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Epididymis epithelium

Histology
Home Page
Male Reproductive System Diagram (porcine) System
diagram

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FUNCTION   The primary function of the male reproductive system is reproduction, which includes the production of spermatozoa, the transportation of spermatozoa from the testes out of the male body, the secretion by glands, and the placement of spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract. Spermatozoa are produced in the testes then transported from the testes by a series of ducts which become gradually larger and connect with the urethra of the penis.  Various accessory glands in the male system secrete materials which together with the spermatozoa constitutes the semen. A secondary function of the male reproductive system is the production of the male hormones which are responsible for the secondary sex characteristics of the male animal.

STRUCTURE    The male reproductive system is composed of several distinct organs. These include the testes, epididymis, deferent ducts, accessory glands, and the penis. The testis (plural, testes) is both an exocrine organ (compound, coiled, tubular gland) producing cells, i.e., spermatozoa, and an endocrine organ, secreting hormones, i.e., testosterone. Accessory glands (not all are present in all species) include the ampullary glands, vesicular glands, prostate gland, bulbourethral gland and urethral glands.

Male Reproductive System Diagram (porcine)
(This diagram will be available as a pop-up reference on many of the following pages.)

Porcine male reproductive system:

Diagram shows all of the organs and their relationships
to each other.

Components of the System (grouped by function):

Production of Spermatozoa
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Testes
                    globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Seminiferous tubules
                    globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Interstitium
Transportation of Spermatozoa

     g../images/lobul3a.gif (65 bytes) Tubuli recti
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Rete Testis
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Efferent ductules
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Epididymis (head, body, and tail)
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes)
Ductus Deferens
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Urethra

Secretion of components of semen
     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Accessory glands (not all present in all species)
                    globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Ampullary
                   
globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Vesicular
                   
globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Prostate
                   
globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Bulbourethral
                   
globul3d.gif (63 bytes) Urethral
Placement of Spermatozoa in female reproductive tract

     ../images/globul3a.gif (65 bytes) Penis

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OSU CVM home      Histology home      Male Reproduction index

Problems? Content: Dr. Charlotte Ownby; Web Page operation: Betty Handlin
Copyright© 1999 Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine
This page was last updated 10/19/07 11:04:05 AM

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