CHAPTER 16
Male
Reproductive System
Male
Reproductive System Overview
• Functions of male reproductive system
– Produce, sustain, and transport sperm
– Propel sperm during sexual intercourse
• Copulation
– Produce testosterone
2
Male
Reproductive Primary Organs
• Testicles = male gonads
– Small ovoid glands
– Responsible for production of sperm
• Seminiferous tubules
– Responsible for secretion of testosterone
• Scrotum
– Sac located posterior to the penis
• Suspended from the perineum
– Houses the testicles
3
Male
Reproductive Accessory Organs
• Epididymis
– Tightly coiled tubule that resembles a comma
– Sperm mature in the epididymis, becoming
fertile and motile
• Mature sperm are stored in lower portion of
epididymis
4
Male
Reproductive Accessory Organs
• Vas Deferens
– Also called the ductus deferens
– Straight tube continuous with the epididymis
• Enlarges to form an sacklike dilation (ampulla)
near prostate gland
• Merges with the seminal vesicle to form
ejaculatory duct
5
Male
Reproductive Accessory Organs
• Seminal vesicles
– Secrete a thick, yellowish fluid known as
seminal fluid
– Constitutes a large part of the volume of the
semen
6
Male
Reproductive Accessory Organs
• Prostate gland
– Lies just below the urinary bladder
• Surrounds the base of the urethra as it leaves the
bladder
– Transports thin, milky colored, alkaline secretions that
enhance the motility of the sperm
• Secretion also helps neutralize the secretions
within the vagina
– Muscular action of gland aids in expelling semen from
the body
7
Male
Reproductive Accessory Organs
• Urethra
– Serves both urinary system and male
reproductive system
– Transports urine from the bladder and semen
when ejaculated, to the outside of the body
• Bulbourethral Glands (Cowper’s Glands)
– Secrete alkaline, mucous-like fluid that
provides lubrication during sexual intercourse
8
Male
Reproductive Accessory Organs
• Penis
– Male organ of copulation
– Tip of penis called the glans penis
– Prepuce or Foreskin
• Retractable fold of skin that covers the glans penis
– Urethra extends the length of the penis and
ends as an opening at the tip of the glans
penis
• Opening is called the urinary meatus
9
PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
Male
Reproductive System
Anorchism
• Pronounced
– (an-OR-kizm)
• Defined
– Absence of one or both testicles
11
Balanitis
• Pronounced
– (bal-ah-NYE-tis)
• Defined
– Inflammation of glans penis and mucous
membrane beneath it
12
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
• Pronounced
– (bee-NYEN pross-TAT-ik high-PER-trohfee)
• Defined
– Benign enlargement of prostate gland
– Creates pressure on upper part of urethra or
neck of the bladder, causing obstruction to
flow of urine
13
Carcinoma of the Prostate
• Pronounced
– (car-sin-OH-mah of the PROSS-tayt)
• Defined
– Malignant growth within prostate gland
– Creates pressure on upper part of urethra
14
Carcinoma of the Testes
• Pronounced
– (car-sin-OH-mah of the TESS-teez)
• Defined
– Malignant tumor of testicle that appears as a
painless lump
– Also called testicular cancer
15
Cryptorchidism
• Pronounced
– (kript-OR-kid-izm)
• Defined
– Condition of undescended testicle(s)
– Absence of one or both testicles from
scrotum
16
Epispadias
• Pronounced
– (ep-ih-SPAY-dee-as)
• Defined
– Congenital defect in which urethra opens on
the upper side of the penis at some point near
the glans
17
Hydrocele
• Pronounced
– (high-DROH-seel)
• Defined
– Accumulation of fluid in any saclike cavity or
duct
– Particularly the scrotal sac or along the
spermatic cord
18
Hypospadias
• Pronounced
• (high-poh-SPAY-dee-as)
• Defined
– Congenital defect in which the urethra opens
on the underside of the penis instead of at the
end
19
Impotence
• Pronounced
– (IM-poh-tens)
• Defined
– Inability of a male to achieve or sustain an
erection of the penis
20
Inguinal Hernia
• Pronounced
– (ING-gwih-nal HER-nee-ah)
• Defined
– Protrusion of a part of the intestine through a
weakened spot in the muscles and
membranes of inguinal region of the abdomen
• Intestine pushes into, and sometimes fills, the
entire scrotal sac in the male
21
Orchitis
• Pronounced
– (or-KIGH-tis)
• Defined
– Inflammation of the testes due to a virus,
bacterial infection, or injury
• Condition may affect one or both testes
• Typically results from the mumps virus
22
Phimosis
• Pronounced
– (fih-MOH-sis)
• Defined
– Tightness of the foreskin (prepuce) of the
penis that prevents it from being pulled back
• Opening of the foreskin narrows due to the
tightness and may cause some difficulty with
urination
23
Premature Ejaculation
• Pronounced
– (premature ee-jak-yoo-LAY-shun)
• Defined
– Discharge of seminal fluid prior to complete
erection of the penis or immediately after the
penis has been introduced into the vaginal
canal
24
Prostatitis
• Pronounced
– (pross-tah-TYE-tis)
• Defined
– Inflammation of the prostate gland
• May be acute or chronic
• May be due to bacterial invasion
25
Varicocele
• Pronounced
– (VAIR-ih-koh-seel)
• Defined
– Abnormal dilation of the veins of the
spermatic cord leading to the testicle
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SEXUALLY
TRANSMITTED DISEASES
Male and Female
AIDS
• Pronounced
– (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)
• Defined
– Deadly virus that destroys the body’s immune
system by invading the helper T lymphocytes
(T cells)
– T cells play an important part in the body’s
immune response
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replicates
itself within the T cells, destroys the lymphocyte,
and then invades other lymphocytes
28
Chlamydia
• Pronounced
– (klah-MID-ee-ah)
• Defined
– Sexually transmitted bacterial infection that
causes inflammation of the cervix in women
and inflammation of the urethra and the
epididymis in men
29
Genital Herpes
• Pronounced
– (JEN-ih-tal HER-peez)
• Defined
– Highly contagious viral infection of the male
and female genitalia, caused by herpes
simplex virus (HSV-2)
– Also known as venereal herpes
• Differs from other sexually transmitted diseases in
that it can recur spontaneously once the virus has
been acquired
30
Genital Warts
• Pronounced
– (JEN-ih-tal warts)
• Defined
– Small, cauliflower-like, fleshy growths
usually seen along the penis in the male and
in or near the vagina in women
• Caused by human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Transmitted from person to person through
sexual intercourse
31
Gonorrhea
• Pronounced
– (gon-oh-REE-ah)
• Defined
– Sexually transmitted bacterial infection of the
mucous membrane of the genital tract in men
and women, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• Spread by sexual intercourse with an infected
partner
• Can be passed from infected mother to her infant
during the birth process
32
Syphilis
• Pronounced
– (SIF-ih-lis)
• Defined
– Sexually transmitted disease characterized by
lesions that may involve any organ or tissue
• Spread by sexual intercourse with an infected
partner
• If left untreated, disease passes through three
stages, each with characteristic signs and
symptoms
33
Syphilis
• Primary syphilis
– Characterized by appearance of a small,
painless, red pustule on the skin or mucous
membrane
• Known as a chancre
• Develops on the penis of the male and the labia of
the vagina in females
• Appears within 10 days to a few weeks after
exposure
34
Syphilis
• Secondary syphilis
– Occurs approximately two months later if
primary phase is left untreated
– Dominant sign is non-itching rash on the
palms of the hands and soles of the feet
• May also experience headache, sore throat, fever,
malaise, anorexia, and bone and joint pain
35
Syphilis
• Secondary syphilis
– Disease is still contagious during second
stage
• Can be treated effectively with penicillin
– Dormant period follows secondary stage
• For 5 to 20 years before reappearing in its final
stage
36
Syphilis
• Tertiary syphilis
– Final and most serious stage of the untreated
disease
– By third stage, lesions have invaded body
organs and systems
• Lesions of tertiary syphilis are not reversible, do
not respond to treatment with penicillin and can
lead to life-threatening disorders of the brain,
spinal cord, and heart
37
Syphilis
Primary
Syphilis: Male
38
Trichomoniasis
• Pronounced
– (trik-oh-moh-NYE-as-sis)
• Defined
– Sexually transmitted protozoal infection of the
vagina, urethra, or prostate
– Causative organism is Trichomonas vaginalis
• Women will experience itching and burning, and a
strong-smelling vaginal discharge that is greenishyellow
39
DIAGNOSTIC
TECHNIQUES, TREATMENTS
AND PROCEDURES
Male
Reproductive System
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Castration
– Surgical removal of the testicles in the
male (or the ovaries in the female)
– Known as an orchidectomy or orchiectomy
in the male
– Known as an oophorectomy in the female
41
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Cystoscopy
– Process of visualizing the urinary tract
through a cystoscope that has been
inserted in the urethra
• Circumcision
– Surgical procedure in which the foreskin
(prepuce) of the penis is removed
42
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
Circumcision
(A) Before
(B) After procedure
43
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• FTA-ABS Test
– Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption
Test
– Serological test for syphilis (performed on
blood serum)
44
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)
– Radiographic procedure that provides
visualization of the entire urinary tract
• Contrast dye is injected intravenously and multiple
x-ray films are taken as the medium is cleared
from the blood by the glomerular filtration of the
kidney
– Also known as intravenous pyelography or
excretory urogram
45
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Orchidectomy
– Surgical removal of a testicle
– Also called orchiectomy
• Orchidopexy
– Surgical fixation of a testicle
– Also called orchiopexy
46
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Semen analysis
– Assessment of a sample of semen for volume,
viscosity, sperm count, sperm motility, and percentage
of any abnormal sperm
• Radical prostatectomy
– Surgical removal of the entire prostate gland as a
treatment for cancer
• Suprapubic prostatectomy
– Surgical removal of the prostate gland by making an
incision into the abdominal wall, just above the pubis
47
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Transurethral resection of the prostate
(TUR or TURP)
– Surgical removal of prostate gland by
inserting a resectoscope through urethra and
into bladder to remove small pieces of tissue
from prostate
48
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Vasectomy
– Surgical cutting and tying of the vas deferens
to prevent passage of sperm, consequently
preventing pregnancy
– Male sterilization
49
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• VDRL test
– Serological test for syphilis widely used to test
for primary and secondary syphilis
• Performed on blood serum
– VDRL = Venereal Disease Research
Laboratory
50
Diagnostic Techniques,
Treatments, and Procedures
• Wet mount; Wet prep
– Microscopic examination of fresh vaginal or
male urethral secretions to test for presence
of living organisms
51