Gross Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System

Today's Medical Topic:  Gross anatomy is body parts, structures, and landmarks visible to the naked eye without the aid of a microscope.  Today we are looking at the gross anatomy of the male reproductive system.

What Are We Looking For:  The most obvious parts, most of which are directly related to the reproductive system.  We are looking at a photograph of a model of a mid-sagittal section of the pelvis including part of the abdominal cavity.

If you are in my A&P II class this semester it is the same model in the classroom.

Also we are looking at a picture out of the textbook because some of the structures are not identified or featured on the model.

A lot of this is sorta self explanatory but there is some stuff missing as well as some bizarrely presented  areas.

The pubis is colored blue, I have no idea why since it is bone.  Correction this is the pubic symphysis.  A cartilaginous joint uniting the superior rami of the right and left pubic bones.

There are two parts (technically three but only two are visible in a sagittal section) to the erectile tissue in the penis.  The corpus spongiosum which surrounds the urethra, and the paired dorsal erectile bodies, the corpus cavernosa.  Remember that the anatomy of the penis is named in reference to an erect penis.  So imagine that guy sticking straight out the top part is dorsal, the bottom part ventral.

Not seen on this model is the testes, vas deferens, seminal glands, etc.  Why this is not on the model I have no idea.  This is what we need the picture in the anatomy book for:

(click for big)

I took out some of the labels so it is easier to understand but otherwise it identical to the one in your A&P book.

Fun stuff.

Send questions or comments to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.