The 101: A Guide to Male Sexual Anatomy
It’s time for a lesson on male sexual anatomy, from the external genitalia to the inner parts. The male reproductive system is much more than a single organ, so this guide will be an easy-to-follow tool to help you understand your tool.
What is the male reproductive system?
The male reproductive system is a group of organs and tissues that allows men and people assigned male at birth to reproduce, engage in sexual intercourse, and urinate. The male anatomy includes everything from your penis and testicles to your bladder and prostate.
Now, let’s look more closely at how the male reproductive system influences your daily life.
What does the male reproductive system do?
The male reproductive anatomy has several primary functions:
- Produce testosterone and other hormones
- Engage in sexual activity
- Reproduce (i.e. make children)
- Create sperm cells and semen
- Facilitate urination
A functioning reproductive system plays a large role in a man’s physical, mental, and sexual health.
Now let’s look at the different parts of these sexual organs to understand how these functions are made possible.
The Parts of the Male Sexual Anatomy
The male reproductive system includes both external and internal organs.
| External Parts | Internal Parts |
| Penis Scrotum Urethral opening Anus | Vas deferens Testicles Urethra Epididymis Seminal vesicles Prostate |
Let’s look at how each of these parts function.
Penis
You’re likely pretty familiar with this organ.
Your penis is the spongy external organ that allows you to urinate. Through a series of vessels in the base of the penis, this organ can fill both columns of the corpora cavernosa with blood to cause an erection and participate in sexual activities (women also have two corpora cavernosa that sit above the clitoral bulbs on either side of the vagina and they perform a similar function).
The external parts of your penis are the:
- Glans (the sensitive head)
- Body (also known as the shaft)
- Foreskin (loose skin that protects the glans)
- Frenulum (the sensitive v-shaped area where the foreskin meets the underside of the body)
- Urethral Opening (this allows for semen and urine to be discharged)
Scrotum and Testicles
Your scrotum is the loose skin that hangs below the penis. This hanging sack can move closer or further away from the body through muscle contractions.
Most people assigned male at birth will have two testicles that produce testosterone and sperm cells.
For these organs to work effectively, they need to be kept slightly cooler than normal body temperature – around 93.2ºF (34ºC). When your body is cool or you’re in cool surroundings, like a swimming pool, your scrotum will tighten to pull your testicles closer to the body in an effort to maintain the 93.2ºF target temperature. Similarly, your scrotum will relax and your testicles will hang lower from your body when your body is warm or when you’re working out and needs to dissipate excess body heat.
Epididymis
Inside the scrotum and connected to the back of each testicle is the epididymis. These two tubes store the sperm cells that your testicles produce, allowing them to mature.
In other words, the epididymis is where your sperm cells grow up to become better “swimmers.” During sexual activities, muscle contractions push the sperm cells out of the epididymis and into the vas deferens.
Vas Deferens
This is a thicker tube that transports your sperm.
It connects to the epididymis on one side, taking your sperm up behind the bladder and through the prostate and urethra.
Seminal Vesicles
These tiny organs are found right at the bottom of your bladder. They attach to the vas deferens and add in liquid that helps feed and move your sperm. This fluid (now your semen) makes up 80% of the ejaculate fluid.
Prostate Gland
People assigned male at birth have the unique prostate gland. This sits right below your bladder in front of the rectum.
The primary purpose of this organ is to add additional fluid to semen, allowing your sperm to move more effectively.
This gland is also very sensitive to pressure, which is why many people find prostate play, either externally through applying pressure between the scrotum and the anus or internally through anal penetration, to be a source of intense pleasure during sexual activities.
Urethra
Your urethra is the final tube that transports both urine and semen from the internal organs to be discharged through the opening at the head of the penis.
Anus
The external anus and the internal rectal cavity can be considered part of the male sexual anatomy. The anus has many sensitive nerve endings that can also be a source of pleasure in sexual activity.
