THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

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VOCABULARY

PRONUNCIATION WORDS DEFINITION

bulbourethral gland A small gland beside the urethra below the prostate that
secretes part of the seminal fluid. Also called Cowper gland.

Ejaculation Ejection of semen from the male urethra

ejaculatory duct The duct formed by union of the ductus deferens and the duct
of the seminal vesicle; it carries spermatozoa and seminal fluid
into the urethra

Epididymis A coiled tube on the surface of the testis that stores sperm until
ejaculation (root epididym/o)

follicle stimulating A hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary that acts on the
gonads. In the male, FSH stimulates development of sperm
hormone (FSH)
cells.

Gamete A mature reproductive cell, the spermatozoon in the male and

the ovum in the female

Gonad A sex gland; testis or ovary

pituitary gland An endocrine gland at the base of the brain

Penis The male organ of copulation and urination; adjective, penile

Prepuce foreskin The fold of skin over the glans penis;

prostate gland A gland that surrounds the urethra below the bladder in males
and contributes secretions to the semen (root prostat/o)

scrotum A double pouch that contains the testes (root osche/o)

semen The thick secretion that transports spermatozoa (root semin,

sperm/i, spermat/o)
 seminal vesicle A saclike gland behind the bladder that contributes secretions
to the semen (root vesicul/o)

Seminiferous tubules A tubule in the testis which carries semen

Spermatozoon (sig) Mature male sex cells (singular, spermatozoon) (root sperm/i,
spermat/o)
spermatozoa (pl)

testis The male reproductive gland (plural, testes) (see Fig. 14-2);
also called testicle (root test/o)

testosterone The main male sex hormone

urethra The duct that carries urine out of the body and also transports
semen in the male

vas deferens (sig) The duct that conveys spermatozoa from the epididymis to the
ejaculatory duct. Also called ductus deferens.
vas deferentia (pl)

Suffixes Meaning Example Definition

-cide Killing Spermicide Kill sperm
spermaticide
-genesis Forming, producing, spermatogenesis Forming or producing
origin sperm
-ism condition anorchism Condition without
testes
-spadias Slit, fissure hypospadias A fissure under (the
penis)
Brachy- short brachytherapy Treatment from a short
(distance)
Epi- On, upon epispadias Fissure upon (dorsum of
penis)

To review the anatomy of the male reproductive system, label the illustration using the terms listed below.
bulbourethral gland prepuce testis
ejaculatory duct prostate gland urethra
epididymis scrotum urethral orifice
glans penis seminal vesicle vas deferens
penis seminiferous tubules
PRACTICE

1. What organ or gland surrounds the urethra just below the bladder?
A. The testes C. The prostate gland
B. The vas deferens D. The seminal vesicle
2. Which of the following is true for testosterone?
A. It is considered the male sex hormone. C. It is considered the female sex hormone.
B. Both A and B. D. None of the above.
3. The ____________is a tube in the male reproductive organs in which sperm mature and are stored until they
leave the body.
A. Seminiferous tubules C. Vas deferens
B. Epididymis D. Penis
4. What is the organ where sperm cells mature?
A. Vas deferens C. Testes
B. Epididymis D. Penis
5. Semen contains ____(sugars)____________, such as fructose, which provides energy to the sperm cells.
6. Semen isn formed with a fluid secreted by the ___________.
A. Testes C, Vas deferens
B. Prostate gland D. Epididymis
7. Which organ or gland sits on the top of the testes?
A. The scrotum C. The epididymis
B. the vas deferens D. the prostate gland
8. What organ allows sperm cells to travel to the urethra?
A. Vas deferens B. Penis C. Testes D. Epididymis
9. Sperm is stored in what part of the reproductive system?
 A. Seminiferous tubules C. Epididymis
B. Prostate gland D. Glans penis
10. The testes store sperm until they leave the body. TRUE/ FalSE
11. Which of the following produces testosterone?
A. Vas deferens B. Penis C. Epididymis D. Testes
12. Arrange the following structures in the order that sperm pass through them:
A. Vas deferens- urethra-epididymis C. Epididymis-urethra-vas deferens
B. Urethra-epididymis-vas deferens D. Epididymis-vas deferens-urethra
13. The male reproductive organ that produces sperm and secretes testosterone is the epididymis. TRUE/
FALSE
14. The epididymis is over 20 feet (6 meters) long in adult males. TRUE/FALSE
15. Testes are masses of coiled ______________.
A. Seminiferous tubules C. Vas deferens
B. Uriniferoud tubules D. Malpighian tubules
16. Sperm are the smallest cells in the human body. TRUE/ FALSE
17. It takes up to 2 months to make a sperm cell. TRUE/ FALSE
18. The spermatids are immature and cannot move their own as they have not yet developed their flagella tail.
TRUE/ FALSE
19. A sperm is just one cell. TRUE/ FALSE
20. The epididymis is a coiled tube about _____________ meters long lying atop the testes inside the scrotum.
A. 2 B. 4 C. 6 D. 9
21. Each testis contains more than ______________meters of seminiferous tubules.
A. 25 B. 30 C. 10 D. 16
22. Secretions in semen serve what purpose?
A. They control pH and provide oxygen for aerobic respiration
B. They control pH and provide sperm with nutrients for energy.
C. They provide semen with ATP and oxygen for aerobic respiration.
D. They control pH only.
23. Name the fluid that carries sperm through the urethra and out of the body.
A. Vesical fluid C. Intestinal fluid
B. Semen D. Pancreatic fluid
24. The reproductive system in both males and females consists of structures that produce:
A. Reproductive cells C. Gametees
B. Sex hormones D. All of the above.
25. What is the role of testosterone during the teen years?
A. Causes male traits to develop C. Causes the reproductive organs to mature
B. Allows for muscle growth D. All of the above
26. What is the role of testosterone during adulthood?
A. Helps in sperm production C. Causes male traits to develop
B. Causes the reproductive organs to mature D. All of the above.
27. What are the roles of the male reproductive system? (select all that apply)
A. It produces sperm.
B. It releases testosterone into the body.
C. It facilitates the baby’s birth at the end of pregnancy.
D. It supports a baby as it develops before birth.
28. Whih of the following refers to a gamete?
A. A haploid sex cell C. A reproductive cell
B. A sperm cell D. All of the above
 29. Sperms are nourished and activiated through ________________.
A. Vas deferens C. Seminal vesicle
B. Semen D. Prostate gland
30. Sperm duct finally opens into the ______________.
A. Ureter B. Urethra C. Testes D. Testicles
31. Organs producing reproductive cells are called _________________.
A. Gametes B. Gonads C. Globules D. glands

Medical Word Elements

Combining Forms Suffixes Prefixes

andr/o -ary An-

prostat/o -it is Epi-
balan/o -cele Hypo-
scrot/o -megaly
epiepididym/o -cide
sperm/i -plasty
hypogenit/o -ectomy
urin/o -rrhaphy
gonad/o -gen
varic/o -spadias
orch/o -graphy
vas/o -ism
perine/o
vesicul/o

1. Killing sperm ______________

2. swelling of a dilated vein _________________________________

3. surgical repair of the scrotum ____________________________________

4. enlargement of the prostate _________________________________

5. condition without testes___________ ________________________________

6. excision of a gonad_________________ __________________________

7. pertaining to genitals and the urinary tract________ ___________________________________

8. excision of the epididymis_________ __________________________________

9. fissure on the dorsum(of the penis) __________________________________________

10. condition of deficiency (in hormones)of the sex glands _____________________

11. inflammation of the glans penis _____________________________________

12. forming or producing a male __________________________________

13. suture of the perineum_______

14. excision of the vas deferens___________________________________

15. process of recording the seminal vesicle_______

Building Medical Words

Use orchid/o (testis (sig) testes (pl) to build words that mean:

1. inflammation of the testes___________________________________________

2. prolapse or downward displacement of the testes___________________________________________

Use balan/o (glans penis) to build words that mean:

3. flow or discharge of the glans penis___________________________________________

4. hernia,swelling of the glans penis___________________________________________

Use spermat/o to build words that mean:

5. sperm cell___________________________________________

6. embryonic sperm(cell) ___________________________________________

7. swelling or hernia(containing)sperm___________________________________________

Use prostat/o to build words that mean:

8. pain of theprostate___________________________________________

9. discharge of the prostate___________________________________________

10. enlargement of the prostate___________________________________________

11. stone or calculus of the prostate___________________________________________

Use the suffix –spadias (slit, fissure) to build words that mean:

12. fissure under(ventrum of the penis) ___________________________________________

13. fissure above(dorsum of the penis) ___________________________________________

Use vesicul/o (seminal vesicle) to build words that mean:

14. inflammation of the seminal vesicle___________________________________________

15. process of recording the seminal vesicle___________________________________________

Use gonad/o (sex glands) to build words that mean:

16. disease of the gonads___________________________________________

17. surgical repair of glans penis___________________________________________

18. excision of (a segment of the) vas deferens___________________________________________

19. surgical repair of the scrotum___________________________________________

20. suture of the perineum___________________________________________

Circle T for true or F for false.

19. Urine is stored in the prostate gland. T F

20. Fluid from the seminal vesicles helps the sperm move. T F

21. During ejaculation, about three thousand sperm are released. T F

22. Cowper’s gland is another name for the prostate gland. T F

23. Identical twins result from two sperm and one ovum. T F

24. Male genetic material is called testosterone. T F

25. In many cultures, the glans penis is removed during circumcision. T F