Male Reproductive System in Humans

Topic Content:

The male reproductive system in man consists of testes (testis), vas deferens (sperm duct), penis and glands.

There are two testes which are oval shaped and each testis is enclosed in a wrinkled sac called scrotum. 

The scrotum: It serves as a thermo regulator that protects the sperm from high temperatures. 

The testes lie outside the body cavity so that they are cooler than the heat of the body which favours rapid sperm production.

Each testis is made up of many coiled tubes called Seminiferous Tubules (sperm tubules) and interstitial cells which are within the seminiferous tubules.

The seminiferous tubules produce sperm while the interstitial cells produce testosterone. The seminiferous tubules lead into the vas deferens which form the epididymis .

The epididymis is a long coiled tube, about 6 m long that rests on the backside of each testicle. It transports and stores sperm cells temporarily. The epididymis leads into a muscular sperm duct vas deferens. 

The vas deferens is a long muscular tube that transports mature sperm to the urethra, the tube that carries urine or sperm to the outside of the body.

 Seminal vesicles are sac-like pouches