Question

Draw a labelled diagram of the human male reproductive system.

Answer 1

Hint:The reproductive system in males is located in the pelvic region. It includes a pair of testes with accessory ducts, glands and the external genitalia.

Complete answer:
The testes are found within a pouch called scrotum outside the abdominal cavity. The scrotum helps to keep the low temperature of testes needed for spermatogenesis. The testis is surrounded by a thick covering. Each testis has many compartments known as testicular lobules. Each lobule consists of one to three tightly coiled seminiferous tubules that produce sperms. The sperms are tiny bodies composed mostly of genetic material, with a long tail that makes them migrate into the female germ cell.

There are two kinds of cells- male germ cells and Sertoli cells that line the inside of each seminiferous tubule. There are small blood vessels and interstitial cells or Leydig cells in the regions outside of the seminiferous tubules which are known as interstitial spaces. The Leydig cells produce and secrete the testicular hormones known as androgens. There are also other cells, which are immunologically competent.

                            Fig: Diagram of male reproductive system

The accessory ducts of males include rete testis, vasa efferentia, epididymis, and vas deferens. The testis seminiferous tubules pass from rete testis to the vasa efferentia. The vasa efferentia leaves the testis and opens into epididymis situated along the posterior surface of each testis. The epididymis leads to vas deferens ascending into the abdomen and looping around the urinary bladder. It receives a seminal vesicle duct and as the ejaculatory duct expands into urethra. These ducts store and transfer the sperms from the testis to the outside with the help of urethra. The urethra originates from the urinary bladder and spreads to its external opening called urethral meatus, through the penis.

Note:Semen is released into the vagina by penis during copulation (coitus). The motile sperms swim easily, move through the cervix, penetrate the uterus and finally reach the ampullary area of the fallopian tube. The ovum that the ovary releases is also transferred to the ampullary area where fertilisation takes place.