Function of the testicles

The testes

Also called the balls, nuts, seeds, grains or testicles, these organs are egg shaped, but the size of the red “Bequia” plums. They are soft to firm in consistency and have a convoluted, soft, but sensitive, hollow, structure attached to the back. This structure is called the epididymis. This is where the sperm goes to mature before they are ejaculated. Each testicle produces about 75-100 million sperms per ejaculation, giving a combined total of 150-200 million sperms per ejaculate.{{more}} This quantity of sperm comes out in about 1/20th of a teaspoon (0.25mls) of testicular fluid. If the total sperm concentration drops below 60 million/ml then a man will find it difficult, but not impossible to impregnate his partner. If the count drops below 20 million, then it is almost impossible for a man to impregnate his spouse.

With respect to sexuality, the main use of the testicle is the production of the male hormone called testosterone. This hormone, which circulates in the blood, causes men to feel “horny”. It is this hormone that makes us who we are: aggressive, competitive, loud and boisterous and womanizers. This hormone also causes big and stronger muscles and bigger bones, higher blood count, acne, deep voice and bigger penises. Women who are given this hormone report increased libido, but can suffer from acne and a deep voice. This is one of the main hormones abused by athletes to make them stronger, more aggressive, give a higher blood count and thus a competitive edge. The testicles are also called the male brain, as they compete for the man’s attention in many sticky situations and usually direct his actions in such cases. When it comes to sexual decisions, the testicles usually win over the male conventional brain.

The vas deferens

This is the tube that transports the sperm from the testicles to the back of the urine passage where it mixes with the fluid from the prostate and the seminal vesicles. Most of the length of this tube is in the abdomen but it can be felt in the scrotum where it can be cut to perform a vasectomy or male sterilization.

The seminal vesicle

These two prune-shaped glands are deep inside the body on top of the prostate behind the bladder. They produce a very thick, whitish, jelly-like secretion, which, when added to prostatic secretion, gives the semen its classic appearance.

The cowper’s glad

These pea shaped glands are at the base of the penis and produce a slimy secretion in the urine passage that is seen at the tip of the penis with excitement and erections. This is what some men call “pre-come”. In fact this is not pre-come, because it cannot impregnate or cause impregnation. “Pre-come” is what occurs when couple who practice the withdrawal technique do not “pull-out” on time. In other words, the man times poorly and when he thinks that he has not ejaculated, he indeed has started, so when he pulls out it is too late.

The prostate

A lot has been said of the prostate and a lot of myths abound, but the only thing that needs to be known is that it is a plum-shaped gland that surrounds the urine passage as it leaves the bladder. It produces a watery acidic secretion that neutralizes and liquefies the thick alkaline seminal vesicle secretion. This makes it easier for the sperm to “swim out” and into the female genital tract to effect fertilization. Obviously, if the prostate is diseased, then the prostatic secretions will be decreased or absent. This will make the ejaculate too thick and alkaline for the sperm to survive, so the couple will experience infertility. There has been a lot of media attention recently about the prostate and it’s involvement in cancer, but the most common disease affecting the prostate is not cancer, but BPH or a noncancerous enlargement.

For comments or question contact:

Dr Rohan Deshong
Tel: (784) 456-2785
email: deshong@vincysurf.com