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Male Reproductive System

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Answer
Male & female reproductive systems   consist of gonads & the accessory reproductive organs  
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Gonads   in males are the testes; in females are the ovaries; both produce sex cells (gametes) and hormones.  
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Gametes   sex cells  
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Male gametes   sperm  
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Androgens   male hormones made and secreted by the testes; main one is testosterone  
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Estrogens & progesterone   main hormones produced and secreted by ovaries  
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Zygote   a fertilized egg; the first cell of a potentially new individual; receives 23 chromosomes from egg and 23 chromosomes from sperm to equal 46  
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Male reproductive system   includes gonads, testes, in scrotum; accessory organs include ducts that transport sperm and some glands, whose secretions enhance sperm activity  
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Male ducts   epididymis, vas/ductus deferens, ejaculatory duct, urtethra  
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Male accessory glands   seminal vesicles, prostate gland, Copwer’s/bulbourethral glands  
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Scrotum   contains testes; divided into left and right via middle septum; provides temperature slightly cooler (about 5 degrees) than core body temp, which is necessary for adequate sperm cell production; responds to external temperature to maintain optimum temp.  
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Dartos muscle   under cold conditions, wrinkles and thickens the scrotal skin thus reducing heat loss; under hot conditions will relax  
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Cremaster muscles   will pull testes up toward warm abdominopelvic wall in cold conditions; relaxed in hot conditions  
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Testes/Testicles   divided into lobules, each containing 1-4 seminiferous tubules  
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Seminiferous tubules   specific sites of sperm cell production in testes; walls consist of spermatogenic cells embedded in sustentacular/sertoli cells  
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Spermatogenesis   sperm cell production  
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Interstitial/Leydig cells   found between seminiferous tubules; produce and secrete masculinizing hormones known as androgens (the main such being testosterone)  
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Pampiniform plexus   venous network from which each testicular vein arises; helps provide a cooling effect for the testes  
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Varicocele   a varicose vein in the pampiniform vein  
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Hydrocele   swelling in scrotum causes by an excessive accumulation of fluid in a space around the testis.  
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Testicular cancer   curable if detected early enough; men advised to regularly examine their testicles for lumps; however, most lumps are relatively harmless varicoceles and hydroceles  
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Form in abdominopelvic cavity; descend into scrotum about two months before birth   fetal development of testes  
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Cryptorchidism   congenital condition in males characterized by failure or one or both testes to completely descend into scrotum prior to birth; testis remaining in abdominal cavity for too long will become sterile due to higher temperature  
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Meiosis   cell division by which testes/ovaries produce sex cells/gametes/sperm/eggs; 2 consecutive divisions of nucleus—results in production of cells with only half the # of chromosomes (23), thus only half as much genetic material/DNA  
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Sperm Cell Anatomy   three parts – head, midpiece, tail  
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Head of sperm   part of sperm; contains sperm’s nucleus, thus bears its genetic material/DNA/chromosomes; anterior part of head consists of acrosome  
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Acrosome   anterior part of sperm head which contains digestive enzymes that are released when a sperm in in contact with an egg; help sperm penetrate egg to accomplish fertilization  
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Midpiece of sperm   part of a sperm; contains many mitochondria that produce ATP needed to supply energy required for sperm to use its tail swimming  
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Tail of sperm   part of sperm; flagellum that provides for sperm motility  
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Sustentacular/sustentocyte/sertoli/nurse cells   surround spermatogenic cells in wall of seminiferous tubules; provide physical & chemical assistance to immature sperm cells; tight junctions b/t these form blood-testes barrier  
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Blood-testes barrier   formed by junctions b/t sustentacular cells; prevents protein antigens that occur in differentiating sperm from entering bloodstream & activating immune system; if breached, male’s body will attack own sperm  
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Epididymis   located in scrotum on lateral & posterior surface of testis; highly coiled duct several feet long; where sperm cells temporarily stored & become mature; sperm ejaculated from this site thru vas/ductus deferens; stored too long = phagocytized & degraded  
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Vas/ductus deferens   receives/transports ejaculated sperm from epididymis to ejaculatory duct; runs upward from scrotum w/in spermatic cord, thru inguinal canal, into pelvic cavity, along then behind bladder, where it joins duct from seminal vesicle to form ejaculatory duct  
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Vasectomy   procedure in which small incision is made into each side of scrotum to sever each ductus deferens; cut ends are tied off, fused shut, or plugged; prevents sperm cells from leaving body; reduces volume of semen by about 5%  
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Spermatic cord   composite structure consisting of sheath of connective tissue & enclosed structures; components include ductus/vas deferens, testicular arteries, veins, nerves, and the cremaster muscle; inferior lies in scrotum, superior through inguinal canal  
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Inguinal canal   slit-like passageway through anterior pelvic wall that courses just deep & inferior to aponeurosis of external oblique muscle  
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Inguinal hernia   condition in which small portion of small intestine protrudes into, and sometimes through, the inguinal canal; often caused by lifting heavy objects/strenuously straining; forms a bulge below skin in groin  
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Ejaculatory duct   formed by union of a seminal vesicle w/ end of vas deferens; specifically located w/in prostate gland; propels ejaculated sperm into prostatic urethra  
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Male urethra   has three portions—prostatic, membranous, spongy/penile  
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Prostatic urethra   first portion of male urethra; runs through and is surrounded by prostate gland below urinary bladder  
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Membranous urethra   second portion of male urethra; courses through urogenital diaphragm in floor of pelvic cavity  
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Spongy/penile urethra   terminal portion of male urethra; runs through and surrounded by corpus sponginosum of penis; opening at tip is called external urethral orifice  
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Male accessory sex glands   5 total—seminal vesicles, prostate gland, cowper’s/bulbourethral glands; secretions of these account for about 95% of semen volume  
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Semen   secretions of accessory glands + sperm; relative alkalinity of semen enhances motility of sperm and protects them from acidic environment of female’s vagina  
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Seminal vesicles   paired glands on posterior surface of male bladder; secretion makes up ~60% of semen; has chemicals to enhance sperm function; has yellow pigment that fluoresces under UV light; joins w/ end of ductus/vas deferens to form an ejaculatory duct w/in prostate  
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Prostate gland   about size/shape of chestnut; immediately below bladder, surrounds first portion of urethra; secretion makes up 1/3 volume semen, chems enhance sperm function; enzyme PSA helps screen for cancer  
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Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)   enzyme in prostate secretion; measuring the level of this enzyme in a man’s blood is the most important method of screening for prostate cancer  
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Benign prostatic hyperplasia   non-cancerous enlargement of prostate gland that occurs in most elderly men; urination becomes increasingly difficult due to prostate presses against prostatic urethra; can be detected via digital rectal exam  
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Bulbourethral/Cowper’s glands   paired, pea-sized glands below prostate gland w/in urogenital diaphragm; produce clear mucus that drains into penile/spongy urethra when male becomes sexually excited; small amount of mucus tends to accumulate at tip of penis prior to ejaculation  
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Penis   most of length consists of shaft; ends in glans penis  
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Two corpora cavernosa, one corpus sponginosum   three columns (bodies) or erectile tissue  
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Prepuce/foreskin   loose cuff of skin surrounding tip of penis; generally removed via circumcision shortly after birth  
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Erection   results from filling/engorgement of three bodies of erectile tissue with blood; during arousal, parasympathetic innervation dilates arteries supplying erectile bodies, thereby increasing flow of blood to those tissues  
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Ejaculation   results from peristaltic contractions of smooth muscle in the walls of the male ducts, all the way from epididymis through urethra  
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Epididymis—ductus/vans deferens—ejaculatory duct—urethra   pathway of ejaculated sperm cell  
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Male perineum   area between base of scrotum and anus  
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Testosterone   androgen; produced by interstitial/Leydig cells of testes; responsible for sex drive, development of secondary sex characteristics  
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