Male Reproductive System
The male reproductive system consists of portions which produce the germ cells and other portions that deliver the germ cells to the site of fertilisation.
The formation of germ cells or sperms takes place in the testes. These are located outside the abdominal cavity in the scrotum because sperm formation requires a lower temperature than the normal body temperature. We have discussed the role of the testes in the secretion of the hormone,
testosterone, in the previous chapter. In addition to regulating the formation of sperm, testosterone brings about changes in appearance seen in boys at the time of puberty.
The sperms formed are delivered through the vas deferens which unite with a tube coming from the urinary bladder. The urethra thus forms a common passage for both the sperm and urine. Along the path of the vas deferens, glands like the prostate and the seminal vesicles add their secretions so that the sperms are now in a fluid which makes their transport easier and this fluid also provides nutrition. The sperms are tiny bodies that consist of mainly genetic
material and a long tail that helps them to move towards the female germ cell.