28.

1 Male Reproductive System 1057

Seminal vesicle Urinary bladder

(opened)
Ductus (vas)
deferens
Prostatic urethra
Prostate
Ejaculatory duct
Pubic symphysis
Rectum
Corpus
cavernosum penis
Intermediate
(membranous) urethra Corpus
spongiosum penis
Root of penis Body of penis
Bulbospongiosus
muscle
Testis
Spongy (penile) Corona
urethra Glans penis

Dissection Shawn Miller, Photograph Mark Nielsen

(b) Sagittal section

Q What are the groups of reproductive organs in males, and what are the functions
of each group?

disorders of the male reproductive system. The branch of medicine become tight (wrinkled in appearance), which reduces heat loss.
that deals with male disorders, especially infertility and sexual dys- Exposure to warmth reverses these actions.
function, is called andrology (an-DROL-ō-jē; andro- = masculine).

Scrotum Testes
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The scrotum (SKRO-tum = bag), the supporting structure for the The testes (TES-tēz = witness), or testicles, are paired oval glands in
testes, consists of loose skin and underlying subcutaneous layer that the scrotum measuring about 5 cm (2 in.) long and 2.5 cm (1 in.) in
hangs from the root (attached portion) of the penis (Figure 28.1a). diameter (Figure 28.3). Each testis (singular) has a mass of 10–15
Externally, the scrotum looks like a single pouch of skin separated grams. The testes develop near the kidneys, in the posterior portion of
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into lateral portions by a median ridge called the raphe (RA-fē = the abdomen, and they usually begin their descent into the scrotum
seam). Internally, the scrotal septum divides the scrotum into two through the inguinal canals (passageways in the lower anterior
compartments, each containing a single testis (Figure 28.2). The abdominal wall) during the latter half of the seventh month of fetal
septum is made up of a subcutaneous layer and muscle tissue called development.
the dartos muscle (DAR-tōs = skinned), which is composed of A serous membrane called the tunica vaginalis (TOO-ni-ka vaj-i-
bundles of smooth muscle fibers. The dartos muscle is also found in NAL-is; tunica = sheath), which is derived from the peritoneum and
the subcutaneous layer of the scrotum. Associated with each testis in forms during the descent of the testes, partially covers the testes. A col-
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the scrotum is the cremaster muscle (krē-MAS-ter = suspender), a lection of serous fluid in the tunica vaginalis is called a hydrocele (HI -
series of small bands of skeletal muscle that descend as an extension drō-sēl; hydro- = water; -kele = hernia). It may be caused by injury to
of the internal oblique muscle through the spermatic cord to sur- the testes or inflammation of the epididymis. Usually, no treatment is
round the testes. required. Internal to the tunica vaginalis the testis is surrounded by a
The location of the scrotum and the contraction of its muscle fi- white fibrous capsule composed of dense irregular connective tissue,
bers regulate the temperature of the testes. Normal sperm production the tunica albuginea (al′-bū -JIN-ē-a; albu- = white); it extends inward,
requires a temperature about 2–3°C below core body temperature. forming septa that divide the testis into a series of internal compart-
This lowered temperature is maintained within the scrotum because ments called lobules. Each of the 200–300 lobules contains one to three
it is outside the pelvic cavity. In response to cold temperatures, the tightly coiled tubules, the seminiferous tubules (sem′-i-NIF-er-us;
cremaster and dartos muscles contract. Contraction of the cremaster semin- = seed; -fer- = to carry), where sperm are produced. The pro-
muscles moves the testes closer to the body, where they can absorb cess by which the seminiferous tubules of the testes produce sperm is
body heat. Contraction of the dartos muscle causes the scrotum to called spermatogenesis (sper′-ma-tō-JEN-e-sis; genesis = to be born).
1058 CH APTE R 2 8 The Reproductive Systems

FIGURE 28.2 The scrotum, the supporting structure for the testes.

The scrotum consists of loose skin and an underlying subcutaneous layer and supports the testes.

Internal oblique muscle

Aponeurosis of external
oblique muscle (cut) Spermatic cord
Superficial (cutaneous)
Fundiform ligament of penis inguinal ring
Suspensory Cremaster muscle
ligament of penis

Transverse section of penis:

Ductus (vas) deferens
Corpora cavernosa penis Autonomic nerve
Spongy (penile) urethra
Testicular artery
Corpus spongiosum penis
Lymphatic vessel

Scrotal septum Pampiniform plexus

of testicular veins

Cremaster muscle
Epididymis

Tunica albuginea
of testis
External spermatic fascia
Tunica vaginalis
(peritoneum)
Internal spermatic fascia
Dartos muscle
Skin of scrotum Raphe

Anterior view of scrotum and testes and transverse section of penis

Q Which muscles help regulate the temperature of the testes?

The seminiferous tubules contain two types of cells: spermato- from the basement membrane to the lumen of the tubule. Internal to
genic cells (sper′-ma-tō-JEN-ik), the sperm-forming cells, and susten- the basement membrane and spermatogonia, tight junctions join
-
tacular cells (sus′-ten-TAK-ū-lar) or Sertoli cells (ser-TO-lē), which have neighboring sustentacular cells to one another. These junctions form
several functions in supporting spermatogenesis (Figure 28.4). Stem an obstruction known as the blood–testis barrier because sub-
-
cells called spermatogonia (sper′-ma-tō-GO-nē-a; -gonia = offspring; stances must first pass through the sustentacular cells before they
singular is spermatogonium) develop from primordial germ cells (prī- can reach the developing sperm. By isolating the developing gametes
-
MOR-dē-al = primitive or early form) that arise from the yolk sac and from the blood, the blood–testis barrier prevents an immune response
enter the testes during the fifth week of development. In the embryonic against the spermatogenic cell’s surface antigens, which are recog-
testes, the primordial germ cells differentiate into spermatogonia, nized as “foreign” by the immune system. The blood–testis barrier
which remain dormant during childhood and actively begin producing does not include spermatogonia.
sperm at puberty. Toward the lumen of the seminiferous tubule are lay- Sustentacular cells support and protect developing spermato-
ers of progressively more mature cells. In order of advancing maturity, genic cells in several ways. They nourish spermatocytes, spermatids,
these are primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes, sperma- and sperm; phagocytize excess spermatid cytoplasm as develop-
tids, and sperm cells. After a sperm cell, or spermatozoon (sper′-ma-tō- ment proceeds; and control movements of spermatogenic cells and
-
ZO-on; zoon = life), has formed, it is released into the lumen of the the release of sperm into the lumen of the seminiferous tubule. They
seminiferous tubule. (The plural terms are sperm and spermatozoa.) also produce fluid for sperm transport, secrete the hormone inhibin,
Embedded among the spermatogenic cells in the seminiferous and regulate the effects of testosterone and FSH (follicle-stimulating
tubules are large sustentacular cells or Sertoli cells, which extend hormone).