Male Ducts

Next Part Generative System of Females

In each testicle, the convoluted tubules unite near the top, forming a larger set, called the vasa efferentia, which then come together, forming the epididymus, all being contained within the scrotum. The tubules forming the epididymus come together into a single seminal duct referred to as the vas deferens, which, passing from the scrotum and continuing up into the body, carries the sperm by means of repeated contractions (ejaculation) to the seminal vesicle.

As there are two testicles, there are two (with the exception of the scrotum) of the aforementioned components. The seminal vesicles are located just under or beside the bladder. The vas deferens, along with lymphatic vessels, nerves, arteries and veins running alongside, all combine to form the spermatic cord referred to earlier.

Located directly under the bladder, and surrounding the urethra, is a globular-shaped gland, called the prostate, between one and one-quarter and one and one-half inches in diameter. This gland, through which the urethra passes, produces a milky-white and alkaline secretion called prostatic fluid. It is believed that this fluid serves to both preserve the sperm and stimulate its mobility.

At the point where each vas deferens enters the prostate, it is joined by a seminal vesicle (there are two), then continuing, it is connected to a single tube called the urethra. The urethra carries urine from the bladder and seminal fluid containing sperm from the vas deferens, through the penis.

There is some debate as to whether seminal fluid is produced entirely by the prostate, or partly by the epididymus to facilitate transporting of sperm in conjunction with it, and whether the seminal vesicles also produce some seminal fluids, or simply act as reservoirs storing the fluids until ejaculation.

Male Hormones

As mentioned earlier, these tiny factories—the testicles—also produce the most important male hormones. These hormones are produced by an infinitesimal number of microscopically small islands of cells scattered among the somniferous tubules. The hormones are not carried through the vas deferens, but rather pass directly into the bloodstream carrying them throughout the body.

Beginning at puberty, they cause changes in a boy’s body to take on the masculine form, narrow hips, wide upper body for strength, the deepening of the voice, and hair on face and chest and other parts of the body, more than is common for women. These hormones also affect the mind, stimulating the male to think and act in a masculine manner.

It is well known that men lacking these tiny little factories—whether through defect, injury or castration—not only lose reproductive ability, but also lose or never acquire sexual desire. If lost prior to puberty, none of the masculine changes occur in the male body. A male having suffered this condition will tend to become obese and not have the normal bodily hair growth.

So, the testes serve the dual purpose of producing the male reproductive cells and hormones. How very important are these little factories!

Amazing Temperature Regulator

Before leaving this discussion, we will answer why, as stated earlier, the testes are located along with the scrotum outside of the male body. Was this through happen-stance—an accident?—or was it due to “Mother Nature” or evolution that this occurred? Did this just somehow happen? Or was there intelligent thought, planning and design involved by a Supreme Being with great creative power and ability? Is there a reason for this?

There is!

Though God had purposely planned it, man has only understood why for about the last 50 or so years. Through a series of experiments or tests, scientists set about to determine the continued fertility and mobility of sperm when they were exposed to various temperatures. Many different animal species were used in the studies. What the experimenters found was that sperm cells remained viable longer when kept at a temperature lower than normal body temperature.

Upon examination, they found that the temperature inside the animals’ scrotums was a number of degrees lower than the animals’ body. Conversely, they found that as the temperature to which the sperm cells were exposed increased, their vitality and fertility decreased. Further, they found that as they exposed the scrotum and testes to even higher than normal body temperatures, the sperm’s vitality dropped further, until eventually no fertile sperm was able to survive.

At some point, a scientist decided to see what the temperature inside the human scrotum was. He was able to determine that it is actually from six to fifteen degrees lower than normal body level. What God had planned and designed, man had finally discovered. There can be no other possible explanation than that these incredible miniature factories were made to require a significantly lower temperature than that of the body to be able to manufacture viable, life-giving cells to make reproduction possible.

Ask again: How could evolution possibly account for this? Then there is the even greater question of how fertilization could even have taken place for the ages prior to the time that the body “figured out” that it needed to devise the scrotum, with its unique skin, so that it could allow the testes to remain outside the body, and at different distances depending upon outside temperature.

Would reasonable minds hold to such thinking?

Other proof of this is also evident. During the fetal stage, the testes first develop within—up inside—the male fetus, and then later descend into the scrotum, some significant time prior to birth. Male babies are born with the testes already descended into the scrotum. Sometimes, however, one or both testicles remain up in the abdomen leaving a half or wholly empty scrotum. If, in due time, the testes do not “drop” on their own, doctors, in this modern age of medicine, are able to bring them down through a relatively minor surgery.

Prior to the ability to perform this procedure, there were men in which the testes remained up inside the body, well after reaching puberty and on into married adulthood. Though in every way these men exhibited all normal male characteristics, desire for marriage, sexual drive and ability for coitus, nevertheless, they did not have the ability to father children.

While the testes were normal—produced spermatozoa—they did not produce fertile, viable sperm. These men were invariably sterile. It is now known that these incredible little factories simply needed a lower temperature than that to which they were exposed in order to produce live sperm! (In fact, this is one reason it has been suggested that some men should wear looser-fitting underwear to increase their sperm count.)

Referenced a moment ago, it has also been discovered that the scrotum, which houses the testicles and epididymides, is made from a type of skin much unlike that of any other in either man or woman. This unique skin consists of many thick folds. It also does not conduct heat. When exposed to cold temperatures, these folds shrink, pulling the testes up to the body, sometimes almost inside, to prevent them from becoming too cold to produce live sperm.

However, in very warm temperatures, the opposite occurs. The folds of the skin of the scrotum stretch out, relaxing until the testes are dropped a considerable distance away from the warmer-than-normal body. Therefore, not only must the testes be outside of the body, but also the scrotum acts as a temperature gauge, automatically regulating the temperature through distance so that the testes can perform their wonderful work of producing life-imparting cells.

Of course, some may cling stubbornly to a belief that blind evolution could be responsible for such an incredible design, and will refuse to acknowledge the awe-inspiring hand of God so obviously at work here. Yet again, the psalmist was correct—we ARE truly “fearfully and wonderfully made”!