Assume that a 30 year old male is able to produce sufficient spermatozoa, but because of an obstruction in his duct system, the spermatozoa cannot be discharged through the urethra. If each duct in the system had to be examined to locate the obstruction, explain the sequence in which the ducts would have to be examined, starting with the urethra and termination in the seminiferous tubules.
What will be an ideal response?
Answer:
The course of the sperm is very long and recives various secretions from various organs.
Sperms are ejaculated from the urethra and if the examination has to be done starting from the urethra, the first organ has to be prostate gland which releases milky fluid in the semen. Many of the times people suffer from prostate cancer known as bening prostate hyperplasia (BPH) leading to the obstruction in the ejaculation of the sperms.
Next we have to examine the seminal vesicle which also releases a transparent fluid known as seminal fluid into the semen. Obstruction in the seminal vesicle may also lead to obstruction in sperm pathway.
Next comes into picture is vas defrens which is the longest tube in the sperm journey. During the ejaculation, the smooth muscles in the wall of vas defrens undergoes peristalsis movement helping in sperms travel down to urethra via recieving secretions from accessory glands mentioned above. If the smooth muscles does not contract, the sperms will not be able to vacate the tube leading to obstruction.
Next comes epididymis, it is the store house for the sperms where they undergo maturation process for 2-3 weeks before they are discharged. The epididymis tube is coiled in structure which also needs to be checked.
Last comes the seminiferous tubule, it is the structure where the sperms are formed and any issue in this structure will definitely create the major issue in the formation or passage of sperms.
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