The Male Reproductive System

Sperms and their Journey

Sperms or spermatozoa are produced from the epithelium of seminiferous tubules in the testis.

Sperms are formed from the primordial germ cells which originate from the yolk sac.

Sertoli cells provide nourishment to the developing spermatids and more so support them.

Spermatids pass through the tubi recti (rete testis) which are the straight portion of the seminiferous tubules.

The sperms then move to the caput (head) of the epididymis through the efferent ductile which connects the rete testis to the epididymis.

The epididymis has three parts; head (caput), body (corpus) and the caudal (tail).

Sperm passes through the body to the tail where maturation and storage of spermatozoa take place (Yanagimachi and Ryuzo).

The epididymis is firmly attached to the testis at the epididymal border, where the proper ligament of the testis connects the tail.

The tail is enlarged to accommodate more sperms.

Sperms are then conveyed from the tail of the epididymis to the pelvic urethra by the ductus deferens which is enclosed in the spermatic cord.

Cremaster muscles which are located within the spermatic cord aids in the nourishment of the sperms through its contractions.

The Pelvic Urethra and Accessory Sex Glands

The pelvic urethra has two main parts: Prostatic urethra and membranous urethra.

Accessory sex glands add up the seminal fluid (plasma) to the sperms forming the semen.

The various accessory glands include ampullary gland, vesicular gland, prostate gland, and Cowper’s gland.

Vesicular glands add sorbitol and fructose.

It also has phosphate and carbonate buffers which prevent shifts in semen pH.

Cowper’s gland has secretions that flush urine residue from the urethra before ejaculation.

Cowper’s gland has mucoprotein secretion which is essential in lubrication at the distal end of the urethra, and it also has the flushing effect.

Sperms then pass into the penile urethra which passes in the corpra spongiosus of the penis.

The sperms then move to the bulb of the penis until they get out where the urethra terminates.

All this process occurs after erection in which blood passes through the carvanous spaces which are viewed as blood vessels (Jodar and Meritxell 130).

Works Cited

Jodar, Meritxell, et al. “Semen proteomics and male infertility.” Journal of proteomics 162           (2017): 125-134.

Yanagimachi, Ryuzo. The sperm cell: production, maturation, fertilization, regeneration. Cambridge University Press, 2017.