10. MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Bulbourethral gland: One of a pair of exocrine glands near the male urethra.

Cowper gland: Bulbourethral gland

Ejaculation: Ejection of sperm and fluid from the male urethra.

Ejaculatory duct: Tube through which semen enters the male urethra.

Epididymis: One of a pair of long, tightly coiled tubes lying on top of each testis.

It carries sperm from the seminiferous tubules to the vas deferens.

Erectile dysfunction: Inability of an adult male to achieve an erection.

Flagellum: Hair-like projection on a sperm cell that makes it motile.

Fraternal twins: Two infants born of the same pregnancy from two separate

ova fertilized by two different sperm.

Glans penis: Sensitive tip of the penis.

Identical twins: Two infants resulting from division of one fertilized egg into two

distinct embryos.

Impotence: Inability of an adult male to achieve an erection.

Interstitial cells: In the testes, these cells lie between the seminiferous tubules

and produce the hormones testosterone. A pituitary gland hormone stimulates

interstitial cells to produce testosterone.

Parenchyma: Tissue composed of essential and functional cells of organ. In the

testis, the parenchymal tissue includes seminiferous tubules that produce sperm.

Perineum: External region between the anus and scrotum in the male.

Prepuce: Fold of skin covering the tip of the penis. Also called foreskin.

Prostate gland: Exocrine gland, in men, at the base of the urinary bladder. The

prostate gland secretes the fluid part of semen into the urethra during

ejaculation.

Scrotum: External sac that contains the testes.

Semen: Spermatozoa and seminal fluid.

Seminal vesicle: Either of paired sac-like male exocrine glands that secrete a

fluid into the vas deferens. The seminal fluid is the major component of semen.

Seminiferous tubules: Narrow, coiled tubules that produce sperm in the testes.

Spermatozoon: Sperm cell.

Sterilization: Any procedure that removes an individual’s ability to produce or

release reproductive cells.

Stroma: Supportive, connective tissue of an organ, as distinguished from its

parenchyma.

Testis: Male gonad that produces spermatozoa and the hormone testosterone.

Testosterone: Hormone secreted by the interstitial tissue of the testes;

responsible for male sex characteristics.

Vas deferens: Narrow tube that carries sperm from the epididymis into the body

and toward the urethra. Also called ductus deferens.

Balanitis: Inflammation of glans penis.

Cryptorchism: In this congenital condition, one or both testicles do not descend,

by the time of birth, into the scrotal sac from the abdominal cavity.

Aspermia: Lack of formation or ejaculation of semen.

Teratoma: A benign tumor occurring in the testes composed of different types of

tissues such as bone, hair, cartilage and skin cells.

Varicocele: A collection of varicose veins above the testis.

Azoospermia: Lack of spermatozoa in the semen.

Orchiopexy: A surgical procedure to correct Cryptorchism.

Vasovasostomy: Reversal of vasectomy; an urologist rejoins the cut ends of the

vas deferens.

Hydrocele: Sac of clear fluid in the scrotum.

Testicular torsion: Twisting of the spermatic cord.

Prostatic hyperplasia: Benign growth of cells within the prostate gland.

Transurethral Resection of the prostate (TURP): In this procedure, an

endoscope (resectoscope) is inserted into the penis and through the urethra.

Prostatic tissue is removed by an electrical hot-loop attached to the resectoscope.

Hypospadias: Congenital abnormality in which the male urethral opening is on

the undersurface of the penis, instead of at its tip.

Phimosis: Narrowing of the opening of the prepuce over the glans penis.

Gonorrhea: Inflammation of the genital tract mucous membranes, caused by

infection with gonococci.

Herpes genitalis: Infection of the skin and mucosa of the genitals, cause by the

herpes simplex virus (HSV) and marked by blisters.

Syphilis: Chronic STD caused by a spirochete (spiral-shaped bacterium)

PSA: Measures levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood.

Semen analysis: Ejaculated fluid is examined microscopically.

Castration: Surgical excision of testicles or ovaries.

Circumcision: Surgical procedure to remove the prepuce of the penis.

Digital rectal examination (DRE): Finger palpation through the anal canal and

rectum to examine the prostate gland.

Photoselective vaporization of the prostate (Green Light PVP): Removal of

tissue to treat benign Prostatic hyperplasia using a green light laser.

Vasectomy: Bilateral surgical removal of a part of the vas deferens.