Male Reproductive System



Male Reproductive System




Objectives



• Recognize and use terms related to the anatomy and physiology of the male reproductive system.


• Recognize and use terms related to the pathology of the male reproductive system.


• Recognize and use terms related to the diagnostic procedures for the male reproductive system.


• Recognize and use terms related to the therapeutic interventions for the male reproductive system.









Anatomy and Physiology


Both male and female anatomy can be divided into two parts: parenchymal (puh REN kih mul), or primary tissue, which produces sex cells for reproduction; and stromal (STROH mul), or secondary tissue, which includes all of the glands nerves, ducts, and other tissues that serve a supportive function in producing, maintaining, and transmitting these sex cells. Together these types of reproductive tissue, in either sex, are called genitalia (jen ih TAIL ee ah). The parenchymal organs that produce the sex cells in both sexes are called gonads (GOH nads). The sex cells themselves are called gametes (GAM eets).



parenchymal


par- = near


en- = in


chym/o = juice


-al = pertaining to


In the male, the gonads are the testes (TESS teez) (sing. testis) or testicles (TESS tick kuls), paired organs that produce the gametes called spermatozoa (spur mat ah ZOH ah) (sing. spermatozoon). The testes are suspended in a sac called the scrotum (SKROH tum) (pl. scrota) outside the body’s trunk (Fig. 7-1).


image
Fig. 7-1 Male reproductive system with insert of sperm production (spermatogenesis).

At puberty (PYOO bur tee), the stage of life in which males and females become functionally capable of sexual reproduction, the interstitial cells in the testicles begin to produce testosterone (tess TOSS tur rohn), a sex hormone responsible for the growth and development of male sex characteristics. The spermatozoa are formed in a series of tightly coiled tiny tubes in each testis called the seminiferous tubules (sem ih NIFF ur us TOO byools). The formation of sperm is called spermatogenesis (spur mat toh JEN ih sis). The serous membrane that surrounds the front and sides of the testicle is called the tunica vaginalis testis (TOON ih kah vaj ih NAL is TESS tis). From the seminiferous tubules, the formed spermatozoa travel to the epididymis (eh pih DID ih mis) (pl. epididymides), where they are stored.


When the seminal fluid is about to be ejected from the urethra (ejaculation), the spermatozoa travel through the left and right vas deferens (vas DEH fur ens), also called the ductus deferens (DUCK tus DEH fur ens), from the epididymides, around the bladder. The spermatic cord is an enclosed sheath that includes the vas deferens, along with arteries, veins, and nerves.


To survive and thrive, the sperm are nourished by fluid from a series of glands. The seminal vesicles (SEM ih nul VESS ih kuls), Cowper’s (or bulbourethral [bul boh yoo REE thrul]) glands, and the prostate (PROS tate) gland provide fluid either to nourish or to aid in motility and lubrication. The sperm and the fluid together make up a substance called semen (SEE men). The ejaculatory duct (ee JACK yoo lah tore ee) begins where the seminal vesicles join the vas deferens, and this “tube” joins the urethra. Once the sperm reach the urethra, they travel out through the shaft, or body, of the penis (PEE nuss), which is composed of three columns of highly vascular erectile tissue. There are two columns of corpora cavernosa (KORE poor ah kav ur NOH suh) and one of corpus spongiosum (KORE puss spun jee OH sum) that fill with blood through the dorsal veins during sexual arousal. During ejaculation, the sperm exit through the enlarged tip of the penis, the glans penis. At birth, the glans penis is surrounded by a fold of skin called the prepuce (PREE pyoos), or foreskin. The removal of this skin is termed circumcision (sur kum SIH zhun).


When ejaculation occurs during sexual intercourse (coitus [KOH ih tus] or copulation [kop yoo LAY shun]), the sperm then race toward the female sex cell, or ovum. If a specific sperm penetrates and unites with the ovum, conception takes place, and formation of an embryo begins.



stromal tissue = strom/o


gonad = gonad/o


testis, testicle = test/o, testicul/o, orchi/o, orchid/o, orch/o


spermatozoon = sperm/o, spermat/o


scrotum = scrot/o


testosterone


test/o = testis


ster/o = steroid


-one = substance that forms


seminiferous


semin/i = semen


-ferous = pertaining to carrying


spermatogenesis


spermat/o = spermatozoon


-genesis = production


epididymis = epididym/o


vas deferens, ductus deferens = vas/o


seminal vesicle = vesicul/o


prostate = prostat/o


semen = semin/i


urethra = urethr/o


penis = pen/i, phall/o


glans penis = balan/o


prepuce, foreskin = preputi/o



image Be Careful!


Don’t confuse vesic/o, which means the urinary bladder, and vesicul/o, which means the seminal vesicle.



image Be Careful!


Don’t confuse phall/o, which means penis, and phalang/o, which is a bone in the finger or toe.



image Be Careful!


Don’t confuse urethr/o, which means urethra, and ureter/o, which means the ureter.



image Exercise 1 Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System


Match the word parts with their meanings.



Decode the terms.




imageYou can review the anatomy of the male reproductive system by clicking on Body Spectrum Electronic Anatomy Coloring Book → Reproductive → Male. Click on Hear It, Spell It to practice spelling the anatomy and physiology terms you have learned in this chapter. To practice pronouncing male reproductive anatomy and physiology terms, click on Hear It, Say It.



image Exercise 2 Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System


Label the drawing with the correct anatomic terms and combining forms where appropriate.


image





Pathology



Terms Related to Congenital Disorders













































Term Word Origin Definition
anorchism an- without
orch/o testis
-ism condition		 Condition of being born without a testicle. May also be an acquired condition due to trauma or disease.
AN or kih zum
chordee chord/o cord Congenital defect resulting in a downward (ventral) curvature of the penis due to a fibrous band (cord) of tissue along the corpus spongiosum. often associated with hypospadias (Fig. 7-2).
KORE dee
cryptorchidism crypt- hidden
orchid/o testis
-ism condition		 Condition in which the testicles fail to descend into the scrotum before birth. Also called cryptorchism (Fig. 7-3).
kript OR kid iz um
epispadias epi- above
-spadias a rent or tear		 Urethral opening on the dorsum (top) of the penis rather than on the tip. Also called hyperspadias.
eh pee SPAY dee ahs
hypospadias hypo- below
-spadias a rent or tear		 Urethral opening on the ventral surface (underside) of the penis instead of on the tip (Fig. 7-4). May be acquired as a result of the disease process.
hye poh SPAY dee ahs
phimosis   Congenital condition of tightening of the prepuce around the glans penis so that the foreskin cannot be retracted.
fih MOH sis

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Oct 6, 2017 | Posted by in GENERAL SURGERY | Comments Off on Male Reproductive System

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