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The primary function of the male
reproductive system is to form sperm, the male reproductive cells, and deliver
them to the female. Unlike the reproductive structures of females, the male
reproductive structures are located outside of the pelvis. This external
location keeps the temperature of sperm slightly below body temperature, which
is necessary for their healthy development and survival.
When a man becomes sexually
aroused, spongy tissue in the penis fills with blood and the organ becomes
erect. Sperm leave the scrotum and travel along a long vessel known as the vas
deferens. Fluid produced by the seminal vesicles and the prostate gland mixes
with sperm to produce semen. During ejaculation, semen containing 200 million
to 300 million sperm propels from the body through the urethra in the penis.
Reproductive System (Male)
The primary function of the male
reproductive system is to form sperm, the male reproductive cells, and deliver
them to the female. Unlike the reproductive structures of females, the male
reproductive structures are located outside of the pelvis. This external
location keeps the temperature of sperm slightly below body temperature, which
is necessary for their healthy development and survival.
Testis
Beginning at puberty, sperm is
produced in the testes (testicles), a pair of glands located in a pouch called
the scrotum. From each testis, sperm migrate to a long, coiled tube known as
the epididymis, where they are stored for one to three weeks until they mature.
Penis
When a man becomes sexually
aroused, spongy tissue in the penis fills with blood and the organ becomes
erect. Sperm leave the scrotum and travel along a long vessel known as the vas
deferens. Fluid produced by the seminal vesicles and the prostate gland mixes
with sperm to produce semen. During ejaculation, semen containing 200 million
to 300 million sperm propels from the body through the urethra in the penis.