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Unlike the female reproductive system, the male reproductive system is mostly located outside the body. These parts consist of external organs that are necessary for a man's reproductive organs and urinary system to function properly. These organs are essential for the production, maintenance, transportation, and discharge of the male sex hormones, sperm, and semen.
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The penis is the male organ used in sexual intercourse. It has three parts: the root, which attaches to the wall of the abdomen; the body, or shaft; and the glans, which is the cone-shaped part at the end of the penis.
The scrotum is the loose pouch-like sac of skin that hangs behind the penis. It holds the testicles (also called testes), as well as many nerves and blood vessels. The scrotum protects your testes and provides a sort of climate control system.
The testes are oval organs that lie in the scrotum, secured at either end by a structure called the spermatic cord. Most men have two testes. The testes are responsible for making testosterone (the primary male sex hormone) and for producing sperm.
The epididymis consists of a single coiled microscopic tube that measures almost 20 feet (6 meters) in length. The epididymis collects sperm from the testis and provides the environment for sperm to mature and acquire the ability to move through the female reproductive system and fertilize an ovum.
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The vas deferens is a long, muscular tube that travels from the epididymis into the pelvic cavity, to just behind the bladder. The main function of the vas deferens is to transport mature sperm to the urethra, in preparation for ejaculation.
These ducts are formed by the fusion of the vas deferens and the seminal vesicles. The ejaculatory ducts empty into the urethra.
The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside of your body. In the male body, the urethra has two functions. One of which is its original function of carrying out urine from the body, whereas the other function is to expel (ejaculate) semen outside of a man’s body
The seminal vesicles are sac-like pouches that attach to the vas deferens near the base of the bladder. The prostate and the seminal vesicles produce fluid that nourishes the sperm. This fluid provides most of the volume of semen, the fluid in which the sperm is expelled during ejaculation.
The prostate lies just under the bladder and surrounds the urethra. It is about the size of a walnut in young men; however, the prostate enlarges with age. When the prostate enlarges too much, it can block urine flow through the urethra and cause bothersome urinary symptoms.
The bulbourethral glands, also called Cowper's glands, are pea-sized structures located on the sides of the urethra just below the prostate gland. These glands produce a clear, slippery fluid that empties directly into the urethra. This fluid serves to lubricate the urethra and to neutralize any acidity that may be present due to residual drops of urine in the urethra.
References
WebMD. (2020, March 24). The Male Reproductive System. https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/male-reproductive-system
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Male Reproductive System. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9117-male-reproductive-system