seminal fluid

Examples of seminal fluid in the following topics:

• Accessory Sex Glands

  • The accessory sex glands produce seminal fluid and clean and lubricate the urethra.
  • The accessory sex glands, including the seminal, prostate glands, and bulbourethral glands, produce seminal fluid and clean and lubricate the urethra.
  • About 50 - 70% of seminal fluid in humans originates from the seminal vesicles, but is not expelled in the first ejaculate fractions which are dominated by spermatozoa and zinc-rich prostatic fluid.
  • Seminal vesicle fluid is alkaline, resulting in human semen with a mildly alkaline pH.
  • Thus, the exact physiological importance of seminal vesicular fluid is unclear.

• Semen

  • Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa.
  • In humans, seminal fluid contains several components besides spermatozoa, including enzymes (proteolytic and others) and fructose.
  • Semen is produced and originates from the seminal vesicles, located in the pelvis.
  • During the process of ejaculation, sperm pass through the ejaculatory ducts and mix with fluids from the seminal vesicle, the prostate, and the bulbourethral glands to form semen.
  • The seminal vesicles produce a yellowish viscous fluid rich in fructose, amino acids, and other substances that make up about 70% of human semen.

• Sperm

  • In animals, most of the energy (ATP) for sperm motility is derived from the metabolism of fructose carried in the seminal fluid.

• Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System

  • They include the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral (Cowper's) glands.
  • Seminal vesicles: Sac-like pouches that attach to the vas deferens near the base of the bladder.
  • The seminal vesicle fluid makes up most of the volume of a man's ejaculate.
  • It contributes additional fluid to the ejaculate that serves as nourishment for sperm.
  • These glands produce a clear, slippery fluid that empties directly into the urethra.

• Premature Ejaculation

  • It involves deposition of seminal fluid from the ampullary vas deferens, seminal vesicles, and prostate gland into the posterior urethra.

• Overview of the Male and Female Reproductive Systems

  • Many non-living substances, such as fluids, hormones, and pheromones, are important accessories to the reproductive system.
  • The second category, the ejaculatory fluid-producing glands, includes the seminal vesicles, prostate, and vas deferens.

• Male Reproductive Anatomy

  • The male reproductive system is a series of organs and glands that produce sperm, fluids, hormones, and enable the ejaculation of sperm.
  • An ejaculate will contain from two to five milliliters of fluid with from 50–120 million sperm per milliliter.
  • The bulk of the semen comes from the accessory glands associated with the male reproductive system, including the seminal vesicles, the prostate gland, and the bulbourethral gland .
  • The seminal vesicles are a pair of glands that lie along the posterior border of the urinary bladder.
  • This usually accounts for a couple of drops of fluid in the total ejaculate and may contain a few sperm.

• Testes Ducts

  • The ciliated cells stir the luminal fluids, which may help ensure homogeneous absorption of water from the fluid produced by the testis.
  • The sperm are transferred from the vas deferens into the urethra, collecting secretions from the male accessory sex glands such as the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands, which provide the bulk of semen.

• Fluid Compartments

  • The major body fluid compartments include: intracellular fluid and extracellular fluid (plasma, interstitial fluid, and trancellular fluid).
  • The intracellular fluid of the cytosol or intracellular fluid (or cytoplasm) is the fluid found inside cells.
  • Extracellular fluid (ECF) or extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) usually denotes all body fluid outside of cells.
  • It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid (all body fluid outside of cells).
  • Examples of this fluid are cerebrospinal fluid, and ocular fluid, joint fluid, and the pleaural cavity which contain fluid that is only found in their respective epithelium-lined spaces.

• Vasectomy

  • During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream (ejaculate) .
  • Fluid content is absorbed by membranes in the epididymis, and solid content is broken down by macrophages and re-absorbed via the blood stream.
  • After vasectomy, the membranes must increase in size to absorb and store more fluid; this causes more macrophages to be recruited to break down and re-absorb more solid content.