The male reproductive system is incredibly complex, but full of potential when it comes to developing the contraceptives of the future.
Knowing how a man’s body operates is a critical first step to understanding how the next generation of male contraceptive methods will function. This can be a daunting task as the science of male reproductive biology is complex, and the related terminology can be difficult to grasp. This page features links to primers that provide basic information about the various aspects of male reproductive biology.
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The Male Reproductive System
To create new male contraceptive options, we have to understand the male reproductive system. This primer provides a top-line overview of the core components of men’s reproductive biology. |
Nuts & Bolts: Male Reproductive System
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Semen vs. Sperm
The terms “semen” and “sperm” are sometimes incorrectly used as synonyms. While they are closely connected, they are not the same. This primer helps explain the differences between the two. |
Nuts & Bolts: Semen vs. Sperm
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Puberty
Puberty, the process in which a human child’s body matures into an adult capable of sexual reproduction. Once a human person completes puberty, they are physically an adult. This includes the desire to have sexual relations, along with the ability to reproduce sexually. Learn more about this pivotal event in male reproduction in this primer. |
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Penis
The penis is the primary sexual organ that male animals use to inseminate females during sexual intercourse. Learn more about this male genital organ in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Penis
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Testicles
Simply put, testicles are where sperm come from. But how else do testicles play their part in the reproductive system? This primer provides details about those two oval-shaped “balls” on either side of a male’s penis. |
Nuts & Bolts: Testicles
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Scrotum
The scrotum is a feature of the male reproductive system that hangs from the body at the front of the pelvis, between the legs. Learn more about this multi-layered structure that houses key components of the male reproductive system in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Scrotum
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Urethra
The urethra is a tube that connects the bladder to the urinary opening for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males, and the conduit in men for semen during sexual intercourse. This primer provides details about this tube. |
Nuts & Bolts: Urethra
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Vas Deferens
The vas deferens is part of the male reproductive system used to carry ejaculatory sperm out of the epididymis. It consists of two ducts: the left and right vas deferens connect to each testicle through the epididymis. Learn more about these ducts in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Vas Deferens
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Epididymis
The epididymis is a set of two coiled tubes (one for each testicle) that connects the testicle directly to the vas deferens. This primer provides more details about this duct system. |
Nuts & Bolts: Epididymis
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Prostate
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the male bladder and the penis, and sits just in front of the rectum. Learn more about this gland in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Prostate
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Ejaculation
Ejaculation is the discharge of semen from the male reproductive tract as a result of an orgasm. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. Learn more in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Ejaculation
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Ejaculatory Ducts
The ejaculatory ducts are a part of the male anatomy that allows the flow of sperm from the testes through the reproductive system and eventually out through the urethra. Learn more in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Ejaculatory Ducts
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Bulbourethral Glands
Also known as Cowper's glands, the bulbourethral glands are two small glands in the male reproductive system that produce and secrete a pre-ejaculate fluid called Cowper's fluid, known colloquially as “pre-cum”. This primer provides additional information. |
Nuts & Bolts: Bulbourethral Glands
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Sertoli Cells
Sertoli cells are a specialized cell type found in the seminiferous tubules of the testes that facilitate the production of new sperm, or spermatogenesis. Learn more in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Sertoli Cells
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Acrosome Reaction
In order to initiate fertilization, a sperm must first fuse with the plasma membrane of the female egg cell (known as the zona pellucida) and then penetrate through the membrane to fertilize it. In order to accomplish this, sperm cells go through a process known as the acrosome reaction. This primer provides more details. |
Nuts & Bolts: Acrosome Reaction
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Capacitation
Capacitation, generally speaking, is the change sperm undergo in the female reproductive tract that enables them to penetrate and fertilize an egg. Learn more about this critical change in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Capacitation
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Seminal Vesicles
The seminal vesicles contribute between 50-80% of the components found in semen, specifically the late ejaculate fluids that support the successful transfer of sperm out of the body. Learn more about this integral part of the male reproductive system in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Seminal Vesicles
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Blood-Testis Barrier
The blood–testis barrier is a physical barrier between the blood vessels and the seminiferous tubules of the testes. Any disruption to it could cause infertility in males. Learn more about this critical component of male reproduction in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Blood-Testis Barrier
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Seminiferous Tubules
The seminiferous tubules are are tightly looped throughout the testes and lined with Sertoli cells. This is where meiosis and subsequent development of spermatozoa occurs. Learn more about these tubules in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Seminiferous Tubules
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Testosterone
The primary sex hormone in males, testosterone is responsible for the development of male reproductive tissues (e.g., the testes and the prostate), as well as secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle mass and the growth of body hair. Learn more in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Testosterone
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Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the primary energy storage molecule used to activate the reactions needed for growth and reproduction by all living organisms. Learn more about this key aspect of reproduction in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
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Mitochondria
Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell as they are responsible for cell respiration (the process which produces energy). Learn more about these amazing organelles in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Mitochondria
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Ureters
Ureters are a component of the urinary system and are thin tubes of muscle that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. They are a component of the male reproductive system and a key part of a well-functioning body. Learn more about these incredible tubes in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Ureters
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Anus
The anus is a component of the male reproductive system whose primary purpose is to control the exit of feces from the body during defecation. Learn more about this aspect of biology in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Anus
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Rectum
The rectum is a component of the male reproductive system whose primary purpose is to act as a temporary storage site for feces. However, due to the proximity of the front wall of the rectum to the prostate in males (or to the vagina in females), and the nerves shared between them, rectal stimulation or penetration can result in sexual arousal. Learn more about the rectum in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Rectum
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Testicular Aging
Testicular aging refers to the natural biological process by which the testicles undergo changes as men grow older. Understanding these changes is critical for developing male contraception methods that are safe, effective, and reversible. Learn more about this biological process in this primer. |
Nuts & Bolts: Testicular Aging
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