Mrs.

Nina Abdelnaby

38.1 REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
Role of a Male in reproduction

 The role of a male in sexual

reproduction is to produce sperm
cells (haploid cells) and to deliver
them to the female reproductive
system to fertilize an egg cell
(haploid cell).
 What is Puberty?
 Puberty is the adolescent stage of
development when changes in the
body make reproduction possible.
 Secondary sexual characteristics:
 Growth of bodily hair
 change of voice
 Muscular build (male)/fat deposition
(female)
 Development of mammary glands
(females)
 Growth spurt
Onset of Puberty
 The onset of puberty
is predetermined
genetically (i.e. runs
in families)
 The hypothalamus
stimulates the
pituitary gland to
release hormones.
Puberty starts in
males and females by
the production of FSH
(follicle stimulating
hormone) & LH
(leutinizing hormone)
by the pituitary gland.
Male reproductive structures: Testes

 Testes (singular, testis):

two egg-shaped organs
where gametes are
produced
 The testes develop within
the abdominal cavity.
Before a male is born, the
testes descend into an
external sac called the  Each testis contains 250
scrotum. compartments
 The temperature within containing tightly coiled
the scrotum is 2oC to 3oC tubules called
cooler than the
temperature inside the seminiferous tubules.
body—37oC. This cooler Sperm forms through
temperature is necessary
for development of normal meiosis in the
specialized lining of this
Role of Hormones
Formation of Sperm

 Males begin to produce sperm during

puberty
 Two hormones released by the anterior
pituitary regulate the functioning of the
testes
 Luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulate
secretion of the hormone testosterone (main
male sex hormone)
 Testosterone is produced by the testes
 Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), along
with testosterone, stimulates sperm
production in the seminiferous tubules
 A male will continue to produce sperm
as long as his testosterone level is high
Formation of gametes

 Meiosis results in the reduction of the

number of chromosomes from diploid
(2n) to haploid (1n).
 As the cells that produce sperm
undergo meiosis, the chromosome
number drops from 46 to 23.
 4 sperm cells result from each cell
that begins meiosis.
Structure of a mature sperm

The mature sperm consists of 3

regions
2. Head: the tip of the head
contains enzymes. During
fertilization these enzymes
help the sperm penetrate
the protective layers that
surround the egg cell. The
head also contains 23
chromosomes.
3. The midpiece: is packed
with mitochondria. These
mitochondria supply the
energy required for sperm
to reach an egg.
4. Tail: consists of a single,
powerful flagellum that
propels the sperm.
Path of Sperm through the Male
Body
 Sperm move from the seminiferous tubules in
the testes to the epididymis (a long, coiled
tubule that is closely attached to the testis)
 Within each epididymis, a sperm matures and gains
the ability to swim as its flagellum completes
development. Some sperm is stored in the
epididymis.
 Some sperm leaves the epididymis and pass
through the vas deferens (a duct that extends
from the epididymis)
 Vas deferens loops around the urinary bladder
and merges with the urethra.
 Sperm exists the body through the urethra (so
does urine—but not at the same time)
Sperm is mixed with fluid produced
by 3 exocrine glands
 Seminal vesicles: produce a fluid rich
in sugars—fructose— that the sperm
use for energy
 The prostate gland: secretes an
alkaline fluid that neutralizes the
acids in the urethra of the male &
female vagina.
 The bulbourethral glands: secretes
an alkaline fluid that neutralizes
traces of acidic urine in the urethra.
Semen

 Sperm mixed with secretions from

the seminal vesicles, prostate gland,
and bulbourethral glands form a fluid
called semen.
Release of Sperm

 When a male becomes

aroused, the spongy
tissue in the penis fills
with blood—this causes
the penis to become
erect.
 Semen is forcefully
expelled from the penis
by contractions of the
smooth muscles that line
the urethra. This process
is called ejaculation.
 Each ejaculation expels
2-5 mLof semen. Each
mLcontains 50-130
million sperm. Most of
them are killed by the
Review questions
 Why are the testes found in the scrotum and not
inside the male body?
 Describe the mature sperm.
 Describe the path that sperm take in exiting the
body.
 What is the function of the vas deferens?
 Which structures in a male produce fluids that
mix with sperm to form semen?
 Why are so many sperm produced by the male
reproductive system?
 In what way are sperm different from the body’s
other cells?
 The wearing of tight underwear has been linked
to low sperm counts in some men. Explain how