have an oval, slightly flattened shape, their length is 4-6 cm, their width is about 3 cm. Outside, the testicles are covered with dense connective tissue - a protein membrane, which thickens at the back and develops into the so-called mediastinum (or Maxillary body). Partitions run from the mediastinum of the testicle into the gland, which divide the gland into 200-300 tiny lobules.

Each lobule contains 2-4 seminiferous tubules, where the main male cells, spermatozoa, are formed.

Countless tubules are formed into a single network, intertwined into 10-18 efferent tubules, flow into the testis duct, from there into the vas deferens, then into the vas deferens. That, in turn, rushes into the abdominal cavity, then into the small pelvis, and then, penetrating the entire prostate, opens into the urethra.

In shape and size it resembles a large chestnut. It is a muscular-glandular organ and consists of 30-50 tubular-alveolar glands. The muscular part of the gland is a kind of sphincter for the urethra, the glandular part is responsible for secretion production.

Two bulbourethral glands are located at the base of the penis, each 0.3-0.8 cm in diameter, the size of a pea. Like the prostate, the structure of the gonads is complex, tubular-alveolar. Inside each there are several small slices, divided into clusters. The ducts of the bulbourethral lobules join to form a single excretory duct, which exits into the urethra.

Functions of the male gonads

The value of the gonads in the body of a man is determined solely by the products of their activity. In the testicles, these are androgen hormones and spermatozoa, in the prostate - its secret (and in a simple way juice), in Cooper's "peas" - also secretory fluid, pre-ejaculate.

All the tasks that these glands perform can be represented in a table.

Violations of the gonads can be congenital, manifest with age, or occur due to banal inflammation. The main pathologies of the testicles are cryptorchidism (the testicles do not descend into the scrotum), dropsy, inflammation (orchitis), etc. The most common disease. With age, adenoma often develops - a benign tumor that can develop into cancer. Inflammatory disease of the cooper glands is called cooperitis, this disorder is extremely rare.

Hormones of the male gonads

The secretion of the gonads includes the production of hormones and various secrets, but of all three male glands, only one organ specializes in hormones - the testicles.

The answer to the question of what are sex hormones in men and where they are synthesized is not limited to the activity of the testicles. These substances are synthesized both in the testes and in the adrenal glands, and FSH and LH, the tropic hormones of the pituitary gland, regulate their work.

All testicular hormones are grouped under the name "androgens" and are steroid hormones. These include:

• testosterone;
• androsterone;
• dihydrosterone;
• androstenediol;
• androstenedione.

It is interesting that mankind owes the discovery of testosterone to the scientific ambitions of Nazi Germany. Back in 1931, the German scientist Adolf Butenandt managed to isolate testosterone from urine - for 15 mg of the hormone, he needed more than 10 thousand liters of liquid.

After 3 years, the researcher synthesized artificial testosterone, and in 1939 they decided to give him the Nobel Prize for this. The Nazi government forbade it, deciding that the world had no right to use the scientific discoveries of Germany, but in 1949 the award nevertheless found its hero.

Hormone Functions

All androgen hormones perform a similar function - they are responsible for the reproductive function of a man and the development of secondary sexual characteristics, which begins during puberty. Each hormone also has its own specialization:

• testosterone activates muscle growth, is responsible for the formation of the genital organs, thickening of the larynx;
• dihydrosterone stimulates male-type hair growth, is responsible for the growth of prostate cells, the secretion of the sebaceous glands of the skin in a teenager, recovery after exercise;
• androsterone is the main assistant of testosterone in the reproduction of offspring and the formation of external sexual characteristics, and is also a pheromone, attracting the opposite sex.

The lack of sex hormones (especially testosterone) can provoke male infertility, delayed sexual development, impotence, and as a result, severe depression. If the secretion of hormones was disturbed during the mother's pregnancy, this causes congenital anomalies in the boy.

The male reproductive system includes the scrotum, testicles, seminal ducts, gonads, and penis. These organs work together to produce sperm, male gametes, and other components of sperm. These organs also work together to carry sperm out of the body and into the vagina, where it will help fertilize the egg to produce offspring… [Read below]

• Lower torso

[Start from above] … Scrotum
The scrotum is a burso-like organ made of skin and muscle where the testes are located. It is located lower than the penis in the pubic region. The scrotum consists of 2 testis sacs located side by side. The smooth muscles that make up the scrotum allow them to regulate the distance between the testes and the rest of the body. When the testicles become too warm to support spermatogenesis, the scrotum relaxes to move the testicles away from heat sources. Conversely, the scrotum moves closer to the body with the testicles when the temperature drops below the ideal range for spermatogenesis.

testicles

The 2 testes, also known as the testicles, are the male gonads responsible for the production of sperm and testosterone. The testicles are ellipsoidal glandular organs about 4 to 5 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. Each testis resides inside its own sac on one side of the scrotum and is connected to the abdomen by the funiculus and cremaster muscle. Internally, the testicles are divided into small compartments known as lobules. Each lobule contains a section of seminiferous tubules lined with epithelial cells. These epithelial cells contain many stem cells that divide and form sperm through the process of spermatogenesis.

Appendages

The epididymis is a sperm storage area that wraps around the superior and posterior margins of the testicles. The appendage consists of several long, thin tubes that are tightly coiled into a small mass. Spermatozoa are produced in the testicles and pass into the adnexa to mature before being passed through the male reproductive organs. The length of the appendage delays the release of spermatozoa and gives them time to mature.

spermatic cord and vas deferens

In the scrotum, a pair of spermatic cords connects the testes to the abdominal cavity. The spermatic cords contain the vas deferens along with the nerves, veins, arteries, and lymphatics that support the function of the testes.
The vas deferens is a muscular tube that carries semen from the epididymis into the abdominal cavity to the ejaculatory canal. The vas deferens is wider in diameter than the epididymis and uses its internal space to store mature sperm. The smooth muscles of the walls of the vas deferens are used to move sperm to the ejaculatory duct through the peristalsis.

seminal vesicles

The seminal vesicles are a pair of lumpy exocrine glands that store and produce some of the liquid semen. The seminal vesicles are about 5 cm long and are located behind the bladder closer to the rectum. The fluid in the seminal vesicles contains proteins and phlegm and has an alkaline pH to help sperm survive the acidic environment of the vagina. The liquid also contains fructose to feed the sperm cells so they survive long enough to fertilize an egg.

Ejaculatory canal

The vas deferens passes through the prostate and joins the urethra at a structure known as the ejaculatory duct. The ejaculatory canal also contains canals from the seminal vesicles. During ejaculation, the ejaculatory canal opens and expels semen and secretions from the seminal vesicles into the urethra.

Urethra

Sperm travels from the ejaculatory canal to the outside of the body through the urethra, a 20 to 25 cm long muscular tube. The urethra passes through the prostate and ends at the external opening of the urethra, located at the end of the penis. Urine exiting the body, from the bladder, passes through the urethra.

The walnut-sized prostate gland borders the lower end of the bladder and surrounds the urethra. The prostate produces most of the fluid, which is semen. This liquid is milky white in color and contains enzymes, proteins and other chemicals to support and protect sperm during ejaculation. The prostate also contains smooth muscle tissue that can contract to prevent the flow of urine or semen.

cooper glands
Cooper's glands, also known as bulbourethral glands, are a pair of pea-sized exocrine glands located below the prostate and up to the anus. Cooper's glands secrete a thin, alkaline fluid into the urethra, which lubricates the urethra and neutralizes acid from the urine that remains in the urethra after urination. This fluid enters the urethra during sexual arousal prior to ejaculation to prepare the urethra for the flow of semen.

Penis
The penis is the male external sex organ located above the scrotum and below the navel. The penis is roughly cylindrical and contains the urethra and the external opening of the urethra. Large pockets of erectile tissue in the penis allow it to fill with blood and become erect. Excitation of the penis leads to its increase in size. The function of the penis is to deliver semen to the vagina during intercourse. In addition to its reproductive function, the penis also allows urine to pass through the urethra to the outside of the body.

Sperm
Sperm is the fluid produced by males for sexual reproduction and ejected from the body during intercourse. Sperm contains spermatozoa, the male sex gametes, along with a range of chemicals suspended in a fluid medium. The chemical makeup of semen gives it a thick, sticky texture and a slightly alkaline pH. These traits help sperm maintain reproduction by helping sperm stay in the vagina after intercourse and to neutralize the acidic environment of the vagina. In healthy adult males, semen contains about 100 million sperm per milliliter. These sperm cells fertilize the oocytes inside the female fallopian tubes.

spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is the process of sperm production that occurs in the testicles and appendages of adult males. Before puberty, there is no spermatogenesis due to the lack of hormonal triggers. During puberty, spermatogenesis begins when enough luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are produced. LH initiates the production of testosterone by the testicles, while FSH causes the maturation of germ cells. Testosterone stimulates stem cells in the testes, known as spermatogonia. Each diploid spermatocyte goes through the process of meiosis I and splits into 2 haploid secondary spermatocytes. Secondary spermatocytes go through meiosis II to form 4 haploid spermatids of the cell. Spermatid cells go through a process known as spermatogenesis, where they grow a flagellum and develop a sperm head structure. After spermatogenesis, the cell finally turns into spermatozoa. The spermatozoa are ejected into the appendages, where they complete their maturation and become able to move on their own.

Fertilization

Fertilization is the process by which a sperm combines with oocytes or eggs to become a fertilized zygote. The sperm released during ejaculation must first swim through the vagina and uterus into the fallopian tubes, where they can find an egg. Having collided with the egg, the sperm must penetrate the layers of the oocyte. Sperm cells contain enzymes in the acrosomal region of the head, which allows them to penetrate these layers. Once inside the oocyte, the nuclei of these cells fuse to form diploid cells known as the zygote. The zygote cell begins cell division to form an embryo.

Male reproductive organs are intended for reproduction and maturation of male germ cells (spermatozoa), their excretion in the seminal fluid (sperm) and the formation of male sex hormones (androgens). The male reproductive organs are divided into internal and external. Internal male genital organs - testicles with appendages, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate and bulbourethral (Cooper) glands. The external genitalia are the penis and scrotum.

Testicles, or testicles (testes; Greek orchis, seu didymis),- a paired organ located in the scrotum, in which spermatozoa multiply and mature and androgens are produced (they are glands of mixed secretion). In shape, each testicle represents an oval, laterally flattened body. The length of the testicle is 4 cm, width - 3 cm, thickness - 2 cm, weight - 20-30 g. There are medial and more convex lateral surfaces, anterior and posterior edges, upper and lower ends. Its appendage is adjacent to the posterior edge of the testicle.

Outside, the testicle is covered with a whitish dense fibrous membrane (albumen). At the posterior edge, it forms a thickening - the mediastinum, from which the partitions diverge forward, separating the substance (parenchyma) of the testicle into 250-300 lobules. In each lobule, there are 2-3 convoluted seminiferous tubules 70-80 cm long, 150-300 microns in diameter, containing spermatogenic epithelium. The total length of all tubules of one testicle is 300-400 m. In these tubules, spermatozoa are formed in adults. Near the mediastinum of the testis, the convoluted seminiferous tubules pass into the direct seminiferous tubules, and the latter, intertwining with each other in the mediastinum, form the network of the testis. In the connective tissue septa of the testis and in the tissue lying between the convoluted seminiferous tubules, there are glandular cells (interstitial, Fleydig cells) that produce androgens.

From the network of the testicle in the mediastinum, 12-15 efferent tubules begin, heading to the epididymis (epididymis) - the reservoir of spermatozoa, where they mature. In the epididymis, the head, body and tail are distinguished. The head of the epididymis is formed by 12-15 efferent tubules emerging from the testis, which, merging together, form the duct of the epididymis. The latter, strongly wriggling, reaches a length of 6-8 m, forms the body and tail of the epididymis and passes into the vas deferens.

The vas deferens (ductus deferens) right and left, tube 40-50 cm long, 3 mm in diameter, lumen diameter 0.5 mm. The wall of the duct has a considerable thickness, so it does not collapse and is easily palpable. It is a continuation of the duct of the epididymis, serves to remove sperm. From the tail of the epididymis, the duct as part of the spermatic cord rises up, passes through the inguinal canal, and then descends along the side wall of the pelvis to the bottom of the bladder and approaches the base of the prostate next to the same duct on the opposite side. The final section of the vas deferens near the bladder has an expansion and forms an ampulla of the vas deferens 3-4 cm long, 1 cm in diameter. The wall of the vas deferens consists of three membranes: internal - mucous, middle - smooth muscle and external - adventitial.

Seminal vesicle (vesicula seminalis)- a paired organ located in the pelvic cavity laterally from the ampulla of the vas deferens, above the prostate gland, behind and to the side of the bottom of the bladder. The oblong body, 5 cm long, 2 cm wide and 1 cm thick, is a gland whose secretion is mixed with semen as a nourishing and protective liquid for spermatozoa, and also for semen liquefaction. The cavity of the seminal vesicle consists of tortuous chambers containing a proteinaceous fluid that is part of the sperm. This cavity in the lower part passes into the excretory duct, which connects with the vas deferens and forms the vas deferens. Having passed through the thickness of the prostate gland, both ejaculatory ducts, right and left, open on the seminal mound into the prostatic part of the urethra.

Prostate (prostata, seu glandula prostatica)- This is an unpaired glandular-muscular organ covering the initial section of the urethra. It secretes a secret that is part of the semen and stimulates spermatozoa. The gland is located at the bottom of the small pelvis under the bladder. The mass of the prostate gland is 20-25 g. It resembles a chestnut in shape and size. With its base, the prostate gland is turned upwards to the bottom of the bladder, the top is turned down to the urogenital diaphragm. The anterior surface of the gland faces the pubic symphysis, and the posterior surface faces the rectum.

The prostate gland consists of glandular (30-40 lobules in the back and side sections) and smooth muscle tissue (anterior), which is involved in the formation of the internal (involuntary) sphincter of the male urethra. When contracting, muscle tissue contributes to the ejection of secretions from the glandular lobules and narrowing of the urethra, i.e. retention of urine in the bladder while semen passes through the urethra. The totality of all the muscular elements of the gland is the prostatic muscle involved in ejaculation.

Bulbourethral (Cooper's) gland (glandula bulbourethralis)- a paired organ the size of a pea, located in the thickness of the urogenital diaphragm (behind the membranous part of the urethra at the end of the bulb of the cavernous body of the penis). By structure, it is an alveolar-tubular gland. The excretory ducts of the glands (3-4 cm long) open into the lumen of the urethra. The bulbourethral glands secrete a viscous fluid that protects the mucous membrane of the wall of the urethra from irritation by urine.

Inflammation of the testicle - orchitis, epididymis - epididymitis, prostate gland - prostatitis.

Penis (penis, rper. phallos) - an organ that serves to remove urine and seminal fluid. There is a front thickened part - the head, the middle - the body and the back - the root. On the head of the penis is the external opening of the urethra. Between the body and the head there is a narrowing - the neck of the head. The upper anterior surface of the body of the penis is called the back. The root of the penis is attached to the pubic bones. The penis is covered with skin and consists of three cylindrical bodies: two paired of them are called the cavernous bodies, and one unpaired is called the spongy body. Inside the spongy body passes the urethra, which has an extension in the head - a scaphoid fossa. All 3 bodies of the penis have a connective tissue protein membrane, from which numerous partitions (trabeculae) extend, separating the cavernous and spongy bodies into a system of interconnected cavities - caves (caverns) ) lined with endothelium. These cavities during the excited state of the penis (erection) are filled with blood, their walls straighten out, as a result of which the penis swells, increases 2-3 times in volume, becomes hard and elastic. The spongy body of the penis is thickened at the ends. The posterior thickening is called the bulb, the anterior one is called the head. The skin of the penis on the head is tightly fused with the albuginea of ​​the spongy body, and the rest of the length is mobile and easily extensible. In the region of the neck, it forms a fold (the foreskin of the penis), which, in the form of a hood, covers the head and can be displaced. On the back surface of the glans penis, the foreskin forms a fold - the frenulum of the foreskin, which almost reaches the edge of the external opening of the urethra.

Scrotum is a musculoskeletal sac containing both testicles with appendages and the initial sections of the spermatic cords. It is located downward and behind the root of the penis, formed by protrusion of the anterior abdominal wall and consists of the same layers. A suture runs along the midline of the scrotum - from the lower surface of the penis to the anus. The skin of the scrotum is folded, thin, pigmented, extensible, covered with sparse hair, supplied with sweat and sebaceous glands. The scrotum forms a "physiological thermostat" that maintains the temperature of the testicles at a lower level (32-34 ° C) than the body temperature, which is a necessary condition for normal spermatogenesis. The wall of the scrotum consists of seven layers - 1) skin; 2) fleshy membrane - corresponds to subcutaneous tissue; forms a scrotal septum that separates the right testicle from the left; 3) external seminal fascia; 4) fascia of the muscle that lifts the testicle; 5) muscle that lifts the testicle; 6) internal seminal fascia; 7) the vaginal membrane of the testicle is serous - corresponds to the peritoneum.

With a delay in lowering the testicles from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum, both testicles (cryptorchism) or one testicle (monorchism) may be absent in it.

It's no secret that for any man his genitals are of great importance, and in the body as a whole they perform very important and responsible functions. The main one is, of course, procreation. This function plays a huge role in the life of any person. What is the anatomy and structure of the male genital organs really?

The main functions of the genital organs

The male reproductive system performs a number of rather important functions that are of great importance in the smooth operation of the whole organism. They consist of the following responsible processes:

• the production of male germ cells (the so-called spermatozoa);
• ejection of sperm into the vagina during intercourse;
• production of male sex hormones.

Male reproductive organs are divided into two main types: external and internal. The former include the scrotum and penis, and the latter include the testicles, their appendages, the urethra, the vas deferens, the prostate and other organs associated with it.

Features of the structure of the penis

The genital organs of the male are characterized by the presence of the main thing - this is a penis. It is he who is the main source of secretion of a special fluid (sperm) into the genitals of a woman.

The shape and size of the penis can vary depending on the degree of blood filling of the cavernous bodies, or on the level of erection, it's the same thing. The male reproductive system is formed, namely the penis, with the help of three parallel cylindrical bodies, one of them is spongy, and the other two are cavernous. All of them are covered with a dense shell.

By means of the first body, which is located on the underside of the penis, the urethra (urethra) is surrounded. It is through it that semen and urine come out.

The cavernous bodies (right and left cylinders) overflow with blood during sexual arousal, and this is what leads to an erection of the penis. They are located in close proximity to the spongy body. In the middle of these cylinders are the legs of the penis, firmly fixed to the bones of the pelvis.

The genital organs are arranged in such a way that the head is located on the final part of the penis, which is covered with skin called the "foreskin". And the openings of the urethra, which are slit-like, are located at the very top of the head.

What is sperm?

Sperm is a special characteristic mixture of spermatozoa and the characteristic secrets of the male glands secreted by the epididymis, prostate gland and seminal vesicles, all of which have their specific functions in the process of ensuring the movement of spermatozoa directly to the already mature egg.

When ejaculation occurs, an average of five milliliters of semen is ejected, which contains approximately three hundred million spermatozoa.

An erection is a state during which there is a maximum tension of the penis, which contributes to the subsequent sexual intercourse. In this process, the spongy body is quite densely filled with blood, and there are characteristic sensations of a straight cord.

Male reproductive organs and their circulatory system

The penis is constantly actively supplied with blood thanks to the numerous vessels and nerve fibers that pierce it abundantly and increase sensitivity during intercourse. The largest number of nerve endings is located in the head of the penis, namely, on its crown, where the border of the head and the body of the penis itself passes.

On the lower part of the head there is the most sensitive area, which is called the frenulum of the penis. Here, when inflammation occurs, rather sharp and painful sensations appear, as a rule, aggravated by sexual intercourse. In addition, in some situations, the foreskin may stick to the head. This condition appears due to the increased accumulation of a special substance. It is usually cheesy in appearance and oily to the touch. It's called smegma. It consists of remnants of sweat, dirt and dead cells of the skin (epidermis).

Testicles and their features

The male reproductive system is characterized by the presence of testicles. They are paired oval organs, similar in size and shape to slightly flattened walnuts. The testicles are located in the scrotum (saccular musculoskeletal formation). The approximate weight of one testicle is twenty grams, and the size in adult men is from three to four centimeters.

These organs are quite sensitive to the use of any physical impact. This is primarily due to the fact that the testicles are covered on top with very densely located nerve endings and blood vessels. In addition, they are organs that are responsible for the production of male germ cells (spermatozoa).

Location and meaning of the testicles

The organs of the male reproductive system mainly function in order for the process of sperm production to take place. It takes place in the main structure of the testicles, namely, in the seminiferous tubules, and is called spermatogenesis. As a rule, one testicle in all cases is located lower than the other. There is also a version that for men who are right-handed, the left testicle is the lower one, and for those who consider themselves left-handed, the right one.

In addition, the testicles are also endocrine glands involved in the production of male sex hormones - androgens, the main of which is testosterone. Outside, they are smooth, and in the middle they are divided into two hundred or three hundred lobules, in which the seminal canals are located. These tubules are small tubes that form a spiral. It is here that millions of spermatozoa appear over a period of seventy-two days.

Thus, the testicles perform two very important functions. This is the formation of spermatozoa and the production of male sex hormones.

Functions and significance of the scrotum

The male reproductive system also consists of the scrotum. This organ is a leather pouch located at the very base of the penis. It is covered with delicate skin and has very sparse hairs. The scrotum is divided into a couple of parts according to the number of testicles by a special partition. Depending on what temperature is present, the scrotum can increase and decrease in size. This property fully ensures the maintenance of a constant temperature level in the testicles, and this, in turn, is a very important condition in the process of spermatogenesis.

Inside the scrotum there is a very important complex of organs that provides male sexual functions, as well as the ability to procreate. This includes the testicles, their appendages and the vas deferens. In the walls of the scrotum there is a thin layer of smooth tissue that contracts during sexual intercourse, during physical education and various sports, as well as under the influence of cold. This is a protective reaction, which is aimed at preserving the testicles and maintaining their constant temperature, and, in addition, it serves as a guarantee of optimal maturation of spermatozoa.

Features of the vas deferens

The male reproductive system includes the vas deferens. They are presented in the form of paired canals connecting the urethra with the epididymis. The size of each such duct is about fifty centimeters, and the diameter inside is half a millimeter.

The vas deferens pass a rather complicated path, during which they move from the testicles to the abdominal cavity, then overcome the prostate gland, and then go straight to the urethra.

The value of the prostate

The structure of the male reproductive system also includes an important glandular and muscular organ. This is the prostate gland. It is an unpaired organ that adjoins directly to the bladder below and wraps around the urethra.

In size, it is no larger than an ordinary chestnut. The urethra passes through the prostate (prostate gland). It is the prostate that produces a special secret that in the seminal fluid ensures the vital activity of spermatozoa. In other words, semen is the secret of the prostate and seminal vesicles and contains spermatozoa.

The so-called seminal vesicles are not at all the place where the seed is stored. As well as the prostate, they are actively involved in the process of producing seminal fluid. The secret of the seminal vesicles contributes to the fact that the semen is liquefied and spermatozoa are promoted.

On the left and on the right side under the prostate gland, symmetrically with respect to each other, the so-called Cooper glands are located. They have a characteristic pea shape. In addition, they are associated with a special duct directly to the urethra. During the period of sexual arousal, these glands secrete an appropriate secret that allows you to moisturize the urethral mucosa right before the process of ejaculation.

Urethra and its features

The anatomy of the male reproductive system is also based on such an important organ as the urethra. It applies to both the urinary and reproductive systems at the same time, as it serves as the main assistant in order to naturally excrete urine and eject sperm. The urethra begins at the bladder, and its end is presented in the form of a slit on the head of the penis.

The urethra itself at the level of the prostate gland includes the ends of the vas deferens through which the sperm moves. The development of the male reproductive system shows that at the moment of ejection, sperm erupts precisely through the urethra directly into the female genital tract.

The value of seminal vesicles

Seminal vesicles are special paired sex glands of men, which have the appearance of oblong sacs with a cellular structure. They are located above the prostate gland, namely between the rectum and the lower side of the bladder. In their meaning, they serve as a certain repository of the male's genetic material (spermatozoa).

The functions of the male reproductive system are characterized by the fact that in the seminal vesicles during ejaculation, from three to six milliliters of sperm are released, of which about seventy percent is the secret of the prostate gland.

According to its direct functions, the male seminal fluid is needed not only to neutralize the present acidic environment of the urethra and the female vagina, but also to supply sugar. It is he who serves as a source of energy for the process of movement of spermatozoa. In addition, prostaglandin hormones are also supplied here, which increase the level of contraction of the uterus and its tubes, while accelerating the movement of millions of spermatozoa directly to the egg.

The male reproductive system is a fragile and very complex mechanism, the correct operation of which is influenced by many factors. It consists of the following organs:

• two testicles;
• epididymis;
• seminal ducts.

The testicles of a man are paired endocrine glands that are responsible for the production of the male sex hormone. They are located in the scrotum and reach a length of 4-5 cm each. In parallel with the production of testosterone in the testicles, the maturation and development of male germ cells occurs -. From the testicles, the sperm migrate to the epididymis.

Each of the testicles has its own appendage, which is a long spiral tube into which spermatozoa from the testicle enter for the last stage of maturation. The appendages play the role of a so-called "storage chamber" for spermatozoa ready for fertilization until ejaculation, when the sperm enters the vas deferens.

With the urethra, the epididymis connects the vas deferens, passing through which already fully mature spermatozoa are saturated with juice, which is necessary to maintain the life of the sperm after they leave the male genital tract through the urethra.

The process of production and maturation of spermatozoa - spermatogenesis - begins in a man from the moment puberty begins and does not stop until the last days of his life. Spermatogenesis is regulated by various hormones, the production and ratio of which is controlled by the calving of the brain. As in women, the male pituitary gland produces luteinizing (LH) and follicle-stimulating (FSH) hormones, each of which performs its own unique function in regulating the process of spermatogenesis.

Stimulates the production of the male sex hormone testosterone, due to which new male germ cells are formed. In addition, male puberty, muscle mass gain, male pattern hair growth and much more depend on testosterone. in turn, is responsible for the further maturation of spermatozoa and the production of healthy sperm by activating other hormones.

The process of formation, growth and full maturation of one sperm cell takes 72 days (during ejaculation, several million sperm cells are released). The first 50 days are allotted for growth in the testicles, then the spermatozoa begin to slowly move to the epididymis, where they fully mature, in addition, they have the ability to move in the epididymis. During ejaculation after intercourse, spermatozoa pass from the appendages through the seminiferous tubules and urethra.

When the seminal fluid enters the woman, the spermatozoa begin to actively move, trying to find the right way to the egg. And although only one male germ cell is needed for fertilization, the huge amount of sperm that ends up in the female genital tract is justified. The woman's vagina has an acidic environment necessary for natural protection against bacteria. But it can also have a negative effect on spermatozoa, so while one part of the sperm goes to neutralize the acidic environment, the other can move through the cervix and enter the uterus, where the environment is more favorable.

Due to the fact that there are many cavities and convolutions in the female reproductive system, many spermatozoa never find the egg, which is located in one of the fallopian tubes. From the uterus, the remaining - the strongest and most enduring - spermatozoa are sent to the fallopian tubes, where the fertilization of the egg by one of them should occur.