Reproduction Anatomy of the Testes and the Ejaculatory Pathway

Hey everyone, today I will be making a post on the Male reproductive system and in the future, I will be writing about the female reproductive system. In high school, my mates were always fascinated about studying the reproductive system, I guess it is because it is important in procreation but while they were fascinated by the topic, most of the students who didn't like biology (since it was a compulsory general course for everyone) start to lose interest in the complex aspect of it. The Male reproductive system is an essential part of human biology as it is important in understanding our future and continuation as a specie. We need to understand the importance of the male reproductive system as it is responsible for the production, storage, and the release of sperm cells for fertilizing the female egg. In this post, I will be exploring the male anatomy looking at the testes, the seminiferous tubules, the epididymus, the ejaculation pathway, and the semenoegnic glands.

It will be nice that I start from somewhere, so let me start with the Testes house which is the scrotum. Males have two testes (testis singular) which are responsible for the production of sperm cells and releasing testosterone. The testes is surrounded at its outer part by a membrane Tunica Albuginea which is then sorrounded by another membrane layer known as the Tunical Vaginalis which is derived from the parietal peritoneum. The testes connects to the spermatic cord which is a tube that contains the testicular arteries, the testicular veins, the testicular nerve, and the ductus deferens. The spermatic cord goes through the inguinal canal, which is a dense tissue. The ductus (Vas) deferens is the path were sperm cells travel through. The ductus deferens loops medially and merges with the ipsilateral seminal vesicle and then the ejaculatory duct then to the urethra.

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The semen and the sperm cells need to be kept in an appropriate temperature in the body. When the temperature is too hot, the sperm cells die but to prevent that, it is done by the Cremaster muscles and the Dastos Muscle. The Cremaster Muscle contract when the temperature is low, pulling the testes upwards towards the body, and the Dartos muscle contract as well in low temperature causing the scrotal sac to shrink. This is done to maintain warmth of the sperm cells. When the temperature is hot, the muscles relaxes causing the testes to stay in the sac, and moving the testes away from the body. The testes is made up of numerous seminiferous tubule where sperm cells get matured. The seminiferous tubules converge to the Rete Testis which then migrates inro the epididymis where it awaits ejaculation. When sperm cells mature in the seminiferous tubules, they move to the rete testis where they then move to the tail of the epididymis where the final maturation occur.

The ductus deferens goes upward around the bladder looping around the bladder, where it becomes engorged. The engorged region is known as the Ampulla of the Ductus deferens. Remember that the ductus deferens merges with the seminal vesicle. When sperm leaves the epididymis through the ductus deferens, they combine with secretions in the seminal vesicle. The seminal vesicle and the ductus diferens ampulla converge at the ejaculatory duct. The ejaculatory duct passes through the prostate gland, basically to the Prostatic urethra, then to the membranous urethra, where there are a series of muscles known as the urogenital diaphragm which helps to control the urine and semen in the urethra. The prostate produces secretions into the sperm which is referred to as Semen. From the membranous urethra, the sperm exit through the spongy urethra to the urethra orifice. The seminal vesicle produces alkaline solutions which neutralizes vaginal acidity, giving the sperm a longer lifespan. The Uterus and the vagina tract are acidic, and for reproduction to occur, the seminal vesicle alkaline solution helps keep the sperm alive long enough. The seminal vesicle also produces the Semenoglein which gives the jelly-like and sticky nature of the semen, thereby helping the semen to adhere to the walls of the vagina. Other proteins, enzymes, mucus, flavin, protaglandins (helps the sperm cell beat about with their flagella enabling swimming), and fructose (the energy source or the fuel for sperm cells). The prostrate gland also secretes proteolytic enzymes, prostatic acid phosphate, prostate-specific antigen, and zinc. Below the membranous urethra is the Bulbourethral gland which secretes fluids rich in mucoprotein that lubricates and neutralizes the acidity of the distal urethra caused by acidic urine.

Conclusion

I have been able to explain the Testes, and Sperm pathway. There is more to know about the male reproductive system, and the female reproductive system but for now, we are discussing the male reproductive system and in my next post, i will be discussing the Penis and the Urethra in full, Spermatogenesis, and Oogenesis after which we will move to the female reproductive system.

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Reference

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https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/male-reproductive-organs

https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/men-s-health-issues/biology-of-the-male-reproductive-system/structure-of-the-male-reproductive-system

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/ejaculatory-pathway-of-sperm-mnemonic

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279031/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538429/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4896089/