Male Reproductive System

The male reproductive system is made up of the parts inside and outside the body that help a male make a baby. Both the male and female reproductive system are needed for this.

The male reproductive system also makes sex hormones, which help a body grow into a sexually mature male.

What Are the Parts of the Male Reproductive System?

The male reproductive system has parts inside and outside the pelvis.

Outside Parts of the Male Reproductive System

Testicles (testes). These are two oval-shaped organs that make male sex cells called sperm after puberty. The testicles are also part of the endocrine system because they make hormones like testosterone (tess-TOSS-tuh-rone). This hormone causes a deeper voice, bigger muscles, and body and facial hair. It also gets the body to make sperm.

Scrotum. This is a bag of skin outside the pelvis that holds the testicles. It helps keep the testicles at the right temperature. They need to be kept cooler than body temperature to make sperm.

When the body is warm, the scrotum gets larger and floppier to get rid of extra heat. When it’s cold, the scrotum shrinks and becomes tighter to hold in body heat. The brain and other parts of the nervous system tell the scrotum when to change size.

Epididymis (ep-uh-DID-uh-miss). This tube is next to each testicle, and it stores sperm.

Penis. This male sex organ is inserted into the vagina during vaginal sex. The penis has a few parts:

• Shaft. This is the main part. The inside of the penis is made of a spongy tissue that can get bigger or smaller.
• Glans. This is the tip or head. At the end of the glans is a small slit where pee and semen (fluid that carries sperm) leave the body.
• Foreskin. This fold of skin is at the end of the penis and covers the glans. Some families choose to have a doctor or clergy member do a circumcision (cutting away of the foreskin). This may be done based on religious beliefs, concerns about hygiene, or cultural or social reasons.