## 3. The male reproductive system

Below you can see the MALE reproductive system.

Glans:
Tip of the penis with thin smooth skin that is sensitive to sexual stimuli.

foreskin:
Skin fold that protects the penis. The foreskin contains glands that make mucus. This allows the foreskin to move easily over the glans. During a circumcision, the foreskin is removed. It is always important to wash the penis after sex or ejaculation. Here you pull the foreskin back a little and wash yourself with water.

cavernous bodies:
Inside the penis are a number of spongy tissues. When the man becomes sexually aroused, blood flows into these spongy tissues, where it is collected. The spongy tissues then become completely full and this makes the penis stand up straight.

Urinary tube:
Tube through which urine and semen leave the body. The urethra runs between the cavernous bodies. The vas deferens open into the urethra.

Urinary bladder:
Bladder in which the urine is temporarily stored. The urine is formed in the kidneys.

Seminal vesicle:
A seminal vesicle secretes seminal fluid.

Prostate:
The prostate secretes fluid that, together with the fluid from the seminal vesicles and sperm cells, forms the semen.

vas deferens:
The vas deferens run upwards from the epididymis. Seminal fluid and sperm cells together are called semen.

epididymis:
The epididymis lies on the testicle. The sperm cells are temporarily stored here.

Testes (testes):
Sperm cells and sex hormones are made in the testes. Sex hormones affect sexual behavior. They stimulate the formation of sperm cells.

Ball sac (scrotum):
The two testes are in the scrotum.

In boys from puberty

In boys from about 13 years old, millions of sperm cells are made in the testes every day. The sperm cells are stored in the epididymis. The testes and epididymis lie in a fold of skin, the scrotum. Because this scrotum is actually outside the body, the temperature is slightly lower here than in the abdominal cavity. This is important for the production of sperm cells.

During an erection, the cavernous bodies are filled with blood. The penis then becomes erect.
An erection can occur when a boy or man becomes sexually aroused, but that is not necessarily the case. An erection can also develop for no apparent reason. Especially during puberty, it can be the case that a boy finds it exciting to give a presentation and that he gets an erection due to, among other things, the adrenaline. This is then an irritating mistake of the hormone system.

During ejaculation, the epididymis presses sperm cells into the vas deferens. Prostate and seminal vesicles add seminal fluid. Sperm cells and seminal fluid together are called sperm. The sperm passes through the vas deferens and then through the urethra. The urethra runs between the cavernous bodies. Finally, the semen ejects from the penis, about a teaspoon per ejaculation.

On average, a boy gets his first ejaculation around his 13th birthday, but there are also boys who only get his first ejaculation around their 18th birthday.