The male reproductive system

The male reproductive system (see diagram below) allows a man to fertilise an egg. It includes the following organs:

testicles (testes)	two small, egg-shaped glands make and store sperm also make the hormone testosterone, which is responsible for the development of male characteristics, sexual drive (libido) and the ability to have an erection
scrotum	the loose pouch of skin at the base of the penis that holds the testicles
epididymis	a tightly coiled tube attached to the outer surface of each testicle sperm travel from the testicles through the epididymis to the spermatic cord
spermatic cord and vas deferens	tubes running from each testicle to the penis contain blood vessels, nerves and lymph vessels carry sperm towards the penis
seminal vesicles	glands that lie close to the prostate produce fluids that make up part of semen
prostate	a small gland about the size of a walnut produces fluids that form part of semen located near the nerves, blood vessels and muscles that control bladder function and erections
penis	the main external sex organ urine and semen pass out of the body through the penis semen is made up of sperm and other fluids, and is ejaculated from the penis

Anatomy of the male reproductive system

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This information was last reviewed in May 2020. View who reviewed this content.

Dr Ying Li, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist, RPA Fertility Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW; Dr Antoinette Anazodo, Paediatric and Adolescent Oncologist, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, NSW, and Lead Clinician for Youth Cancer NSW/ACT; Paul Baden, Consumer; Dawn Bedwell, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Queensland; Maurice Edwards, Special Counsel, Watts McCray Lawyers, NSW; Helena Green, Clinical Sexologist and Counsellor, InSync for Life, WA; Dr Michelle Peate, Program Leader, Psychosocial Health and Wellbeing Research (emPoWeR) Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women’s Hospital, The University of Melbourne, VIC; A/Prof Kate Stern, Gynaecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist and Head, Fertility Preservation Service, Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne, The University of Melbourne, VIC; Prof Jane Ussher, Chair, Women’s Health Psychology, Translational Health Resea ch Institute (THRI), School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, NSW; Renee Van Den Bosch, Consumer.

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